Action Sports Enthusiasts Unite Under One Roof at ASR
By Marlise Elizabeth Kast
www.marlisekast.com
For nearly three decades, ASR (www.asrbiz.com) has managed to unite brands, buyers, manufacturers and media together in one location for the world’s leading action sports trade show. This year’s event was no exception, as over 500 brands and 1500 booths showcased their latest collections.
Held at the San Diego Convention Center, the semi-annual event continually provides a platform of exposure for well-established companies as well as young, emerging businesses. On September 7th – 9th, buyers, distributors, athletes and marketers came under one roof for the exciting 3-day forum.
Previewing the latest in action sports apparel, Zex Sports (www.zexsports.com) caught up with some of the industry’s leading retailers and designers. Among the event highlights were runway shows, fundraisers, live music, beer gardens, seminars and skate competitions.
ASR Show Director, Andy Tompkins says, “The amount of creative energy that the entire industry puts into the events, makes ASR so much more than a trade show. Where else do art exhibitions, enormous fundraisers, runway shows and global skate contests all come together in one place?”
Hosting the ASR 2007 Kickoff Party were Surf Shot Magazine (www.surfshot.com), The Walker Project (www.thewalkerproject.com) and Surfrider Foundation (www.surfrider.org). They rolled out the red carpet on September 6th for three hundred of the industry’s leading trendsetters. Retailers, designers and celebrities came together to show their support at the Red Circle club in San Diego’s Gaslamp District.
Guests were treated to a hosted vodka bar and a surf slideshow montage set against the backdrop of ambient grooves. Proceeds from the event were donated to the Surfrider SAVE Trestles campaign.
Mike Walker, President of The Walker Project (www.thewalkerproject.com) says, “The kickoff party was a huge success. As one of the event’s hosts, for me the goal was to support a cause, have fun and pave the way for ASR. I am really looking forward to planning future events with Surf Shot and the new owners of Red Circle. The party was a blast.”
The following morning, ASR opened its doors bright and early for the September 7th trade show. Foam magazine (www.foammagazine.com) dominated the runway during the 2 o’clock fashion show. As models paraded the catwalk, top brands like Hot Tuna (www.hottunaint.com) turned heads with their 2008 collections.
One of the first surf brands to enter the fashion world, Hot Tuna remains an influential leader in the action sports industry. Swimwear Director, Anna Kenney says this year, Hot Tuna is taking drastic measures to keep its clothing line cutting edge and strikingly bold. “Some of our bikinis are reversible and others are expandable so that they provide a perfect fit. We also recently introduced a line of tee-shirt dresses, jumpers, boardshorts and zip-up hoodies.”
Hot Tuna Marketing Director, Cody Graham says much of the company’s notoriety comes from its unique clothing style. For Spring 2008, the design team has embraced 80’s fashion by implementing patterns such as checkers, polka dots, stripes and hearts.
“Our designers are using a lot of neon colors and hardcore prints in the new line,” says Graham. “Our biggest sellers are the candy-stripe bikinis and cotton dresses. It is because of our exposure at ASR that we are currently negotiating to have our products featured in major retail stores.”
Taking a much “louder” approach to marketing was the action sports brand, Volcom (www.volcom.com). The Volcom booth included free beer and live music from Volcom Tour bands such as “Year Long Disaster.” Public Relations Director, Amy Lee says this coming season women will be offered a much wider selection of clothing including a new line of swimwear. “We are introducing easy dresses, swing-style coats and pop-colored shorts. I believe it is our unique approach to style that keeps us at the top of the industry.”
One of the boldest brands at ASR was Metal Mulisha. Typically known by its signature helmet-skull logo, the company has introduced such new items as slippers, boardshorts, jeans and children’s clothing. Merchandising Manager, Zack Montez says, “We are expanding our products but remaining true to our image. We cater to the moto-urban crowd and people who like to get dirty like the typical desert rat.”
The brand got its unlikely start in 1999 when legendary motocross rider, Brian Deegan began selling a few shirts out of his garage. Today, the Metal Mulisha clothing line is sold nationwide in stores such as No Fear, Tilly’s and Pac-Sun. The majority of the company’s products are sold through its website, (www.metalmulisha.com).
Ryan Cropley who designed the Metal Mulisha website says, “Despite the changes in fashion, we generally keep our clothing down to three colors; black, red and white. Our women’s line has a sort of hard-core feel while our men’s line tends to promote the specific style of our riders. The Deegen Signature collection is selling like crazy.”
One company that was determined to be heard at ASR 2007 was headphone specialist, Skull Candy, (www.skullcandy.com). The focus of their booth was a DJ surrounded by comfy couches and racks of colorful headphones. Customer Service Rep, Brandon Storm says the exposure they gained at ASR was worth the eleven-hour drive from Skull Candy’s Utah headquarters. “This is our third consecutive year at ASR,” Storm explains. “Our products are now sold at Target, Best Buy, and at major action sports stores. We offer a lifetime warranty and a quality product that can outlast many of our competitors.”
Skull Candy already offers fifteen existing styles of headphones. Fresh to the 2008 catalog are new colors, logos and designs. Top sellers include the “Rasta” headphone which comes with a bottle opener and “Full Metal Jacket” miniature ear buds. According to Storm, the company is growing at a rate of 500%. “We are moving into a new warehouse in October,” he explains. “The new building will be four times the size of our current location.”
During the frenzied buying and selling of products, other events were taking place such as the Boost Mobile eS Game of Skate (www.boostmobile.com). During the Saturday competition, 32 amateurs battled 32 pros including Chris Cole, Paul Rodriguez and Andrew Reynolds, for a chance to win $20,000. Surrounding the kicks and flips were mini ramps, a street course and the DVS Beer Garden.
Surfboard shapers also gained recognition in the ASR Board Builders Pavilion. Here, visitors could place bids at the Reef Board Build Off silent auction (www.reef.com). All proceeds benefited the SIMA Humanitarian Fund.
This year, ASR went the extra mile to raise money for environmental initiatives by creating the “Green Room”. Displaying the latest in eco-conscious products, additional funds were brought in through silent auctions, art work and a poker tournament.
Among the charitable organizations helping to save the environment was The Glue Network (www.thegluenetwork.com). Formed in 2005, one of the goals for Glue is to connect and motivate people to care about those in need and to make a difference in their daily lives. Thanks to successful events like ASR, Glue is able to unite artists, musicians and brands with a common passion and purpose for helping those who are less fortunate.
This year, Glue brought in talented artists to ASR to paint murals. Proceeds from the artwork were donated to Surf Aid International (www.surfaidinternational.org). Glue provides funding to other such causes as helping the poor, ending the HIV pandemic, disaster relief, caring for the homeless, education, protecting the environment, saving children and preventing substance abuse.
Glue Founder and CEO, Shawn Parr says, “We wanted to create a world-wide community devoted to purpose-driven needs and acts. At ASR, we invited action-sports industry brands to participate in this purpose. Each brand sent a sponsored artist to do live painting on the mural. The mural was then auctioned off and that money was donated to a worthy cause. This way, everyone had a hand in making a difference.”
From the Convention Center to the streets of San Diego, ASR activities continued into the night. Among the evening events were movie premiers, fashion and award shows, fundraisers, concerts and industry parties. ASR organizers have announced the dates for next year’s shows as January 24-26, 2008 and September 4-6, 2008. Buyers, retailers and athletes alike all agree that ASR 2007 will be a tough trade show to beat.
For more information, visit www.asrbiz.com
