Press Release:
– Pat Parnell to Host SIMA Image Awards Ceremony –
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (JANUARY 9, 2012) —The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is proud to announce that tickets are now on sale for the SIMA Image Awards, which will honor the best of the surf industry from 2011.
The highly anticipated awards ceremony will take place Thursday, February 9, 2012, at The Grove in Anaheim, Calif. and will be hosted by surf industry personality Pat Parnell. The doors will open at 6:00 P.M. and all surf manufacturers and specialty retailers are encouraged to gather their crew and come celebrate the best in the industry.
“It was amazing to see the size of last year’s crowd for the SIMA Image Awards push us to a biggervenue for 2012,” says Doug Palladini, SIMA President and VP of Marketing for Vans.
“Obviously, our industry has responded favorably to our decision to bring the awards stateside and host the evening in Orange County, the action sports epicenter. Being able to have everyone who had a hand in building these world-class products and marketing campaigns present to be honored at the awards ceremony is what it’s all about.”
Due to the high demand for tickets last year, the new venue will allow for moreseats for attendees with a better viewing experience of the ceremony. Tickets will be sold on a first-come first-served basis. General Admission Tickets are $35 per person and VIP Tickets are $100 per person.
VIP Tickets will include access to an exclusive lounge-style seating area for the ceremony – up front and close to the action, VIP after-party and a complimentary cocktail with table service. Each SIMA Image Awards nominee company will be contacted separately by SIMA to secure Nominee Tables.
Tickets are required for entry into the event and lost tickets will not be refunded. The deadline to secure tickets, if not sold out before, is January 30, 2012. There will be no refunds on tickets after January 30, 2012.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.simaimageawards.com. For questions, please contact SIMA Event & Communications Coordinator, Kelly Keenan at Kelly@sima.com or 949.366.1164 x3.
In its ninth year, the goal of the SIMA Image Awards is to identify the surf industry’s most influential companies and recognize them for their efforts to advance and grow the industry over the past year. This year, companies will be recognized in the following 16 categories.
OVERALL AWARDS
Breakthrough Brand of the Year
Criteria: Recognizing the small- to mid-size men’s or women’s brand that experienced breakthrough growth between January 1 and September 1, 2011. Consider surfboard, apparel, footwear, wetsuit and accessory brands that had a breakthrough year through product development and/or increased brand recognition and appeal. Nominated companies can be new or established brands, but must have annual U.S. sales of at least $1 million and no more than $20 million. (Previous winners of this category are no longer eligible for five years.)
Analog Clothing
Firewire
Futures
Quiksilver for Girls
Stance
Breakthrough Retailer of the Year
Criteria: Recognizing the specialty retailer with 15 U.S. brick and mortar doors or less that experienced success in 2011, between January 1 and September 1. Consider the specialty retailer that had a breakthrough year in terms of sales and increased storerecognition and appeal. (Previous winners of this category are no longer eligible for five years.)
Bird Rock, La Jolla
Hanger 94, San Diego
Maui Nix, Ft. Lauderdale
Surf Diva Boutique, La Jolla
MEN’S AWARDS
Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the men’s apparel brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1 and September 1, 2011.
Billabong
Hurley
Quiksilver
RVCA
Volcom
Men’s Boardshort of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the boardshort product from Spring or Fall 2011 product lines (at retail between January 1 and September 1, 2011) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Bruce Annihilator by Volcom
Cypher Alpha by Quiksilver
MIRAGE by Rip Curl
Phantom 4D by Hurley
Platinum X Recycler Series by Billabong
Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the men’s apparel, footwear, wetsuit, hardgoods, accessory or media brand that produced the most creative marketing campaign in 2011. Consider men’s brands that displayed a creative, cohesive and consistent brand message in print, digital and point-of-purchase materials. Campaign must have first appeared in consumer print publications with an on-sale date between January 1 and September 1, 2011 (approx. the September or October issues of endemic magazines.)
“Collection Campaigns” by Nixon
“Destroys Boredom” by Volcom
“I Surf Because…” by Billabong
“Kelly Slater 10x World Title” by Quiksilver
“True Innovation” by Hurley
Men’s Retailer of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the specialty retailer that featured the best selection, product mix and merchandising in the men’s category between January 1 and September 1, 2011.
Brave New World, New Jersey
Huntington Surf & Sport, Huntington Beach
Quiet Flight, Cocoa Beach/Orlando
Surfride, San Diego
Surfside Sports, Costa Mesa
For Women’s Awards and Product Awards, please see page 2…
WOMEN’S AWARDS
Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the women’s apparel brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1 and September 1, 2011.
Billabong
Insight
O’Neill
Roxy
Volcom
Women’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the women’s apparel, swimwear, footwear, wetsuit, hardgoods, accessory and media brand that produced the most creative marketing campaign in 2011. Consider women’s brands that displayed a creative, cohesive and consistent brand message in print, digital and point-of-purchase materials. Campaign must have firstappeared in consumer print publications with an on-sale date between January 1 and September 1, 2011 (approx. the September and October issues of endemic magazines.)
“Beach You To It” by Roxy
“Create Your Mark” by Vans
“New Wave” by Billabong
“Untitled” by Insight
“Volcom Brand Jeans” by Volcom
Women’s Swim Brand of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the women’s swim brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1 and September 1, 2011.
Billabong
L*Space by Monica Wise
Roxy
TAVIK
Volcom
Women’s Retailer of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the specialty retailer that featured the best selection, product mix and merchandising in the women’s category between January 1 and September 1, 2011.
Hanger 94, San Diego
Huntington Surf & Sport, Huntington Beach
Jack’s Surfboards, Orange County
Surf Diva Boutique, La Jolla
Surfside Sports, Costa Mesa
PRODUCT AWARDS
Accessory Product of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the accessory product from Spring or Fall 2011 product lines (at retail betweenJanuary 1 and September 1, 2011) that featured the most exciting innovation, design or appeal. Accessory products such as watches, eyewear, headphones, socks and other accessories can be considered.
The FIX by Skullcandy
Knoxville by Electric Visual
Sun Care by Sun Bum
The TPS by Nixon
Volcom X Krochet Kids Collab Beanie by Volcom
Environmental Product of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the most exciting, appealing and/or innovative environmental surf product from Spring or Fall 2011 product lines (at retail between January 1 and September 1, 2011). Consider apparel, footwear, accessory, wetsuit, surfboard or any other surf-related product that was created to lessen the impact on the environment, whether through its manufacturing process, materials or usage of the product itself.
Green Flex by FCS
Recycled Boardshort Series by Billabong
RG8 (Re-Generate) Recycled Series byO’Neill Wetsuits
Shift Into Neutral Collection by VonZipper
V.Co-Logical Fall 2011 Dress by Volcom
Footwear Product of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the footwear product from Spring or Fall 2011 product lines (at retail between January 1 and September 1, 2011) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Cruisers by Roxy
Evolution Series by Kustom Footwear
Jimbo Phillips V.Co-Lab Vocation Creedlers by Volcom
Mea Ola by OluKai
Surfsider by Vans
Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year (new category)
Criteria: Awarded to the surf hardgood accessory product from Spring or Fall 2011 product lines (at retail between January 1 and September 1, 2011) that featured the most exciting innovation, design or appeal. Accessory products such as fins, leashes, bags, wetsuit accessories (heat vests, boots, etc.) and other hardgood accessories can be considered.
Cypher PS+ Heat Vest System by Quiksilver
DNA Flex Mold Leash by Creatures of Leisure
Drylock TS Boot by Xcel
H-Bomb Heated Vest by Rip Curl
Techflex by Futures
Surfboard of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the surfboard model from Spring or Fall 2011 product lines (at retail between January 1 and September 1, 2011) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Fred Rubble by Channel Islands Surfboards
Sub-Scorcher by …Lost Surboards
Sweet Potato by Firewire
Slayer by Rusty Surfboards
Wetsuit of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the wetsuit from Spring or Fall 2011 product lines (at retail between January 1 and September 1, 2011) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Cypher Fuseflex by Quiksilver
Drylock by Xcel
FLASHBOMB by Rip Curl
Psycho by O’Neill Wetsuits
Solution Xero by Billabong
All regular and board builder SIMA members were given the opportunity to enter their own companies or brands, and retailers, in any qualifying categories.These entries were then reviewed and voted upon by an industry panel of experts comprised of both manufacturers and retailers.
The outcome of the panel vote determined the five nominees in each category. Winners are determined by a final vote open to all SIMA member companies, as well as specialty retailers. The final voting process has closed and the winners will be announced at the SIMA Image Awards ceremony on February 9, 2012.
A complete description of awards criteria, as well as a detailed explanation of the entry and voting processes and materials required can be found at www.simaimageawards.com.
About SIMA
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. Founded in 1989, SIMA is a non-profit organization that serves to promote awareness of the surf industry and participation in the sport of surfing through public relationsefforts and a variety of services, educational programs and research.
In addition, SIMA actively supports oceanic environmental efforts through its 501(c)(3) charitable environmental foundation, the SIMA Environmental Fund. In the past 22 years, SIMA’s Environmental Fund has raised more than $5.8 million for environmental groups seeking to protect the world’s oceans, beaches andwaves. The SIMA Humanitarian Fund, also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, was established to award grants to various surf or boardsport related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people.
Liquid Nation Ball serves as the annual fundraising event for the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, and since 2004 has raised and donated more than $1.58 million to surf-related non-profit humanitarian organizations. For more information regarding SIMA, please visit www.sima.com. Follow SIMA at Twitter.com/SIMA_SURF.
