surfing as design inspiration >> second in an occasional series >> hang ten

as the title suggests this the second post in an occasional series pick out things that I have noticed on my design journey I have made. I regularly refer to and learn from surfing branding and design . even working as a designer for surf companies as well. today I am having a look at the hang ten brand (originally set up in california in the early 1960's it soon became one of the major players in the surf industry). 

hang ten (named after the longboard surfing manoeuvre of hanging ten toes over the nose of the board while ridding) has always had a special place in my mind. when I first started surfing in the late 60' s early 70's their shorts were the ones to have, not just because of the advertising hype but they were really good quality. 

almost a victim of its own success it started to licence its brand to any thing and every thing and in so doing diluted the brand so much so its original customers left it to flounder amongst the strength of the Australian based brands of billabong, rip curl, and quiksilver. 

they licenced prints for all sorts of things including bed linen and even operating theatre scrubs as below, I don't really like the pastel shades (glad dr ciapparelli wasn't wearing one last week)
until very recently the brand was in trouble loosing its place amongst the brand leaders in the major markets of the usa, australia and europe. though managing to keep a firm foot hold in asia, especially japan. it just so happens that I am wearing a pair of 'new' hang ten board shorts today see logo below.

to end this very brief design history of the hang ten brand it is sort of good new as the brand it the process of becoming part of the now large quiksilver operation which should guarantee that hang ten will be set to continue and re-appear and hopefully not go down the road of more bad licensing decisions. below the redesigned logo for 2008

rip curl boardmasters 08 >>

I am normally excited around this time of year I am either on the way on foreign surf trip (as last year) or at minimum on my way over to the board-masters in newquay. as a surfer and a writer about surfing I usually drive over (it is quite close to where I live). but I am not planning to go over this time well not unless the surf picks up a huge amount. strange really but I am beginning to feel that its a bit like the two weeks of wimbledon you know when every one in the uk plays tennis for two weeks. only to forget about it three weeks later. perhaps I am a miserable old git but surfing is a year round thing and much as it is very important to cornish surfing and the local surfing industry. it is more than ever full of people who are there to be seen rather than to actually watching the surfing. but who am I to criticise I will probably go later in the week, perhaps I am just wishing that I had been asked to judge some of the heats then I would be over there like a shot. all that said if you are over at fistral hope you enjoy it. 

surfing >> conditions and contests

some of you will know that I have been involved in surfing for years and years first as a lifeguard then for a short time a competitor, more recently a contest judge, as well as a surf writer for Go2 magazine and the owner of surf98.

so one way or another I have be around the surf scene in the UK for more than 35 years. we have just had a really good weekend (for summer) as you can see from the first couple of photos, but today monday (last picture) the rip curl boardmasters contest started, a 5-star contest for both men and women and the surf went to mush. I always want to apologise to the visiting surfers who come to compete as we do get great waves just not very often in august. but if you read the rip curl contest website it seems as though the waves are fine.

that is summer in cornwall not the most constant surf, that is why we are off to france in a couple of days.

picture credits (moby & 'the wilkin')

more marketing >> rip curl

more on marketing, the surfing industry really has grabbed the marketing guys and gone full out. never mind the mildly amusing renault/rip curl TV adverts in the UK.
but surfing the rip curl way seems still seems to be for every-one except people who actually surf. probably because that is where the money is, real surfers never have any money.

next week down here in the south west the rip curl boardmasters will be under way. as a side show there actually will be some surfing going on. along with the 'nuts magazine' beach babes, a car show, a music festival, and official music festival, a beach festival and all in the name of rip curl.
don't misunderstand me I am not against the rip curl boardmasters, it is a fantastically well organised important event for the south west of the UK.
any way on the subject of rip curl I do like their watches especially this one!