The nominees and winners were honored in a ceremony at The Grove in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday, February 9, 2012. Almost 800 attendees from surf companies and specialty retail shops packed the venue.
Posted 2/10/2012
All photos: Brent-Hilleman/Courtesy SIMA
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is proud to announce the winners of the Ninth Annual SIMA Image Awards honoring the best of the surf industry from 2011. The nominees and winners were honored in a ceremony at The Grove in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday, February 9, 2012. Almost 800 attendees from surf companies and specialty retail shops packed the venue to celebrate the outstanding innovation and contributions made by the SIMA Image Awards nominees and winners.
"What a great way to shine a light on all the amazing things being done to innovate within the surf industry," said Doug Palladini, SIMA President and Vans' Vice President of Marketing. "The SIMA Image Awards continue to grow in importance and prominence because of the talent among surf brand staffers. On behalf of the SIMA Board of Directors and our member brands, congratulations to all the nominees and award winners."
The industry celebrated the evening in style with a special thanks to Audi for their supporting sponsorship. TV personality Pat Parnell hosted the evening’s awards while DJ Tina T spun on stage during the ceremony. Celebrity guest presenters included four-time world champion and women’s surfing icon Lisa Andersen, surfing’s first world champion and surf legend Peter “PT” Townend, founder of Gotcha and industry leader Michael Tomson and Pennywise drummer Byron McMackin.
At the conclusion of the awards ceremony, guests continued celebrating into the night at the after-party with DJ Unite performing, thanks to Skullcandy. As the only awards program of its kind, 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 were recognized in the following 16 categories.
OVERALL AWARDS Breakthrough Brand of the Year: *winner - Stance
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: *winner – Maui Nix, Ft. Lauderdale
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 store recognition 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: *winner - RVCA
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: *winner – Phantom 4D by Hurley
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: *winner - Quiksilver
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: *winner – Huntington Surf & Sport, Huntington Beach
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
WOMEN’S AWARDS
Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year: *winner - Billabong
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: *winner - "Untitled" by Insight
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 first appeared 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: *winner - L*Space by Monica Wise
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: *winner – Huntington Surf & Sport, Huntington Beach
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: *winner - The FIX by Skullcandy
Criteria: Awarded to the 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 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: *winner - Recycled Boardshort Series by Billabong
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 by O'Neill Wetsuits Shift Into Neutral Collection by VonZipper V.Co-Logical Fall 2011 Dress by Volcom
Footwear Product of the Year: *winner – Surfsider by Vans
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: *winner - Cypher PS+ Heat Vest System by Quiksilver
(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: *winner - Fred Rubble by Channel Islands Surfboards
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: *winner - FLASHBOMB by Rip Curl
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. 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.
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