Outdoor industry marketing agency TBA Outdoors is expanding its influence with the organization’s podcast aimed at helping outdoor brands grow and connect with their customers. Hosted by TBA Outdoors President, Todd Fuller, the Behind The Brand series features monthly guests including outdoor brand business owners discussing a myriad of topics that relate to brand-building in the outdoor world specifically.
On Episode 20 of Behind The Brand, Fuller takes a look inside a grassroots brand, Pop’s Birding, which took an idea originally created by Bethany Sloan’s grandfather, William O. Sloan, to an operation reaching the ever-growing birding community. Fuller is joined by Bethany Sloan and Pete Stankovich of Pop’s Birding, to explore how mesmerizing little hummingbirds were the catalyst for creating a global brand.
“My grandfather was always a tinker,” said Sloan. “He created tiny swings to place near feeders and began making them for friends and neighbors. It wasn’t until 2006 that we actually took the product to market.”
“One of the biggest misconceptions about hummingbirds is that they actually spend about 80% of their time perching,” added Sloan. “So, we had to first focus on product awareness and educating people about the actual behavior of hummingbirds.”
Prior to COVID, Pop’s Birding, like many manufacturers, relied on manufacturing in China.
“We have experienced a lot of peaks and valleys over the last few years,” Stankovich said. “Our biggest triumph was actually finding a wire form manufacturer that could create these swings in America.”
From those humble beginnings, the brand is poised to grow and is adding additional products to their offerings including nectar, wildflower bird seed, proprietary feeders and more.
To take a closer look, listen to the entire podcast for insight on how Pop’s Birding turned a global pandemic into an opportunity to bring all manufacturing back to Made in the USA.
Episodes are available on Soundcloud, and iTunes. Follow along on the TBA Outdoors Behind the Brand podcast page for episode descriptions and a complete collection of video episodes.
TBA Outdoors has niche category expertise and has been the driving force behind many national brands including Contender Boats, Outdoor America, FIREDISC Cookers, Heybo Outdoors, Papa’s Pilar Rum, Fish Hippie, Williams Knife Co. and Frogg Toggs, developing and delivering tangible results that positively impact business in the outdoor industry.
TBA Outdoors is a subsidiary of Brandon specializing in the outdoor industry. TBA Outdoors employs a global team of more than 100, and those team members don’t just work outside, they live outside, providing a unique advantage and niche lifestyle experience. TBA Outdoors is headquartered in Orlando, Fla., with offices in Charleston, S.C.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Charlotte, N.C. As one of only 24 certified and accredited brand strategist agencies in the United States, TBA Outdoors is results-driven and digital-minded and has powered successful programs and campaigns by aligning clients’ business objectives with creative brand strategies. This team of experts is out in the field or on the water generating corporate marketing strategies and revolutionary business-building ideas for outdoor clients.
