surfing nostalgia

for the past few years, i've seen a trend in surf shops that appeal to a more nostalgic aesthetic. so instead of the flashiness and bigness of most shops cater to a wider, mainstream audience, shops like Thalia, Mollusk, Shelter and even Saturdays Surf NYC target a more discerning and artisanal buyer. these shops will take their time to nurture a relationship with their customers. whereas the others will try to get you on frequency and will compete for your dollar with the online retailers.

i've always enjoyed the experience at these smaller boutique-y shops that have a knowledgeable staff, most of them also happen to be the owners. these guys are doing it for the love of surf culture and not trying to cash-in on a squid looking to wear the latest Kelly Slater boardshort. people who've been surfing for a long time, or those who really appreciate the craftsmanship, quality and rich history and story of a surfboard, wetsuit or even a tshirt design will enjoy these "retro" surf shops.

the relationship

[photo]


The relationship of a client to an agency, is like that of a surfer to a shaper. Like most relationships, it is one that is built on communication and trust. But what makes some relationships so rich and prolific that it creates just tons of awesome? When the relationship between the two entities creates a culture, rather than just commercials for it's clients, or how about heaps of world titles and constantly pushing the boundaries of surfing with innovative board designs?

I believe it's an open and honest dialog between surfer/shaper and client/agency that yields the most rewarding ideas. I've had a few custom boards shaped for me over the years. With each consult w/the shaper, the best ones have come out of exchanges when the shaper asks all the questions to understand my surfing style, experience, and the conditions where I most often surf. This is when you [as a surfer or client] check your ego at the door and provide as much honest feedback as possible so that the shaper/agency can craft the appropriate board/idea for your needs. Most of the time, whether you're a pro or weekend-warrior like myself, we all want that "magic" board that does it all for us. however, we really don't know how to articulate the shape/design of what that "magic" board should be. Enter the expertise of the shaper. the best shapers are the ones that can understand the strengths/weaknesses of the surfer, the wave conditions, etc to craft that "magic" board. there has to be a dialog and trust between the two for it to work. And also, the good shapers don't talk over the heads of their clients either. they both have to be on the same "wavelength".

So there has to be a collaboration and mutual respect of each other's talents. How many times has a client tried to cocktail napkin a layout to their agency partner? Or, when an agency exaggerates how in love they are with a client's brand, just so that they can win the business? Respect. Respect what each person brings (e.g. assets/skills) to the table and work on creating a mutually beneficially relationship. The more a shaper gets to understand the surfer, the better the boards he/she can make for them. And in turn, a more prolific relationship where both get what they want. Better boards, better business.

Yes, there's also an exception. Most amazing surfers or clients can do almost anything despite the quality of the board/creative that is made for them. But those are probably few and far between. Hold onto the clients that you have and work on building the trust and confidence to experiment, innovate, and grow. I'd really like to think that we nurture those client/agency--surfer/shaper relationships so that we continue to elevate the work that is being created. Oh, and another thought...I think this analogy can also be made between the role of account planners to their creative partners as well. As planners our briefs that we produce for creatives should also be a collaborative process that includes honest communication and respect for each other. and just like the surfer who has an on-going dialog w/the shaper to create that "magic" board, and so should us planners w/our creative partners in developing the idea. yeah, agree? what say you?

the herd likes to surf

my shower-time thinking this morning was reflecting on a tweet and post by Faris, stating that the herd likes to rave and also seeing Seth Godin's post on a movement, both of them related to this video showing some dude in his underwear dancing like a crazy man. Faris says that "people like to copy each other." and he continues with "That one person [or thing] can change behavior, if persistent, because it doesn't happen right away, and if the actions, and the copying, are visible to enough people." Watch the video. What is it that the 1st guy experienced or saw that others around him did not? and then as a few more jumped in to participate, did they also see/experience what the 1st guy had going on? perhaps? Seth also adds the observation that it's when the 3rd guy jumps-in to participate, that's what's important, and so starts the trend.

anyone who's been on an early dawn patrol surf session, the 1st guy there is the one who gets the chance to see and observe what the ocean is doing. with enough experience he can probably figure out where to paddle out to catch the most or best waves. as more people start to show up at the beach, you'll see how they'll observe as well. most will wait to see what kind of ride that solo guy out there is having (read: does he look like he's having fun). and as a few more people paddle out to where that one solo dawn patroller is, he's made the decision a lot easier for the rest of us to jump right in. just like after the 3rd guy jumped-in to dance along, more people followed. however, more people in that one dense spot, you're gonna have to fight over those waves. i've never understood why my buddy likes to surf where the crowds are. sure, he may pick off a few waves, but it's a paddle battle most of the time. especially here in dense SoCal surf breaks. myself, i hate surfing around crowds. i'd rather go to where there's smaller, crappier waves, but fewer people around. my idea of fun surf doesn't have to be huge, epic waves. as long as i'm still able to enjoy a few waves, i'm all good. sorry i digress to surfing (have it on my mind since we're going on a surf trip this weekend.)

as ad people, i think it's our job to always seek out and look for those individuals who has the vision and can inspire an idea or a movement. we can either look for that dude that is able to spot out early where the best waves are gonna be and eventually others will be there w/him, or we go to where fewer people are (like myself) and hang with them. ya know, kinda like fish where the fish are and all that. all of this takes a lot of observation, sharing, bookmarking and observing some more. we should bring our client's along in seeing the potential in these "visionary" individuals who can see what others have not. if brought-in early, enough we can be part of a really big thing. even if it's paddle-battle among a bunch of other surfers ;)

paddle-in contender

Axier Muniain Belharra from manet310 on Vimeo.

this should get recognition for the largest paddle-in wave of the year from the billabong xxl crew. location: belharra in the french basque country.

Monster

Screw those "stick and ball" jocks that get paid millions of dollars. Big wave surfers get all the mad props from me. How can you not see something like this and feel dwarfed by the sheer power and mind-blowing enormity of an ocean ready to swallow you up? This is gonna be a contender for the Billabong XXL Big Waves Awards next year for sure. BTW, if Kerby wins, he gets a $1,000 for every foot of wave surfed, doing the quick math on this, remember to carry the one, and he's got about $40K in the pocket between him the photographer. Pennies compared to any rookie baller in the MLB or NBA. But he's not doing it for the money , right?

More pictures and the story behind Kerby Brown's experience here.

create for a cause

growing up here in california, water conservation was part of the day's learning. 30 years later, it's still part of the curriculum. however, we didn't have anything this cool to have us think about water conservation. all we had was the ricky the rambunctious raindrop coloring books and maybe a few stickers. now this is cool. the contest: submit a powerpoint preso, video or photo of what water conservation means to you.

the grand prize: a trip for the winner and their parents to the Tavarua Resort in Fiji for a surf vacation. Other prizes include “hang out” sessions with pro surfers Rob Machado and Rochelle Ballard, and skaters Danny Way, Bob Burnquist and Geoff Rowley.

the kids have so much more tools for creativity these days. if they're fortunate enough to have their own digital camera, a macbook, it's super easy to bang out a quick video and share it w/the world. this type of contest would never have been available to us back in the day. i all had to work with was construction paper, scissors and glue. i would've been stoked to have just built a california mission out of sugar cubes. this creative contest for a cause, sure beats a crummy coloring book.


via shop-eat-surf

quiksilver dynamite surfing - the whole shebang!

i had the original dynamite surfing vid sent to me last year from my cuz in sydney. it's still one of my all-time faves. after seeing the skate vid below, dynamite surfing came up again for me. this one blows out all the other cool stuff that supported the idea. so fuck'n cool campaign. i wish the quik usa guys did this kinda cool shit stateside.

lost:firewire

heard news today that lost surfboards will enter an exclusive partnership with firewire. for those of you who don't follow surfing, this would be something close to scion partnering with the tesla motors to develop a scion-inspired tesla roadster. take the young, progressive cache of lost and inject that attitude into an innovative new surfboard technology and we may have ourselves something really exciting to drive down the line, across a ripable blue face.


via shop eat surf

through the lens of a beginner

i've been complaining a lot about the conditions this summer. the wind may blow the wrong way, or the conditions may get sloppy, or just having the wrong crowds in the line-up, and my attitude turns to shit and i'll stop having a good time. as a kid, i'd go out in any condition...onshore, side shore, blown out, rain and hail, freezing conditions, whatever it was, i was still out there. that was when i was always learning and most importantly...having a great time. recall reading about a japanese belief that if you approached any activity, with the same curiosity and enthusiasm that a novice would have, then you'll always have a rewarding experience. i think i need to get myself back looking through a beginner's eyes. there's definitely no shortage of 'em in the water this summer. ::blink: ::blink::