Cool timeline of the emergence of a street brand...

[skategeezer]

I thought this was an interesting look at how a brand emerges...
from transworld biz

Sk8 Mafia Gets Blitzed

By Jay Riggio

Posted 03.28.2007


Started in 1999 by a group of skateboarders residing in San Diego, the Sk8 Mafia began as more an alliance than a brand. By 2002, however, Sk8 Mafia kingpins Peter Smolik and Dan Connely had generated national hype behind their brand and began making small product runs of boards and apparel. Today, Sk8 Mafia is more prolific than ever and gained the attention of Blitz Distribution, who recently announced it will be adding the brand to its lineup.

The distribution deal began three years ago when Sk8 Mafia Co-Founder Josh Peebz began working as Blitz’s Southern California sales rep. Two months into his job, Peebz pitched the idea of bringing Sk8 Mafia to the Blitz family. “They were feeling my whole vibe, as far as bringing a skate team back to skateboarding, instead of just a one-rider focus,” says Peebz. “We have something you can’t buy in skateboarding. With what we’re about—it’s what skateboarding is.”

During the lengthy deliberations with Blitz, Peebz used his salary to fund the company’s underground marketing campaign. Along with co-owners Dan Connelly and Peter Smolik, the Sk8 Mafia crew made T-shirts, stickers, and boards while moving forward with its grassroots promotions. In addition to support from San Diego locals, friends, and fans, Sk8 Mafia’s popularity was boosted significantly via Transworld SKATEboarding’s skateboarding.com Web site, which features Sk8 Mafia Saturdays—a weekly skate video post from Sk8 Mafia teamriders.
Since the acquisition, Peebz has switched positions at Blitz and will now be the full-time brand manager for Sk8 Mafia along with Dan Connelly. Peebz says with its new powerhouse distributor many changes will take place for the brand—the most notable of which will be major lifestyle changes for the teamriders. Peebz says the team, which includes Peter Smolik, Brandon Turner, Kellen James, Wes Kremer, Larelle Gray, and Tyler Surrey, will finally be able to travel and demo like a real team. “Now all of the skaters are going to have gas money to get to the spots and have money to eat.” Look for a full line of Sk8 Mafia goods at your local shop for Spring 2007.

[pyrate]

i always thought it was...

phase 1 - steal underwear
phase 3 - profit


seriously though thats interesting but i'd take it with a giant rock of salt since transworld is owned by blitz and since they pay both the writer of the article and the founder of sk8mafia who is also as stated in the article the head of that brand name (and therefore approved the article) under blitz.

it reads like ad copy to me, but if its all true thats great for the riders and very forward thinking of blitz and companies need to keep doing things like this outside of the traditional pro/am thing.

[bpz]

MikeD, it's more like...

Step 1: steal the underpants.
Step 2: ...
Step 3: profit!

[pyrate]

here we go... straight from the blitz gnomes themselves.