anyone else notice that it seems every crankbait maker out there is scrambling to get out their own version of strike king's "sexy shad" color? other companies call theirs "sx shad", "xxx shad", etc.  ;D even strike king has made every single crankbait in their lineup available in this color pattern.

anyway, what do y'all think of this color? is the hype true? or is it just a fad?

Marketing ploy.   What brings in the $$$.

The color definitely works but it is probably a fad.  I was using Rapala's natural shad crankbait for a while before anyone heard of the sexy shad color.  Its very close to the same thing and it produces very well.

The Red Eye Shad and Series 4 crankbaits I have in the Sexy Shad color have put ALOT of smallies in my boat this season.

Falcon

Isn't it funny that a lot of companies already had a Chartreuse Shad that looks almost exactly like Sexy Shad.  For example, go to ***.com and look at any of the color schemes of baits like Lucky Craft and you can see that Sexy Shad really only has a darker back.

Hype?  Maybe....   Effective?  YES!  If you are fishing a body of water with pelagic baitfish such as Blueback Herring this bait will catch fish.  I caught 2 personal best's with the series 5 during the post spawn here back to back with it.  That's a rare occasion in my book so I am a fan.  Also the spots love the red eye shad in that color 1/2oz in both the flat and the chromed versions around here anyway.  

I bet smallies will go for it too.   So yes, it works and as far as the others copying it:

"Imitation is the best form of flattery"

-Benjamin Franklin circa 1775