Sanuk hires PR agency for national campaign to promote athletes

Press release:

Sanuk Taps MWW Group To Lead National Campaign Showcasing Action Sports Athletes

Sanuk Footwear Turns to MWW's Consumer Lifestyle Marketing Practice To Help Increase Brand Awareness via Campaign Featuring Up-and-Coming Surfers, Rock Climbers, Snow Athletes and Wakeboarders

LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MWW Group (www.mww.com), one of the top ten global independent public relations firms, announced today that Sanuk, a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK), has retained MWW Group to develop and implement a strategic public relations campaign showcasing the footwear brand's sponsored athletes, a family of veteran and up-and-coming surfers, rock climbers, snow athletes, and wakeboarders who embody the style and culture of the Sanuk brand.

Founded by Southern California native Jeff Kelley, Sanuk has grown into a line of "creatively-inspired yet distinctively designed" footwear sold in nearly 70 countries worldwide. The brand is best known for its Sidewalk Surfers, often referred to as "Not-A-Shoes," for their patented sandal construction designed to create comfortable footwear for active men and women.

"Sanuk's brand culture is fun, unique, and innovative, and its products are superior in both design and quality," said Michael W. Kempner, president and CEO of MWW Group. "It's the kind of brand you want to befriend, and that human connection is critical to building the trust and relevance necessary to drive brand loyalty and sales. This campaign leverages up-and-coming action sports stars to bring Sanuk's brand personality to life while increasing its relevancy among active lifestyle consumers and outdoor enthusiasts."

MWW Group will be working with Sanuk to increase visibility and awareness to consumers nationwide through the stories and ambassadorship of several professional athletes, including surfer and musician Donavon Frankenreiter, world-class rock climber Chris Sharma, surfer and ocean activist Dave Rastovich, snowboard freerider Jeremy Jones, and emerging athletes such as surfer Matt Meola, climber Sierra Blair-Coyle and wakeboarder Bob Soven, among others.

"We chose to work with MWW Group because of the firm's demonstrated ability to elevate awareness of other brands in the footwear and outdoors categories," explained Michael Minter, global director of marketing, Sanuk. "More than that, they understand our culture, and will help us leverage our talented and influential athletes to tell our story and build greater cultural relevance."

The account will be led out of MWW Group's Los Angeles office.

About Sanuk

Twice recognized at the SIMA Image Awards as the 2007 and 2010 Footwear Product of the Year, Sanuk makes creatively inspired and distinctively designed footwear for the global outdoor community. Taking its name from the Thai word for fun, the brand is best known for its Sidewalk Surfers. These closed-toe sandals are often referred to as "Not-A-Shoes" for their patented construction, which allows your feet to bend and flex in natural comfort. Founded by Southern California native and surfer Jeff Kelley, Sanuk sponsors a spectrum of premier athletes, including surfers Donavon Frankenreiter and Dave Rastovich and rock climbers Chris Sharma and Daniel Woods. Sanuk products are now distributed in nearly 70 countries worldwide. Learn more at www.sanuk.com. Smile...Pass It On!

About MWW Group

MWW Group is one of the nation's top mid-sized public relations firms and one of the ten largest independent global agencies. The company is industry-recognized for its work in consumer lifestyle marketing, digital marketing and social media, corporate communications, public affairs and government relations, consumer technology, healthcare and visual branding.

Through its "Network PR" approach, MWW Group helps its clients re-architect the conversation surrounding their brands to increase trust and relevance and drive action among key stakeholders. Among its numerous awards for client work, the agency has been recognized as 2011 "Midsize Agency of the Year" and 2010 "Strategic PR Agency of the Year" by the Holmes Report and has received accolades from PR News for "Team of the Year," "Digital Firm of the Year" and "Top Places to Work in PR."