Marilyn Monroe Inducted Into Rapala Hall of Fame

Rapala inducted Marilyn Monroe into its Hall of Fame for the impact she had on its business. The Rapala Hall of Fame showcases influential people who assisted the company in becoming the world’s largest manufacturer of fishing tackle. Most people probably see no connection between Rapala Lures and Marilyn Monroe. However, for those familiar with the August 1962 issue of Life magazine, the relationship is clear.

In August of 1962 America mourned the death of Marilyn Monroe. The August cover of Life magazine bore a picture of her and featured a pictorial history of her life. In this same magazine was an article titled, “A Lure Fish Can’t Pass Up,” showcasing Lauri Rapala’s original floating lure. This edition broke all circulation records and became the biggest-selling issue of all time.

“The article about Rapala lures in the 1962 issue of Life magazine created an unforeseeable chain of events for our company,” said Tom Mackin, president of Rapala USA. “Marilyn Monroe’s presence in that issue should definitely be credited for dramatically launching the Rapala brand.”

Little did Life magazine know that while remembering one of America’s film icons, they would also be responsible for the birth of a fishing icon — the Rapala lure. The small U.S. distribution company felt the impact of the article immediately.

“Rapala wobblers were starting to catch on,” recalls Ron Weber, co-founder of Rapala USA. “It was like pouring gasoline on a campfire, we were overwhelmed with requests for Rapala lures. In no time at all we had orders for about three million pieces.”

The two-person U.S. company began receiving three or more bags of mail a day, some of which contained cash begging for as many lures as it could buy. However, the small company couldn’t handle the requests and nearly went bankrupt returning the money.

Marilyn Monroe’s celebrity status coupled with the Life magazine article began a new mayhem in the angling industry. During this unexpected boom, Rapala built a reputation in quality and service and fully committed itself to the American market. Today, Rapala lures are sold in 140 countries and are responsible for more world-record catches than any other lure.

Source: Rapala

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