Vans has signed a three-year deal with IMG to sponsor the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, the company is announcing this morning.
Vans VP of Marketing Doug Palladini answered some questions for us about why Vans is taking over the sponsorship of the event and about some changes the company plans to make.
An estimated one million people have attended the US Open and related events over a nine-day period in recent years.
Nike, Hurley and Converse sponsored the US Open for the past three years and were lauded by many for elevating and transforming the contest.
Vans, owned by VF Corp. and a major competitor of Nike in skate shoes, has been one of the biggest success stories in action sports over the past several years, and its annual sales now surpass $1 billion.
VF Corp., which also owns Reef and many other brands, is currently exploring a bid for Billabong.
See Page 3 of this story for the official Vans US Open of Surfing press release.
Why does Vans want to do this?
Doug Palladini: Vans was born in Orange County, California, just miles from the HB Pier, and we have been here ever since, so the opportunity to take part in such a meaningful event in our own backyard was simply too great to pass up.
The Vans brand is built upon the cultural pillars of art, music, action sports and street culture, all of which can be brought to life on the beach at the Vans US Open. In addition, we have been partners with event owners IMG for the better part of the past 15 years and believe in their ability to execute world-class events. It just feels right.
How will it help Vans surfing program?
This is just another step in our surfing progression at Vans. We have been building a team that we feel really represents our place in surf, our surf-specific footwear is a category leader, and our apparel and accessory efforts are resonating as we see our brand in several ActionWatch category Top 10 brand lists from 2012.
Doug Palladini in the stands at the Billabong Pipe Masters in 2012, part of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Photo by Shop-eat-surf.This also rounds out our surf activation platforms of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing in Hawaii, the East Coast Surfing Championships in Virginia Beach, and the Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitationals taking place globally. I would also add that we have such a deep skateboarding heritage in So Cal that the Vans US Open will remind local fans of our place in surf as well.
After all, Vans’ founder Paul Van Doren first met Duke Kahanamoku at the HB Pier in 1965 and made him and his crew sneakers to match their aloha shirts, and the Dogtown crew were all surfing in Venice before they started skateboarding. We have some great stories to share.
Will it be open to other brands like the ECSC is?
Absolutely. Our motto for the US Open is “bringing the industry back” and that’s exactly what we plan on doing. The Vans way of leading is to welcome everyone into our tent. The Vans US Open is too important to the surf and skate industries to keep everyone at an arm’s length. Beyond that, there are also B2B opportunities for all the brands and even more reasons for every skate and surf fan, brand, athlete, and retailer on the planet to be in HB from July 20-28.
See Page 2 for more about how Vans plans to approach the US Open
Any changes planned to how it is run or the vibe of the event?
We hope the changes will be noticeable. The vision we have shared with IMG is to bring more variety and an eclectic feel to the event – not so monolithic. In terms of vibe, we’d like to bring more families to the beach, including locals who have left town during previous events, a more welcoming vibe for everyone and much more befitting the Vans brand.
How will Vans measure the ROI for such an expensive event?
I would challenge the premise that the US Open of Surfing is “expensive.” You get what you pay for. Using events to activate our brand has been a part of Vans since Steve Van Doren was in diapers. The value IMG is affording Vans is implicit in the event. It’s up to us to make it feel like Vans.
How will Vans ensure that the top surfers attend?
Massive crowds turned out for a concert during the US Open in 2011, which was sponsored by Nike, Hurley and ConverseBy calling the US Open what it is: The largest action sports event in the world. Not the best point break or reef pass in the world. A huge surfing contest and youth culture happening. Given the myriad challenges our industry has faced in the past several years, I believe pro surfers understand how important involvement with almost a million fans, face to face, is going to be.
That said, Vans and IMG are committed to doing everything in our power to ensure that all competitors have fun, have a good chance to make some dough, and are treated as professional athletes throughout. Keep in mind all of their sponsors will be activating on the sand as well, which has not been the case in recent years.
Will Vans have a store on the beach similar to ones Nike and Hurley had?
Vans will be featuring event merchandise as well as in-line product on the beach, but not in a similar way to previous events. We are working closely with key accounts partners Jack’s and HSS and will also create a new look and feel for shopping on the beach.
Will Reef be involved at all?
Of course. I have already kicked around some ideas with PJ and Nutty and they know they are welcomed.
And, are contingency plans being made to include Billabong in someway if VF is successful in acquiring the brand?
No comment.
See Page 3 for the official Vans US Open of Surfing press release
VANS AND IMG SIGN MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP FOR PRESTIGIOUS US OPEN OF SURFING
Huntington Beach, CA (February 7, 2013) – Vans® and International Management Group (IMG) today officially announce a three-year partnership encompassing Vans’ title sponsorship of the US Open of Surfing. Re-igniting the future of surfing’s most prestigious contest, Vans and IMG aim to engage the surf industry back to its roots, advocating an all-inclusive, world-class surfing competition and cultural festival.
“This is a big moment for the Open,” says James Leitz, SVP of IMG and Executive Producer of the Vans US Open of Surfing. “The event has been growing rapidly over the past several years and Vans has stepped in, harnessed all that energy and with their authentic roots and inclusive vision, will help steer this massive happening for many years to come.”
“Vans and IMG have been partners for the better part of two decades. Being able to continue this relationship via such an iconic platform, in our own backyard, is simply a perfect fit,” says Doug Palladini, Vans’ Vice President of Marketing. “We are really looking forward to bringing the entire surf and skate industry back to the US Open, leading by working with all of our peers, and inspiring a whole new generation of action sports fans. As we continue to grow our role in surfing, the US Open and the City of Huntington Beach afford us one of youth culture’s most powerful events to share our spirit of Off the Wall with millions of people. ”
The summer’s biggest youth culture festival, the US Open of Surfing returns to “Surf City USA” (Huntington Beach, CA) July 20 – 28. 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of the prestigious surf contest, and 54 years of consistent, competitive surfing at the iconic Huntington Beach Pier.
The “Super Bowl of Action Sports,” owned and produced by IMG, the global leader in sports and entertainment, is headlined by the world’s best men’s and women’s surfers, professional skateboarders, musicians, and emerging artists. The nine-day event attracts crowds of upwards of one million people and showcases a 10-acre Action Sports’ retail and brand experience. US Open spectators will enjoy an interactive festival featuring more than 100 exhibits, autograph signings, DJs, guest emcees and prize giveaways. Live webcast and consumer information is available on www.usopenofsurfing.com.
IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG’s Joint Ventures in China, Brazil and India; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academies; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IMG_Worldwide and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/IMG-Worldwide/
Vans
Vans®, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand, is a brand of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC). Vans collections, including authentic footwear, apparel and accessories, and snowboard boots, are sold globally in more than 170 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and foreign offices. VF Outdoor, Inc. owns and operates more than 300 stores of the Vans brand in the United States and internationally, each offering a wide range of Vans footwear and apparel while communicating our brand and athletes’ rich stories. The Vans brand promotes action sports lifestyle and youth culture through support of athletes on boards and bikes all over the globe and through progressive events such as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, the Vans Downtown Showdown, the Pro-tec Pool Party and the Vans Warped Tour®. More information about the Vans brand can be found at www.vans.com, Twitter @vans_66 and www.facebook.com/vans.
