STILLWATER, OK (02.05.2020) – KICKER Marine Audio is coming on strong in the marine industry as evidenced by its presence and activity at the 2020 Miami International Boat Show, on Virginia Key, February 13-17.

KICKER, long recognized in the “12-Volt” world of automotive, truck and powersports mobile audio, has recently flexed its muscle in the marine environment. While the brand initially appealed to many lake boats, excelling in the pontoon, wake and surf boat markets, it has recently expanded to the fishing boats and cruiser market, thanks to the growing appeal of its strong waterproof and reliable product characteristics.

At the Miami Show, KICKER Marine Audio has teamed up with Reef Runner Boats as a key sponsor in the manufacturer’s third annual “Battle Breast Cancer Giveaway.” The charitable fundraiser features a $25 ticket donation campaign for the giveaway of a 230 open fishing boat, valued at $85,000 retail, with all funds raised to benefit breast cancer research for the Susan G. Komen Miami/Fort Lauderdale organization. KICKER Marine Audio donated a full sound system, valued at nearly $4,000, joining additional sponsors like Evinrude, TACO Marine, SeaDek, Epson and others to support the effort. The boat will be prominently displayed at the show entrance, space D-50. A lucky winner will be drawn at the show at 1 PM on Monday, February 17.

KICKER Marine Audio will also participate at the show’s opening industry event on Thursday morning featuring Marine Marketers of America (MMA) and Boating Writing International (BWI) in a joint annual awards celebration. KICKER is the exclusive event sponsor for the MMA Neptune Awards, along with a category sponsorship of the BWI Travel Award. In addition, the company has donated raffle prizes to the awards event featuring giveaways of its high-end blue tooth product, EB200 Earbuds and the Tabor Over-the-ear headset.

KICKER will show its line-up of marine audio equipment in the D-Tent #139. Coaxials, subwoofers, amplifiers, receivers, service units and remotes for operation and lighting are part of the offerings, but KICKER Marine Audio has gone the extra mile behind the scenes to ensure that its marine components and rigging are waterproof, durable and problem-free. This attention to detail is expressly seen in items like fuses, cables, coaxial speakers and subwoofers, which are both certified and compliant to stringent marine standards.

While “compliance” (relying on the manufacturer to test its own products) and “certification” (requiring third party review) are equipment terms often used, in the international marine industry these descriptors hold even more credence.

“We ensure that the right product is used for the application,” states Phil White, KICKER’s Unit Director of Marine Audio Systems, “KICKER Audio components are designed to meet or exceed U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) as well as American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) standards. We also carry certification on certain items for water-tightness, ignition protection, and IP rating. We want to ensure that our high standards meet those of our boat builder partners, so every installation involving KICKER Marine Audio components can be waterproof, safe, and eliminate any avoidable risk in the harsh marine environment.”

Items like fuse holders, ground distribution and cables are USCG and ABYC compliant, protecting electrical circuits against short circuits and corrosion, with construction and labelling compliant with USCG and ABYC standards. The Marine Rated Battery Fuses (MRBF) are certified IP66, meaning they are sealed to protect against dust and water intrusion. These KICKER Marine Audio fuses are also certified as Ignition Protected so they will not ignite flammable or explosive vapors in your engine compartment or enclosed spaces.

KICKER has taken a big step with ISO marine certification for its coaxial speakers and woofers. Kicker coaxial speakers and woofers are certified to meet the same ISO standard which applies to marine windows, doors and hatches, as those audio components must withstand water intrusion as well. Carrying this ISO certification has had a major impact in the EU and the rest of the global market.

KICKER tests all components in real life situations: salt fog, for corrosion; weather, for UV and moisture resistance; and IP testing for debris and water ingress, thereby providing OEM builders, dealers and customers with ultimate peace of mind when using KICKER Marine Audio. New products are also being added to the roster including more wiring, AMP kits, RCA Interconnects and terminals, all designed from the start to be marine compliant.

“KICKER Marine Audio delivers a trustworthy experience for our highly valued marine industry customers and the retail community,” says Jeremy Bale, Brand Manager for Lifestyle and Marine Products, “We deliver total confidence in our product as proven in over 40 years of manufacturing top-quality mobile sound systems, with the goal to continually grow our brand and reputation in the recreational marine marketplace.”

Visit kicker.com/marine-audio, reefrunnerboats.com, go.rallyup.com/reefrunnerboats, and miamiboatshow.com for more.

STILLWATER, OK (02.03.2020) – KICKER is proud to recognize two of the company’s International Distributors-of-the-Year for outstanding performance in 2019 – Grupo Monsiry (Mexico) and OG, Inc. (Japan).

Having earned a reputation as one of KICKER’s hardest-working distributor partners, Grupo Monsiry surpassed every goal KICKER management requested while serving Mexico, Central America and Colombia.

“They have shown a real tenacity in the marketplace,” said Chet Weddle, KICKER Director of International Sales. “No matter what goal we threw at them, they would hurdle it. When they attend shows, they do it in force. Just this past CES, they brought 15 members of their sales staff to the show.” 

OG, Inc., led by principal Hideki Ogino, was chosen for the other International award in recognition of the extraordinary effort put forth in the distributor’s home country of Japan.

OG has been honored several times with this award. Its consistent excellence in marketing the KICKER brand has proven to be a benchmark. In determining who is honored, KICKER looks at how the brand is represented in each territory, in addition to financial considerations.

“They do up to 50 shows a year around the country,” explained Weddle.  At every event, OG will bring many of their customers from Japan to experience the KICKER lifestyle.  The effort they put forth earned them the recognition.”

Visit kicker.com for more.