In a filing today with the SEC among the list of purposes for Quiksilver’s next shareholders meeting (March 26, 2010) was item number three (directly following a proposal to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock by 100 million):
3. To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve the grant of 3,000,000 shares of our restricted common stock to Kelly Slater as part of his sponsorship agreement;
Getting Kelly Slater to buy-in on the future of the company is a pretty good idea, actually. Few things are more motivating than the idea that you could make $20 million (or more) in the next couple years if Quik’s stock ever climbs up out of the dumps. Nice thinking.
[Link: SEC]
The brand is “flat” in America…sales are weak and QS are trying to build sales by moving into mass merchants – hence “losing their cool” and core…
so why not give Slater 3 million shares…nothing to lose…he is an asset of the brand and they need it…
Brands all have life expectancies…and QS is fading here…yet may still be cool globally…
Walk the beach and talk to surfers and action sports peeps and they all say the same thing as of recent …aka…QS has lost some once invincible cool…
The way of the world…
New and hipper indie brands are what the ‘core’ are now seeking to be wearing and associated with…QS are busting their butts though trying to remain on top despite a ‘loss of edge’…no one to blame but themselves, the market and Hollister for bringing fake surf into kids ambitions to have and wear…
QS could have held tough and stuck with the “core” who built them into a power brand – but the fact they need to keep Wall Street suit and tie’rs too many lawyers and shareholders happy with a bottom line of better sales and sales has really tarnished their brand image…
They have the bug backing though to try to stay cool …they are sponsoring everything they can…as well as ten year old kids to get them loyal now…but in the meantime they have lost the true loyalist who built the brand…
RIP QS…
Who cares? It’s amazing to me that anyone actually gives a shit about Quiksilver or any other giant surfing corporation. I guess it’s a pretty sad indicator of the commercialism which is so all-pervasive in our beloved sport and which has contributed so much to overcrowding and exploitation of remote surf spots that not too long ago would have been the domain of the traveling surfers who were hardcore enough to find them. Now it’s all packaged and planned out for the sponsored photo-shoots and contests (which, sadly, often keep the locals out of the water on the best days of the year).I realize guys like Slater are laughing all the way to the bank, and I know that as a guy who just plain loves to surf he would still be out there shredding whether there was any money in the sport or not. For all of us “normal” surfers out here, the big corporations are meaningless and even harmful distractions in an otherwise beautiful sport and lifestyle.
Good for Kelly… But no one needs that much money. I agree with droid, as a longtime soul surfer and waterman, having my beloved north shore, which I surfed since the ’60s, exploited, run over and ruined by commercialism…who cares. What I do care about is that the giant surf companies are major polluters. Think about it….every plastic, foam and fiberglass board ever made will never biodegrade. in our seas and on our planet forever. Pieces of all the synthetic materials made to sell the surfing lifestyle. Yes, I ride an epoxy board. Do I have a choice? I would suggest that the large surf corporations spend time and money on R&D to produce ‘eco friendly’ products to clean up their mess and end their hypocrisy…
Agreed:
The commercialsim has made surfing a sport of exclusive, rich rippers versus the remainder of leftovers scrambling for what ever they can get. Back in the day it was whoever could get “the job” allowing him/her to surf daily and also travel.
I agree with the idea to go green with surfboard tech. As our sport continues to grow there will be more boards made out of unbiodegradeable materials. Hence we contribute to the end of the environment that supports our lifestyle.
J.
Just another example of what is wrong with surfing I hope all the surf Co’s fold!
I also agree with these guys lets get back to why we surf not what we are wearing while we surf.
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