by The Editors on April 29, 2009
Looks like the economy can’t keep a good company down as Billabong’s stock price has closed above $10 for the first time since December 2008, according to a story on Goldcoast.com.au.
The Burleigh-based company has been riding a wave of renewed optimism that the US market has finally turned the corner, punctuated last weekend by rosy comments from US President Barak Obama’s economic adviser Lawrence Summers.
Wait, we leave the keyboard for a couple days and the recession is already over? We should go outside more often.
[Link: Goldcoast.com.au]
by The Editors on April 22, 2009
As more proof that all West Coast brands haven’t made it until they make it there, Nixon is setting up a popup shop at New York City’s “legendary” 114-year-old boutique Henri Bendel.
The Nixon pop-up shop will showcase many new pieces from Nixon’s spring 2009 line as well as two, limited edition 42-20’s.
. . . To celebrate the launch of the women’s spring 2009 line at Henri Bendel, we invite you join us for an evening of new product, music, sips and sweets and the opportunity to receive an exclusive Nixon gift-with-purchase* on Wednesday, April 29 from 6:00-8:00pm.
If we lived on the right coast we’d go, but that will never, ever happen (for all kinds of reasons).
[Link: Nixon]
by The Editors on April 21, 2009
Airwalk is sticking with print advertising according to a story in Brandweek. The company is launching their new “We Are Airwalk” campaign in the printed pages of several magazines that are still in business.
The campaign will break in print in the June issue of Vapors, a skateboarding/lifestyle magazine. The print component will comprise 26 pages across vertical titles like Skateboarder and Snowboarder, as well as other lifestyle and music titles, including Spin and Filter. As for social media, the brand will have a presence on MySpace and Twitter. . . “The campaign is really focusing on athletes and who they are,” said Bruce Pettet, CEO of Airwalk, Denver, Colo. “It’s more than winning an X Games medal, it’s more the everyday life of what athletes do.”
Aside from the fact that they’re launching in print, it is nice to see that they’re sticking with the action photo and a logo creative. That way Andy Macdonald will actually have photos in a skateboard magazine.
[Link: Brandweek]
by The Editors on April 21, 2009
Home products company CHF Industries has just announced that they have signed a licensing agreement with Quiksilver to create “home lines” for Quiksilver and Roxy.
“Partnering with CHF Industries allows us to further our vision of creating a complete lifestyle company,” said Steve Tully, president, wholesale, Quiksilver Americas. . . CHF plans to translate the surfing and boardriding culture of Roxy and Quiksilver into home by using the brands’ mountain and wave logos on products with innovative constructions and colors, said Joan Karron, executive vp, CHF.
Sometimes the easiest revenue is licensing revenue. We’re hoping for a Quiksilver curtains or some Roxy girl sheets (so we can slip into bed with all of them at once).
[Link: Home Textiles Today]
by The Editors on April 20, 2009
A group of 13 people lay down at the capitol building in Denver, Colorado today to remember the 10th Anniversary of the Columbine shootings, including a father who wore the Vans shoes his son was wearing the day he died.
Among them was Mallory Sanders, granddaughter of slain teacher Dave Sanders, and Steve Wewer, godfather of slain student Daniel Mauser. . . Daniel’s father, Tom Mauser, wore the Vans shoes his son was wearing the day he was killed.
“They did not kill their spirits. They did not kill ours, either,” he told the crowd.
[Link: Associated Press]
by The Editors on April 20, 2009
The Salt Lake Tribune profiles their newest local business success in a story titled: Skullcandy Feeds Your Head and discovers that while the rest of the market is falling to pieces all over the place, Skullcandy is rapidly growing.
There’s a rumor that there’s a recession,” said Jeremy Andrus, (pictured right) president of the Utah-based Skullcandy headphones company. “But we’re not feeling it.”. . . In 2005, the company had $1.3 million in sales, while this year it’s on track to surpass the $100 million mark. Last fall, the company had about 30 employees. Today, it has more than 60. . . In 2008, nearly 10 million people purchased Skullcandy headphones, which are sold in more than 60 retailers. That catapulted the company to the industry’s No. 2 spot, second only to audio behemoth Sony. . . Brand loyalty is driving Skullcandy’s growth. “We’re gunning for No. 1,” Andrus said, displaying more of the company’s trademark bravado.
[Link: Salt Lake Tribune]
by The Editors on April 16, 2009
Spy Optic parent company Orange 21 announced yesterday financial results for the year ending December 31, 2008 and though net sales were up 2% over 2007 to $47.3 million, their losses increased from $8 million in 2007 to $15.2 million in 2008.
“The current recession continues to have a significant impact on our sales,” commented Stone Douglass, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. “The impact is being felt not just in the US, but overseas as well. During these last few months we have reacted swiftly to reduce operating expenditures in all our companies and increase our sales and marketing efficiencies. In addition, we have been seeking new opportunities on a global basis.”
Douglass says that he is excited about some new opportunities in the future, but damn, that losing $23 million in two years seems like a pretty large wall to climb even with the office being closed on Fridays and cutting employee pay by 10 percent.
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by The Editors on April 15, 2009
According to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald Billabong is a nightmare brand for ad agencies and television networks because they are playing by their own rules all the way around.
It does not make TV commercials, it does not book space on television. And its magazine ads are produced by its own team. Billabong is not just a surf brand, it is a media company, says the person in charge of producing the hours of surf-related content. . . “This just ups the ante,” says Scott Wallace of the deal announced last week with Sony. “We are turning into a media company as well as a clothing company.”
Wallace, formerly with IMG, and now VP New Media and Strategic Partnerships, appears to be putting Billabong on the right track. As we’ve said several times: if you want to control your message, be the messenger. And it looks like Wallace is doing just that.
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
by The Editors on April 15, 2009
It’s the story of a Brigham Young University student who took an idea to the nation. BYU NewsNet writer Kresha Worton tells the story of senior advertising student Chip Neff and how he and his brother Shaun built the Neff brand.
Neff said he and his brother have managed all of the business responsibilities over the past few years, but with their tremendous growth they recently were able to hire seven full-time employees to specialize in different areas. . . He said one of the biggest things that has contributed to their success has been the unique design and colors of the brand. . . “The theme of the brand is very fun and colorful,” Neff said. “We offer all the fun, most colorful and fresh designs.” . . .WGSN, a company that provides trend analysis and news to the fashion industry, had nothing but good things to say about Neff. . . This year WGSN predicted Neff as the biggest trendsetter for the snowboarding industry.
And what if every one of the reportedly 13.5 million Mormons world-wide were to buy just one hat. . . isn’t that the least they could do?
[Link: BYU NewsNet]
by The Editors on April 15, 2009
Roxy announced today that they will be teaming up with home electronics titans JBL, Inc. to produce a new line of headphones.
The new series of multimedia products will combine Roxy’s leading fashion sense for adventuresome young women, with JBL’s award-winning, pro-sound technology. The first products will include a line of co-branded headphones in fashion colors slated for launch in the second quarter of 2009. . . .The special edition line will represent the first time a key fashion has partnered with a premium audio brand to create portable multimedia products that look as great as they sound. Consistent with each brands’ reputation for pro-level performance, the Roxy / JBL suite of products will be marketed with an emphasis on combining a premium, personal music experience with high intensity sports action.
While we don’t exactly think they will be creating “an new market category of branded headphones,” we’re sure Roxy branded headphone will come in colors and patterns that will make the little girls scream.
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Looks like the economy can’t keep a good company down as Billabong’s stock price has closed above $10 for the first time since December 2008, according to a story on Goldcoast.com.au.
