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Ugly Stik

A Brand So Ugly It’s Beautiful

For over four decades, Ugly Stik has been synonymous with strength, durability, and reliability. Its no-nonsense, “tough as nails” reputation made it a go-to brand for anglers of all skill levels. However, despite its cultlike following, the brand’s identity had become fragmented over time—lacking cohesion across products, marketing, and messaging.

Header Image Credit: © Ugly Stik
What We Did

Market Research

Brand Strategy

Marketing Strategy

Visual + Verbal Strategy

Messaging

Identity Personas

Brand Design + Communications

Brand Guidelines

Email Templates

Brand Stewardship

Art Direction
Man in a boat on a lake fishing with an Ugly Stik rod and reel with a fish on the end of his line.

Image Credit: © Ugly Stik

Pure Fishing recognized the need for a bold yet strategic brand refresh to ensure Ugly Stik’s continued relevance in a competitive and evolving market. They turned to BOLTGROUP to craft a transformation strategy that would re-energize the brand, streamline its identity, and attract new audiences—all without compromising the grit and authenticity that made Ugly Stik iconic in the first place.

Ugly Stik logo applications

Challenge

Ugly Stik’s greatest strength—its legendary durability—had become both an asset and a challenge. While longtime fans swore by the brand’s indestructibility, the lack of consistent branding had led to market dilution. The brand’s visual and verbal identity had grown inconsistent, making it harder to attract younger fishing enthusiasts while maintaining its credibility with seasoned anglers.

The challenge was clear: How do you modernize a beloved heritage brand without losing what makes it great?

Image showing many pages from the Ugly Stik brand guidelines
  • Ugly Stik pattern and color examples
  • Ugly Stik pattern and color examples
  • Ugly Stik copy headline hierarchy
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Solution

BOLTGROUP developed a comprehensive brand transformation plan that reinforced Ugly Stik’s legacy while propelling it into the future.

image of an Ugly Stik fishing rod and reel with a branded message on the left side

Key Initiatives:

  • Brand Identity & Guidelines: A cohesive brand playbook ensures consistency across all touchpoints—from packaging to digital marketing.
  • Visual & Verbal Strategy: A refined design system and messaging framework reinforces Ugly Stik’s rugged personality while making it more engaging for new audiences.
Ugly Stik logo and sub-brand applications
image showing four icon applications for the Ugly Stik fishing brand
Ugly Stik website shown on a laptop with four additional website header options
Ugly Stik website brand site modules
Ugly Stik website retailer site modules
Image of three phones showing social media posts for Ugly Stik brand
Three email designs for the Ugly Stik fishing brand

  • Market Research & Audience Targeting: A deep dive into research helped define key demographics, allowing the brand to tailor its communication to resonate with both legacy users and the next generation of anglers.
  • Design Toolkit Development: A flexible yet structured design language to streamline product presentation ensures every touchpoint reflects Ugly Stik’s tough, no-frills identity.
  • Brand Stewardship: By instilling a long-term brand governance strategy, we ensured Ugly Stik would maintain consistency across future campaigns, products, and marketing initiatives.
Digital Ads for Ugly Stik fishing brand with mockups of them on digital devices
image showing multiple pages from the Ugly Stik power point template
three Ugly Stik video thumbnails

Result

  • A Unified & Modernized Brand: Ugly Stik’s refreshed identity maintained its signature toughness while appealing to a broader audience.
  • Award-Winning Relaunch: Timed with the launch of the new GX2 product line, the Ugly Stik brand refresh contributed to the GX2 winning the prestigious Anglers’ Choice Award at ICAST, the world’s largest sport fishing trade show.
  • Stronger Market Positioning: The transformation strengthened Ugly Stik’s position in the market, bridging the gap between nostalgia and modern day appeal.

By balancing legacy and innovation, Ugly Stik’s brand evolution proves that even an “ugly” brand can be beautifully positioned for the future.

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