Why Surfing Matters

Face it, most people that wear clothes from brands like Quiksilver, Billabong, Reef, etc. have never been on a surfboard - and most never will.

However, like most apparel brands, these too are worn to make a statement by the consumer. In this case the statement is "I respect and enjoy the lifestyle of surfing." And, if these consumers are not surfers themselves perhaps they aspire to be. "Aspiration" is a key element in any action sports marketing efforts - let alone those that involve surfing. The lifestyle of surfing asks "you wanna be like me?, wanna look like me?, wanna live on a beach like me?, wanna a girlfriend that looks like mine (nod to Kelly Slater)?..." Then buy that Quiksilver shirt hanging right there. And, just like that, you're in the club. You don't need to live anywhere near a beach to participate in the culture of surfing - as long as you wear the right clothes. Right? Well, as far as the business of surfing is concerned, that statement might be true, but so many people are missing out on the sport of surfing. And this need not be the case - you can surf at any age and you need very little equipment to get started. It's all about you and a board. That's it. (yes, you need access to the ocean or a wave machine)

Think about it: there are no sports where one singular athlete must be more in tune with mother nature than in surfing (my opinion). Yes, that sounds a bit "hippie-ish" but surfing is only possible with the cooperation of the waves - the act of surfing itself is a result of a profound connection between man (or woman) and nature. No waves = no sport. Period.

I predict that surfing will start to matter more as young people continue to embrace individualism and prefer sports such as snowboarding over skiing. Anyway, I hope that will be the case. Who knows, maybe selling "surf brands" at Target and Kohls will actually positively impact this trend?