Surf Kook Surf Club x Opposuits
Stay Wild
There is only one rule in the Surf Kook Surf Club, "Must suck at surfing."
But that doesn't mean you can't dress like a fucking champ while you do it!
News
Indian Summer: What's an Agency do?
Stay Wild
Drew Ligget is a super cool guy who knows way more about the relationship between brands, shops, and shoppers than we'll ever know. Maybe that's why he started a full service brand agency called Indian Summer? We don't know what a full service agency is, so we asked Drew what it's all about. Read and learn kids...
What's an agency do?
Hahaha so good! I feel the same way when it comes to technology stuff, I would rather just not know… Anyways, to answer your amazing question, our agency is the business side of some of the most inspirational and creative brands around. We are a company that loves what our brands stand for and work all day to get them into the best stores, create compelling campaigns, throw amazing events, and tell their story to the world. I have been lucky enough to work with amazing companies, from Jacks Surf Shop to Volcom to TOMS to The NTWRK and can now use what I have learned to help grow our brands into household names. In short, we exist to build the brands in any way possible and existing is real real good!
Cool, so you're like an ad agency or a PR agency? What's the difference?
Haha great question! We are a sales agency first and foremost. It is our job to make sure our brands are stocked in the finest retailers and that we always support our stockists, it's a two way street. When I was starting the company though I read "confessions of an advertising man" by David Ogilvy a hundred times and I try to apply as many of his principles from running the worlds largest ad agency to running our sales agency. Ideas like "A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself," "good copy can't be written tongue in cheek, you've got to believe in the product," and "Don't bunt, aim out of the ball park" are all quotes I think about everyday that guide us. We want to work with stores who believe in our brands, brands who have big ideas and take big risks, and we prefer praise heaped on our clients and partners over ourselves.
So you like connect the ice cream maker to the ice cream truck?
What's you favorite ice cream? I like like that Thrifty's kind. They're scooper guns are super cool.
To be honest I had not heard of it either before I started working for one a couple years ago! It is a pretty interesting concept, but if you think about it we want to live in a world where the creative geniuses behind our favorite brands are free to create more radical products. We don’t want them to also have to answer endless emails and fly around the country for meetings, this would take away from their passion and their creativity. That is where we come in, to get the ice cream out to the most attractive ice cream truck so that all the world can taste it and fall in love. Great metaphor by the way, I could never have put it so eloquently.
Speaking of Ice Cream, whatever happened to Dipp n Dots? Wasn’t that meant to be the ice cream of the future? My personal ice cream loyalty goes to this truck called The Van Leeuwen that always pops up in the neighborhood (Venice) at the right time with the treats.
What are some of your favorite retail shops to work with?
My favorite stores to work with are the ones who have a vision for the items they want to curate and who have a voice for how they want to speak to their customer. Stores that take risks and back brands they believe in no matter what anyone says, and stores that understand their customer. There is so much opportunity to make the experience for the customer so good and so fun and I love when retailers see their store as much more than a place to sell things, but as a hub/hangout for the community. You see this everyday with the great stores when they add a barber chair, whiskey bar, great mags and coffee table books, seating areas, and when they are sponsoring contests and festivals in their city, hooking up local skaters/surfers and throwing rad events. As a consumer the less I feel like I'm being sold to and the more it feels like I'm just hanging with good people, the more I want to support that store.
Since folks can just buy directly from most brands what's the role of retail shops these days?
When we buy directly from brands shouldn't it be like 50% cheaper because we're cutting out the retail's mark up?
It is interesting with the growth of this internet thing (totally turned out to not be a fad) that pretty much any customer can buy from any brand and that makes it tough for stores. But that is why this whole thing is a partnership, the brand supports the stores by creating exclusive product, making sure to never sell to another store too close by, getting great displays made, and giving product to the kids working the floor. The stores support the brand by creating that unique experience for the customer and educating the customer on what is the newest and neatest. People don't have time to sit around and research brands all day so they go to the cool shop to find epic new brands, bam, a beautiful cycle.
I bet this is a touchy subject. What other subjects are super touchy in your business?
That is definitely a touchy subject but I truly believe the consumer is super educated and cooler than ever and they understand that they are paying for the super rad experience. They are paying for the quality of the products and it is a badge of honor to be able to support brands and products you believe in. One of the hardest parts of my job is not going broke buying clothes because I am in stores all day and see so many amazing pieces. Even when I know I can probably make a couple calls and get the item for half the cost, I don't because it makes me really psyched to be able to support great stores and great brands.
You are really bringing the heat today with the questions I love it! Our jobs are pretty dreamy to be honest, there is not much to get worked up about. We get to be creative and hang out with awesome people in amazing stores all day and have conversations about great brands and meet crazy genius designers (and surf for breakfast and lunch when applicable). Anyone who gets touchy doing what we do probably needs to go work for standard oil or something. This is all I've ever wanted to do and I work under the impression that everyone else I work with feels the same.
I see how it is, you soften people up with your ice cream questions then come in with the hammers! Well played sir.
Whap! Was that the sound of a hammer? Nope, it was the sound of you plopping your big balls on the table. Good job answering these stupid questions. You're a good guy who believes in the work you do. Gotta respect that!
Are you looking for new brands to rep? Are you looking for new stores to hang out at?
Thanks man I really appreciate that, its hard not to sound cheesy when discussing it, but that's how I truly feel. I love what I get to do and I love the people I get to work with (yourself included).
I am always open to talking to new brands, but I want this agency to be special. I don’t want to take on anything that may make us a lot of money if I do not love the brand or their products, we want to be very specific and very intentional with who we work with. Always looking for new stores to hang out in tho! Always!
Spring 2015 // Release Party
Stay Wild
Stay Wild // Spring 2015
Free Adventure Magazine
Release Party + Birthday Party
April 1st (April Fools Day), 6-9pm
Worn Path
4007 N. Mississippi
Aura Photos by Radiant Human
Drinks by Brew Dr. Kombucha and New Belgium Brewing
In the Spring Issue you'll find stories about; Bicycle Camping in Death Valley, Los Angeles Hot Spring Etiquette, Naked Yoga, The Surf of Newfoundland, Pacific Northwest Cliff Jumping, A Sunglass Buyer’s Guide, The Truth Behind Vibey Aura Photography, A review of The One Motorcycle Show, Awesome Artwork, and More.
Also, it's our Birthday!!!!!!
You know that feeling you get when you stand on the edge of something really, really tall? Like your guts get scared and pull up and hide behind your ribs. Well, we’ve got that feeling as we stand on the edge of our Spring 2015 Issue.
A year ago, Spring 2014, we started this magazine to give voice to a community we had a hunch was out there. As soon as that first issue came out, we knew Stay Wild served a real community.
Together, we’ve helped redefine what adventure means in these modern times without turning the stuff we love into some kind of freaky fetish.
One year ago our Kickstarter got way overfunded with support. Our Instagram followers grew organically from 0 to 20,000. We’ve made over fifteen tiny movies about naked bike riding, motorcycle camping, skating in cities around the world, urban fly fishing, and stuff. We’ve published four beautiful, large format issues of the magazine (available online too), overflowing with a wide range of inspired adventure stories (sprinkled with a healthy dose of trouble). We’ve made friends with hundreds of high-quality distribution spots, including art galleries, outdoor stores, motorcycle coffee shops, radical surf shops, flagship stores, fancy boutiques, gnarly bike shops, and more.
Oh-Mah-Gawd! All that, and other waves of glory-infused success stories, was made possible in the shortness of a year.
Happy Birthday, Stay Wild!
-Justin "Scrappers" Morrison
Babes Ride Out
Stay Wild
It’s a sisterhood, if you're down for the ride.
By Jamie Charles
Photo by Jenny Smith
My coworkers thought I was crazy when I disclosed my weekend plans: take a motorcycle camping with 500 other women for this year’s Babes Ride Out in Joshua Tree. A friend and I decided to take our chances on a standby flight from Portland to Palm Springs. When we landed, we’d rent some bikes and make the hour trek out to a secret desert location. Once we got to the airport, any strangers toting helmets became fast friends, as it was obvious we were all headed to the same place.
The first hiccup in our trip occurred when the rental company sold out of the bikes we had reserved. Our only options were a couple of Harley Fat Boys: 300-pounds heavier and 1000-cubic centimeters more powerful than the bikes in our preconceived comfort zones. It only took one lap around the parking lot with our hearts set on cruising the desert on two wheels before we decided to go for it and sign our lives away.
Photo by Jenny Smith
Along the freeway, our caravan began to grow as we merged lanes with a bevy of bikes as beautiful as their riders. We made a pit stop for gas and water before making the final push to camp. One left turn off the highway, a couple miles down a sleepy desert road, and we had reached the location that had been emailed to us the night before. When the pavement turned to dirt, the energy of the campground turned undeniably electric. Photographers capturing our entrance and groups of fellow lady riders cheering us on brought out a perma-grin that remained in place for the next 48 hours.
Although the vast majority of the women attending this year’s event were strangers to me, I felt completely at home. Maybe it’s because of the 500 souls meeting up with the shared common passion for adventures and motorcycles; a group of girls that isn’t phased by oil-stained fingernails or gasoline-scented perfume; ramblers who confidently crossed state lines with only a backpack and a sleeping bag strapped to their hardtails; mavericks who rocked sparkle panties with their riding chaps or stunted bikes in leather and lace; gypsies who comfortably slept under nothing but a blanket tied to their vintage Hondas.
The weekend was designated to meet new best friends from all walks of life and riding experiences. If you got stuck in the camp sand, needed help unloading a trailer or just a pep talk before merging onto your first highway, someone was instantly there for you. If your bike broke down or started getting finicky in the heat, you doubled up. No matter what obstacle crossed your path, someone had your back.
Photo by Michelle Clabby
Women from all across North America, rode, flew and drove in to spend a weekend with other badass and inspirational women. A safe place was created to confidently be yourself. The only rules were no boys allowed and respect your fellow rider. Whether you’d been on a bike since birth or had been meaning to get your motorcycle license for a while now, you were welcome there.
The annual event was originally dreamt up through a string of text messages between Anya Violet and Ashmore Bodiford a little over two years ago. The pair of friends from LA were planning a camping trip when they noted the growing number of female riders on Instagram and how they wished they could meet them all. In the spirit of “the more the merrier,” they extended an open invitation and Babes Ride Out was born. About 75 ladies gathered for the first official meet up in Anza-Borrego in 2013. It wasn’t long before the awe-inspiring photos of #babesinborrega began to go viral. Smoking shots of lady riders nonchalantly throwing up a middle finger to stereotypes and social norms while cruising dried-up lake beds spread like wildfire. Their free-spirited independence was infectious. With the help of social media, this year’s event grew to over 500 participants, all sharing Anya and Ashmore’s original goal: meet more women who love to ride.
Photo by Michelle Clabby
When I bought my ticket to Babes in Joshua Tree, I had no idea what to expect, but I knew I was in for one hell of a ride. So I left my comfort zone, weaved through six lanes of California traffic and rode a couple hundred miles a day in 110 degrees. I spent hours in heat so thick it was hard to swallow, where the only tolerable way to be outside was with the wind on your face at 50 mph. I drank moonshine out of a mason jar, danced to all-girl rock bands and took a Harley up to 100 mph on a barren desert road (sorry, Mom). I learned that riding a mechanical bull after breakfast is a surprisingly effective hangover remedy, and that riding a motorcycle on a windy freeway in a tank top and no bra is a painfully terrible idea (seriously don’t try it, your nipples will hate you). Most importantly, I learned that Babes Ride Out is more than an annual camp trip. It’s a sisterhood, and if you’re down for the ride, we can’t wait for you to join the club.
Photo by Michelle Clabby
Learn more and sign up for a ride today over at Babes Ride Out!!!