Social media is at the heart of how many of us communicate and as a brand, it's one of the most powerful ways to engage with anglers.
But we're making some changes to make that engagement even more community-led.
Firstly, let's quickly discuss the Wychwood brand; for decades the brand has evolved, moving into new disciplines and expanding its reach. That's meant creating more and more branding, identity and social media channels. The time has come where we're stripping that back to the core of what we are - one brand, one mindset.
'Original Thinking' is the mantra of the brand, everything that we're about distilled into two words. It's a philosophy that we can apply to everything from product development to our own fishing. After all, being original, expressing one's individuality is the ultimate form of escape, right?
So, with that in mind we're looking to consolidate much of our consumer-facing channels to focus on community. We now have wychwoodtackle.co.uk, our 'one brand, four disciplines' website where no matter what your angling interests are, they're covered by our brand hub. You're reading this on the website so the chances are, you've had a good look around and seen that we're mixing products listings and e-commerce with info, news and helpful guides. These guides and key pieces of advice are set to evolve and grow so the website is a go-to for anyone - not just Wychwood tackle owners - to discover things that can take their fishing further.
Then we have our social media channels. We're keeping our discipline-specific Facebook pages for carp, specialist, fly and predator, because we feel that to clearly get news out to specific types of anglers, facebook still rules the roost. But the branding, the 'OT' philosophy runs throughout these pages and we encourage anyone who likes Wychwood to follow all four pages, as there's always some great catch reports, product news and even hints and tips that may be the spark for your next adventure.
We've also got the Original Thinkers Facebook group; this really is where the community aspect of the brand is kicking off. It has the feel of a forum, where chat is encourages, and the ability to share to an audience of likeminded anglers no matter what species they target. The membership is growing steadily and we welcome ANYONE to join, even if it's to ask questions, whether that's about the kit to use or to find out info for your next session. Our team anglers are present and ready to help, giving expert advice or just sharing stories about their fishing. This group is the essence of what angling is about - people with a shared passion communicating and sharing.
The way we host video has also undergone some changes; where we kept carp content seperate from our game, predator and specialist videos online, we now feel it's important to have one hub for video content, and that's where the Wychwood Tackle Youtube channel comes in. From feature films to product spotlights, no matter the type of fishing you do, you can either search through playlists or just immerse yourself in feature films with our leading brand ambassadors.
Lastly, we have Instagram; this is where one of the biggest changes is taking place. For years we've pursued individual channels for the individual disciplines, but we're realised that Instagram is where stories are told and as a brand that has so much to talk about, our stories should be on one channel, a channel where we can tell those stories about everything that happens within Wychwood. So we're channelling our presence on Instagram through our Wychwood.Fishing account, and throughout the Summer you'll see it evolve to really showcase the thinking behind the brand and how, regardless of how you fish and what you fish for, we're a brand that has the exploration of new avenues at our heart.
Ultimately, these changes are about bringing anglers closer together. Whether you're discovering something new on the website, sharing your latest catch in the Original Thinkers group, following updates on Facebook or joining us on Instagram, the aim is the same: to create a stronger, more connected Wychwood community. We're excited about the journey ahead and we'd love for you to be part of it. After all, Original Thinking isn't just about the products we make – it's about the anglers who inspire them, the stories they tell and the adventures still waiting to happen.
#teamwychwood
