Brigham Young University recently released a study on the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing that shows the contest generated nearly $21 million in revenue in 2010 for the state of Hawaii, where the nearly three-decade old event is hosted.
?The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is a treasure for Hawaii?s tourism industry, particularly for Oahu?s North Shore,? said Lenard Huff, Professor of Marketing, BYUH.?Our study took a two-pronged approach: the traditional economic impact study that estimates the net spending, both direct and indirect, that is generated from participants of the Triple Crown; and the less measurable, but equally important contributions that the Triple Crown makes to Hawaii?s image and brand. Not only does the Vans Triple Crown add to Hawaii?s economy, but it also provides global exposure of the best that Hawaii has to offer.?
Triple Crown director Randy Rarick, who has been involved with the contest since its start in 1983, agrees: ?To see the world?s best surfers ride the world?s most famous big waves, in the birthplace of the sport, is a memory of Hawaii that people carry with them for life.?
Exposing the sport of surfing to the masses while maintaining an air of authenticity for its core audience is no easy task, but Vans VP of Marketing Doug Palladini says the Triple Crown has been able to do just through social and interactive media campaigns, careful planning and drawing on the brand?s strong roots. Here?s what else he had to say about the study:
Was Vans aware that the contest was helping generate this much revenue for the North Shore and the state of Hawaii?
We weren?t surprised by the numbers at all. But what is surprising is the lack of understanding in Hawaii, California, and in other surfing capitals about just how much economic impact surfers truly have. We know what that power is because we see our brands? sales results. We know our consumers and their passion for surfing equipment, apparel and accessories. The study allows us to quantify this power in a way that local governments, travel authorities, and the broader sporting business can appreciate.
How will quantifying this power help the brand overall and help this particular event in the future?
In terms of quantifying the power of the VTCS, I was referring to educating travel and tourism authorities about surfing?s value. This isn?t just happening in Hawaii; California has the same challenge. They still put an emphasis on golf, stick and ball sports, and even triathalons over surfing. We believe that the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing can open eyes and represent the entire sport and culture of surfing in positive ways.
How has the marketing around this contest changed and evolved since 2006 (which was the last time this study was conducted?)
The sea of change here has obviously been the development of myriad interactive platforms: Websites, webcasts, mobile devices, and social media platforms have had a profound impact on the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing in almost every conceivable way. The net impact of these powerful advances has been a six-week event that takes place along seven miles of Oahu?s North Shore yet impacts surfers in every country on every continent on Earth.
Why do you think this event has helped generate such a large economic impact for the North Shore?
By exponentially expanding the global base of surfers and lifestyle enthusiasts and their awareness and understanding of the rich VTCS tradition, we are attracting record numbers to the North Shore every VTCS season. Every house is rented, stores are packed, restaurants are crowded, and hotels are bustling as a result, full of surfers from all over the world.
How many people did the VTCS draw in last year, and how does that compare to past years?
23,195 across 12 days of competition. We did not include lay days, even though we attract attendance all 39 days of the series. It?s also important to note that we are continually working to strike a balance between access for all the fans and respect for our North Shore neighbors. The Kam Highway is a two-lane road with family homes along both sides. Finally, there are some very big variables in the year-to-year attendance based on size of surf. Eddie-sized swells bring bigger audiences, obviously.
What challenges and obstacles has the brand faced along the way?
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing is widely regarded as the most important event in surfing after the World Title, and it has a storied past replete with amazing surfing lore. Our job has been to tell those stories in new and interesting ways, using the many robust platforms I detailed previously. The other major challenge has been building partnerships with like-minded brands who understand and embrace the VTCS ethos, as opposed to big corporations that merely count impression and logo hits. Brands such as Rockstar, Reef, and Billabong have provided huge value to the overall series as our event partners.
Can you go into detail about what type of strategy, planning, campaigns, etc., go into an event of this magnitude?
The VTCS has grown to where it is today due to a virtual army of talented and dedicated people, but at the end of the day, Randy Rarick IS The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. It is his leadership and sage guidance that allows Vans to put its marketing and promotional muscle to good use. The Vans brand has a strong tradition of producing events, but it?s our partnership with Randy and his team on the North Shore that is the key to our success.
How has Vans ensured that this contest still relates to its core audience while clearly reaching non endemic audiences and making them more aware of the brand and the sport?
We are committed to keeping the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing?s focus on surfing. There?s a role for multi-sport events from the US Open to the East Coast Surfing Championships, but the VTCS is going to remain a pure surfing experience, a hallowed tradition that kids grow up dreaming about surfing in. The Hawaiian heritage and power of Haleiwa, Sunset, and Pipeline provide all the interest we?ll ever need to attract both dedicated surfers and lifestyle enthusiasts.
How do you continue to generate a new sense of excitement around a contest that has been around for several decades?
The surfers keep it fresh. Every year, the best of the best come to the North Shore proving grounds to battle with their local Hawaiian peers in the world?s best waves. From Lopez to Sunny to Slater to John Florence, it?s a pretty compelling story each and every year.
What do you think lies in store for the future of this contest?
Let?s just say that it hasn?t gone unnoticed that 2012 is the 30th anniversary of the event. We have some pretty amazing things in store which we?ll be announcing during this year?s event.
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