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  Generations of Quiksilver Creative - Photo courtesy of Quiksilver

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  Leo Fioravanti captured in the Generations of Quiksilver launch spots - Photo courtesy of Quiksilver

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  Mark Richards

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  Travis Rice

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  The campaign comes to life digitally - Photo photo courtesy of Quiksilver

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  The mobile view - Photo photo courtesy of Quiksilver

Quiksilver is launching the latest installment of its “Generations” campaign today. The three-year marketing push is leading up to the brand’s 50^th anniversary in 2019.

We asked Garry Wall, the Global Lead for the Quiksilver brand, some questions about the campaign and the strategy behind it.

See the campaign videos “Restless” and “Adventure.”

How would you describe the overall message of the “Generations” campaign?

Garry Wall: “Generations” is an invitation to awaken the spirit of adventure that lives inside us all by celebrating the past, present and future.

It was created to build brand equity and loyalty by standing for a single-minded truth: that Quiksilver inspires generations of restless adventure.

“Generations” is a three-year campaign. How is each year different yet connected?

Garry Wall: We started 2017 with the message “Generations of Quiksilver” overarching everything we did last year. We wanted to be inclusive and fun, showcasing what gets us all stoked then and now.

For 2018, we plan on getting more specific to support key product categories such as boardshorts, snow, and function driven apparel. The messaging will evolve into “Generations of Boardshorts” and “Generations of Adventure.”

In 2019, Quiksilver will celebrate 50 years so one of the objectives of the “Generations” campaign is to create a favorable environment to lead into this key milestone. It will have a big impact on the stories we tell obviously, but we want our messaging to be consistent.

The 2019 version of the “Generations” campaign will celebrate our first 50 years but more importantly, the next 50 years as well.

How do you balance celebrating the history of Quiksilver while at the same time appealing to a younger generation?

Garry Wall: The younger generation is different in so many ways: how they communicate, get information, shop, etc. But they have something in common with previous generations, too – they also love iconic brands that stand for something.

“Generations” aims to celebrate all our people, products and experiences that contributed to what boardriding is today, and what it will become tomorrow. We are talking about years of adventure, discovery and pushing the boundaries.

Consumers are more knowledgeable than ever, they seek authenticity and connection, and that’s exactly what we want to show through the “Generations” campaign. We invest in innovation, we explore new ground, and we continue to evolve by making leaps and learning from mistakes.

Importantly, we fully support our youngest riders so they can become the world champions of tomorrow. We are writing the stories that will be told 50 years from now.

From a brand, people and motivation perspective, behind the pursuit for progression and adventure lies our belief that it doesn’t matter if something happened back then or tomorrow, we’ve been chasing the same feeling since the very beginning. It’s the relentless, youthful attitude to chase waves and ride mountains.

We can do all the consumer research in the world, but today’s younger generation has the same core emotion – they still want to “GO” just like we did, and still do.

So, it’s that kind of insight and understanding that has helped us steer the campaign strategically and shape the expressions.

For example, if we look at creative content decisions, “Generations” features our crew from the past, but they are only shown at their youthful prime. That might be yesterday or 1969. The campaign has “youthful attitude” running through it as a measuring stick and acid test.  

How will see the “Generations” campaign unfold in 2018? What are the main marketing platforms and activations?

Garry Wall: For 2018 we want to continue unwrapping the concept by elevating boardshorts and bringing the focus on the adventure component that greatly inspires us.

As you would expect, we have a strong omni-channel strategy including a new digital plan, a new PR strategy that will help us grow our lifestyle footprint, and a consistent brand experience in the marketplace, both in-store and online.

It is the opportunity for us to communicate further on our brand values, gather all the people who already share them, and invite the others to join the ride.

What can we expect in 2019 with the big 50-year anniversary? Can you give us a few hints?

Garry Wall: When we started working on our 50-year anniversary two years ago, we had a lot of questions. Does it make us look old? How long should we celebrate for? Should we even talk about it?

We asked everyone in the company, our retail partners and consumers to contribute with their ideas to gain insights. We reviewed each of them carefully, and we are now finalizing an epic plan we can’t wait to implement.

We have also invited other brands that get us stoked to be part of the celebration as well. It will be the next chapter of the campaign – 50 years of unbelievably true stories told in fun, accessible and unexpected ways, a great mix of past, present and future.

Most of all, “Generations” is an invitation to awaken the spirit of adventure that lives in all of us, a reminder to live in the moment.

 

• 

  Generations of Quiksilver Creative - Photo courtesy of Quiksilver

• 

  Leo Fioravanti captured in the Generations of Quiksilver launch spots - Photo courtesy of Quiksilver

• 

  Mark Richards

• 

  Travis Rice

• 

  The campaign comes to life digitally - Photo photo courtesy of Quiksilver

• 

  The mobile view - Photo photo courtesy of Quiksilver