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In today’s global angling trade, success depends on far more than simply having good products. Competition is intensifying. Supply chains are faster, new players are emerging and manufacturers are bringing similar products to market at lower prices.
I know that many long-established European brands see this not just as a business challenge, but as a clear and present threat to their long-term existence.
There is an argument for saying that the strongest defence to this threat lies in cultivating an even stronger brand. But in the B2B world, brand building is very different from consumer marketing. When talking to end-users, brands emphasise aspiration and excitement; but in the B2B sphere brands are built on trust, reliability and partnership. That is how you motivate the distributors, retailers and trade buyers who decide whether your products reach anglers in the first place.
Strong B2B brands project more than product quality. They communicate the values that matter to trade customers: dependable delivery, responsive service, marketing support and the ability to help retailers succeed. And in many cases, what defines a brand most clearly is the people behind it. Owners and managers are not separate from their brands — they are part of them. Their personal integrity, accessibility and willingness to support their partners directly add to the brand’s strength. In a small, interconnected industry like ours, personal relationships and reputations matter as much as the products themselves.
A recent conversation I had with one of the world’s biggest tackle businesses illustrates this perfectly. The company was considering block-booking more than half of our available magazine covers for 2026, but when we explored the reasoning, it became clear that their strategy relied almost entirely on promoting new products. But behind the company’s operations lies one of the most sophisticated R&D departments in the industry, supported by a large team of designers and product developers, with global testing schedules and rigorous processes for deciding what to launch and why.
These team leaders and their stories – the expertise, dedication and care they invest in creating world-class products — were being overlooked in the company’s B2B marketing. But by telling these stories through editorial content, the company could create lasting awareness and credibility that no product announcement alone could achieve.
Another example came just this week with a supplier that highlighted on its website a certification from NATO for producing military-grade boots. Initially, the team didn’t see how this could be relevant for acquiring B2B customers in the angling trade. Yet the certification reflects extraordinary expertise: the ability to manufacture highly functional, reliable footwear capable of performing in extreme conditions and delivering consistently to demanding specifications.
Once they realised the significance of this achievement, it became clear that this hidden strength was marketing gold dust – a story that could immediately differentiate them from competitors and serve as a powerful conversation starter with trade buyers.
More significantly, the fact that the certification exists at all was down to the dedication of the company’s founder towards seeking out the most cutting-edge materials for weather-proof footwear and developing more efficient ways of bringing them to market. His is a story of professionalism rather than pizzazz, but it matters in a B2B context.
B2B brand building is about showcasing the people, processes, services and expertise that competitors cannot copy. At Angling International, we see how companies that communicate these strengths consistently, across a 12-month programme of advertising and editorial storytelling, build recognition, trust and long-term preference among trade buyers.
Too many companies still rely solely on product messages. Products can be matched; brands built on relationships, service and personal reputation cannot. Those fearful European businesses can protect their market positions, but only through superior brand recognition and the depth of personal connection they build with their customers.
As we close the year and look ahead to 2026, ask yourself: what hidden advantages does your business have? Are you telling the story of your people, your service and your expertise? If you’re not sure, come talk to us – we will help you uncover them and share them with the trade.
Let’s build stronger B2B brands together.
