Dispatch

Gerber Scores Twin Hits in April Field & Stream

We've said it before, but it's as true now as it was then - if one is good, two is BETTER!  All the more reason to celebrate the April issue of Field & Stream this month as Gerber lands a placement in a must-have product round-up as well as an interesting story in Field & Stream's monthly 'Close Call's section.

For starters the Gerber Suspension multi-tool gets the nod in the F&S 'Instant Guide' section as an essential component to any turkey hunter's kit, but things get really interesting when writer Steve Masello share his story of our very own Crucial FAST quite literally saving the day.

Apparently our intrepid author was hunting some lowland last fall when his boot - and by default his right leg - became trapped in a muddy bog.  The more he struggled, the worse things became, to the point Steve fired two distress shots into the air to summon help.  At last, with the aid of his hunting partner and his handy Crucial FAST (serendipitously on loan from the Gerber marketing dept), Steve was able to cut through the laces of his hunting boot and safely return.

Gerber comes to the rescue once again!  Now let's steer clear of those mud puddles, eh Steve?

 

Outdoor USA Spotlights Newest Addition to Gerber Team, VP of Sales Jay McGregor

We could not be more pleased in welcoming Jay McGregor to the Gerber team as Vice President of Commercial Sales.  Jay's professionalism and deep skill set will be a tremendous asset to the brand and the headline here pretty much says it all - "Gerber snags industry veteran Jay McGregor".  Welcome to the team Jay!

Wired.com Reviews Gerber Apocalypse Kit

The Walking Dead revolution rolls on as the AMC series continues to break records and thrill viewers throughout the world. Concurrently, the Gerber Apocalypse Kit continues to make a splash, most recently with this review on top tech site Wired.com.

Are you prepared?

 

Gerber Strives for New Heights in 2012

2011 was a watershed year for the Gerber brand and as we pause for a brief moment to reflect on our successes we are proud of the team and thankful for the creative and hard working people we get to work with every day.  We are also incredibly excited for the year to come as we welcome new members to the organization and look to expand our reach into new markets with the opening of our new international office in Munich, Germany.

Thanks to all for your hard work and here's to another great year in 2012!

2012 SHOT Show Report - Gerber Reigns!

With Las Vegas now in the review mirror we wanted to share with you a 2012 SHOT Show recap.  By all accounts, this year's show was Gerber's biggest and best ever.  With upwards of 60,000 attendees walking the halls of the Sands Expo & Convention Center January 17th - 21st the Gerber booth was non-stop from open to close.

Marketing highlights included dozens of media appointments - not to mention an equal number of on-the-fly conversations that are the root of any good tradeshow - a Bear sighting and incredible press coverage from the SHOT Daily editorial staff.  A sampling of PR wins in and around SHOT includes....

A Day One feature article on the Gerber rebranding effort and our challenge to ourselves and the industry to re-invent the purchasing process around knives and tools.

The one and only Bear Grylls at SHOT for the first time for VIP meetings and an in-booth meet and great. If you weren't there to witness it, the line wrapping around the booth for Bear was something else!

And key product coverage - amongst a sea of competition...

We're following up on leads, fulfilling product queries and mining opportunities by the truckload coming out of the show and couldn't ask for a better way to kick off the 2012 campaign.  Thanks to the entire team for the incredible work - before, during and now after the show! Without such an incredible team effort success would not have been possible and we're looking forward to a great year.

Onward!

 

Gerber Gator Machete Pro Cuts an Image on Top Lifestyle Sites Following The Walking Dead Premiere

No two ways about it - the Gator Machete Pro is one mean looking tool.  Toss in some key exposure - say as in embedding your product into one of the top rated cable shows of all time like The Walking Dead - and the combination can be magic.

That's the way it went down this week as not one (Uncrate), but two (Gizmodo) of today's most influential pop culture websites featured the Gator Machete Pro and news of our relationship with The Walking Dead.

Gerber Gear Premieres in AMC Hit Series The Walking Dead

At Gerber we firmly believe in staying prepared - for anything...

And what better way to illustrate this mantra than our new partnership with AMC’s hit series The Walking Dead. Recently named one of ‘the best shows on television’ by Rolling Stone Magazine, The Walking Dead reigns supreme as the most watched drama series on television for Adults 18-49. 

The season premiere, which kicked off October 16th, drew 7.3 million total viewers, becoming the strongest telecast for any drama in basic cable history. Concurrently we kicked off the news, contests and fan loyalty programs on the Gerber website and Facebook page to help capitilize on the buzz.

Sneak peek behind the scenes here, along with some good press to boot. Now, let's keep your head on while you're out there....and keep an eye out for Gerber gear in upcoming episodes.

 

Taking it to the Streets - Gerber Visits Outside Magazine HQ

In today's competitive media landscape it's getting harder and harder to garner premium product placement. But rather than get discouraged, we did what Gerber always does - we rolled up our sleeves and got to work.

In this case we took our show on the road to Outside Magazine to present the 2012 line to Outside's editorial staff in their Sante Fe, New Mexico offices.  Below Publisher Larry Burke, Buyer's Guide Editor Sam Moulton and Senior Editor Grayson Schaffer preview the new Instant knife. Interest is high as they've called in numerous samples already and we look forward to tangible results from our visit.

Proving once again that when the going gets tough, Gerber remains Unstoppable.

Fiskars Helps Open NASDAQ Exchange This Week

Trips to New York City may come and go - but how often can you say that you went to the Big Apple to help open the trading day for NASDAQ?

Well, that's just what Fiskars CEO Kari Kauniskangas did yesterday as he and other senior Fiskars team members were on hand to ring the ceremonial Opening Bell.

As part of the family Gerber was along for the ride as Kari spoke not only of Fiskars but about other top brands in the portfolio as well. A great day, a tremendous honor and as you can see, a little bit of fun too.

Complete video coverage here.

 

 

Tale from the Street - Everyday Heroes Save a Life with a Little Help from a Gerber Knife

In today's fast paced world, where negative headlines seem to dominate the stage, every once and a while a story breaks that brings a smile to your face.  This is one of those stories....

Two Illinois men were recently recognized with Citizen Lifesaving Awards after rescuing a fellow motorist who was injured in a crash. Dan Narciso, a professional stuntman, and James Halterman, a National Guard veteran with three tours of Afghanistan under his belt, pulled David Kieffer from his cripled vehicle with the help of Halterman's Gerber Covert 154CM knife.  Police stated that Kieffer likely would not have survived without the help of the men who pulled him from his vehicle.

Halterman's knife was completely burned in the fiery crash but Kieffer sent us what remained of the knife and followed up with customer service on the tale.  As a token of appreciation we at Gerber framed the burned knife with a message of thanks for his heroism. The frame and new knife were presented to Halterman at the ceremony last week.

Full story here.  Hats off gentlemen!