The SIMA Image Awards are tonight at The Grove in Anaheim, here are some interesting trends to watch.
The brands nominated for the most awards include:
Billabong for seven – Men’s Apparel, Men’s Boardshort, Men’s Marketing Campaign, Women’s Apparel, Women’s Swim, Environmental Product, Wetsuit.
Volcom for six – Men’s Apparel, Men’s Marketing, Women’s Apparel, Women’s Marketing, Footwear Product.
Rip Curl for six – Men’s Boardshort, Men’s Marketing, Women’s Apparel, Women’s Swim, Women’s Marketing, Wetsuit.
Vissla for five – Men’s Apparel, Men’s Boardshort, Men’s Marketing, Environmental Product, Breakout Brand.
A few brands have dominated their categories in the past several years, and it will be interesting to see if their streaks continue.
Women’s Swim: Since the swim award was introduced in 2007, there has only been one winner – L*Space, which has won seven years in a row. Rip Curl swim, which has flourished at retail this year, could give L*Space some tough competition.
Surfboard of the Year – Channel Islands has dominated this category, winning six years in a row. One of its biggest rivals, Lost, withdrew from the awards in this category this year.
Men’s Apparel – RVCA has won in this award category for four years straight. Will RVCA be able to make it five?
Women’s Apparel – This award seems to be up for grabs. Billabong Women’s was the top dog in this award category several years ago, winning four consecutive times. But Quiksilver Women’s ended Billabong’s streak, and then last year, Roxy won. Roxy is not nominated this year, so it will be interesting to see who will go home with the prize, especially in a year when the women’s market has rebounded at retail.
Men’s Boardshorts – This year, it won’t be Hurley going to the podium again for one of the most coveted awards of the evening. Hurley, which dominated this category for six years straight, is no longer a SIMA member, and is not participating in the awards.
Newcomers to watch
Vissla, which entered the market with a bang this year, comes into its first Image Awards with five nominations, a record for a new brand. Vissla’s experienced team of executives, designers and marketers have won awards before with other brands, which could add an interesting twist to the evening.
Roark Revival, which is a newer brand that has generated a lot of buzz this year and a brand that many in the industry are rooting for, is nominated for three awards: Breakout Brand, Accessory Product, and Men’s Marketing.
One of the biggest surprises last year was when Roark won the award for Men’s Marketing, besting other more established brands that had significantly larger marketing budgets. Can Roark pull off a win again and beat some of the big guys?
Retail changes
SIMA is no longer giving Image Awards for retailers in different categories. Instead, they are honoring retailers who have been in business for 50 or more consecutive years with the SIMA Surf Shop Gold Wave Award.
The 20 retailers to be honored this year include: Atlantic Beach Surf Shop, Bert’s Surf Shop, Bunger Surf, Dive N’ Surf, Froghouse, Hansen Surfboards, Harbour Surfboards, Haut Surfboards, Heritage Surf Shop, Hobie, Jack’s Surfboards, Katin, McKevlin’s Surf Shop, O’Neill Surf Shop, Ron Jon’s, Surf ‘n Wear’s Beach House, Surf n Sea, Surfers Supplies, Val Surf, and West Coast Surf Shop.
See Page 2 for the full list of nominees
OVERALL AWARDS
Breakout Brand of the Year
Beach Riot
Catch Surf
OTIS
Roark Revival
Vissla
MEN’S AWARDS
Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Billabong
RVCA
Vans
Vissla
Volcom
Men’s Boardshort of the Year
Jordy Freak by O’Neill
Mirage by Rip Curl
Mod-Tech by Volcom
Spinner Lo Tide by Billabong
Zulu by Vissla
Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
“Creators & Innovators” by Vissla
“Life’s Better in Boardshorts” by Billabong
“Surfing is Everything” by Rip Curl
“True to This” by Volcom
“Volume 7: Rocketship to Reykjavik” by Roark Revival
WOMEN’S AWARDS
Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Billabong Women’s
O’Neill Women’s
Rip Curl
RVCA
Volcom
Women’s Swim Brand of the Year
Beach Riot
Billabong Women’s
L*Space by Monica Wise
Rip Curl
RVCA
Women’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
“Let’s Go Anywhere” by L*Space by Monica Wise
“My Bikini” by Rip Curl
“Shave Ice” by OluKai
“Today is Perfect” by O’Neill Women’s
“True to This” by Volcom
PRODUCT AWARDS
Accessory Product of the Year
ED01-TIDE Digital Watch by Electric
Happy Lens by Spy
Roark Revival x Leatherman Collaboration Crater C33LX Pocket Knife by Roark Revival
Socks by Stance
SuperTide Marbelized by Nixon
Environmental Product of the Year
Eco-Board by Firewire
Plastic Bag Wallet by The People’s Movement
Recycler Series Boardshorts by Billabong
Upcycled Coconut Boardshorts by Vissla
Yulex Nexkin Wetsuit by Patagonia
Footwear Product of the Year
Cochise Jogger by The People’s Movement
HOKUA by OluKai
Recliner by Volcom
Surf Siders by Vans
Yoga Sling by Sanuk
Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year
Blackstix 3.0 by Futures
DNA Flex Mould Leash by Creatures of Leisure
Drylock Boot featuring TDC Thermo Dry Celliant by Xcel
FCSII Essential Series Fin Collection by FCS
Jordy Smith Signature Traction Pad by Channel Islands Surfboards
Surfboard of the Year
Beater by Catch Surf
Blackbird by Rusty Surfboards
Pyzalien by Firewire/Pyzel
Siamese Palm Viper (SPV) by Dion Agius by SUPERbrand
The Average Joe by Channel Islands Surfboards
Wetsuit of the Year
Drylock featuring TDC Thermo Dry Celliant by Xcel
Flash Bomb by Rip Curl
Psycho Series by O’Neill Wetsuits
Xero Furnace 2mm by Billabong
Yulex Nexkin Wetsuit by Patagonia
