so guess which longboarding company has a DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD in Transworld Skateboard

[stridey]

The pie they want is to sell to core shops that dont stock longboards but do stock Element. So, the shop will order the Elements, rather like the Krooked Zip Zingers, and thus sell 'cool' boards to their customers.

So long as they start selling softer wheels, non-street trucks, I can only see this move as a good thing. Hopefully.

[iidrum]

On the note of 60mm+ wheels, if these truly are being marketed as cruisers/commuters, they'll find no market with 60mm wheels here in Michigan. The pavement is just too rough and cracked, and quite frankly, I wouldn't want to ride under 70mm on the sidewalks around my campus. I like the look of some of these boards, but they won't get me without versatility in terms of wheel accommodation.

[skategeezer]

this is not rocket science...it's a marketing issue.

for years, the vast majority of Transworld readers have seen one type of skateboarding....and some vert.

the ad in Transworld is a way to start to legitimize this whole trend...which, I believe is fine.

I for one, DON'T need Transworld to legitimize any type of skateboarding for me...but this does help get the message out.

which is beneficial indeed

[ollie]

Who cares? Its not the first longboard in transworld and not the first skateboard company to make short and long boards.

[BigDaddy@TactisSkates]

An add in transworld... I have never seen an add in that excellent, literary publication... the shame, THE SHAME! I am switching to Thrasher!8)

[Stienz]

Whoa that is great! Don't you all know that bam is on the element team? Christ, he is so great! Maybe he will start to ride longboards too!!!!!11111

[skategeezer]

this is the FIRST time a longboard ad has appeared in Transworld....in many years.
You have to go back to Seismic's "This Truck Must Die" 1994 ad (which, if you think about it was a decade+ ahead of the curve.

I find this Element ad alluring...on so many levels!

[BigDaddy@TactisSkates]

this is the FIRST time a longboard ad has appeared in Transworld....in many years.
You have to go back to Seismic's "This Truck Must Die" 1994 ad (which, if you think about it was a decade+ ahead of the curve.

I find this Element ad alluring...on so many levels!

Suctor 9 has adds in TW... i saw one a few months ago...8)

[Daddy Major]

The decks themselves aren't bad, but the completes are "lacking" when it comes to the components. I like the boards' shapes & construction, but someone needs understand that these boards would really benefit from some larger wheel wells.

Ah yes, but that would mean they would have to loosen their trucks first!! They'll figure it out, just give them time. This is their transition into a new market. They will evolve and eventually, I think, begin making boards with cutouts and bigger wheel wells and the market will become saturated with a bunch of boards that look very similar. Simply my opinion.

I am a bit worried about a company like Element getting into this market. It seems like an image based company where you buy their stuff to be cool. I don't buy gear to look cool, I buy it for performance and I fear that longboarding will become very image based. Let's hope not, though

[Guts]

Who cares? Its not the first longboard in transworld and not the first skateboard company to make short and long boards.

Thank you. If only we could end this here.

[prettynoiselab]

Thank you. If only we could end this here.

Are you in for a conference / trade show? Bottom line is that it will be fun and entertaining.

[sk8norcal]

Suctor 9 has adds in TW... i saw one a few months ago...8)

really? can u describe the ad...

there is a distributor that advertise in TW, full page ad with a bunch of decks, they always have a sector9 in there..

[BigDaddy@TactisSkates]

really? can u describe the ad...

there is a distributor that advertise in TW, full page ad with a bunch of decks, they always have a sector9 in there..

As I recall it was very generic double spread with a surfer and a longboarder. It also had reference to hurley or billabong clothing... but a sector nine logo for sure... I might still have the issue laying around somewhere.8)

[BigDaddy@TactisSkates]

Now that I think about it it may have been in the TW surfing mag!

[sk8norcal]

Now that I think about it it may have been in the TW surfing mag!

i thought so...

sector9 knows its a waste of money for them to advertise in TWSkate..

[yoyo]

Oh you think it's __________ ____?

or maybe_______________?

or perhaps_______________________


WRONG WRONG WRONG!



puzzled?

DON'T BE

I will tell you...


it's >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


ELEMENT!


welcome to the next level boys and girls!

the empire strikes back....!

now you will see longboarding will be officially pronounced "cool" by Transworld...

this is JUST THE BEGINNING

now the fun really begins!

welcome, pilgrims!

Here is the shot of the old Hobie ad; from our fellow S&B veteran Del*13

[B77]

Ah yes, but that would mean they would have to loosen their trucks first!! They'll figure it out, just give them time. This is their transition into a new market. They will evolve and eventually, I think, begin making boards with cutouts and bigger wheel wells and the market will become saturated with a bunch of boards that look very similar. Simply my opinion.

I am a bit worried about a company like Element getting into this market. It seems like an image based company where you buy their stuff to be cool. I don't buy gear to look cool, I buy it for performance and I fear that longboarding will become very image based. Let's hope not, though

The market is already saturated with boards that look similar
Don't be worried Dad whats the worst that can happen?
Apart from Bam Margera becoming the new d/h world champion




hang on .........just thought about that
####

[skategeezer]

Damn, beaten to the punch!

[rawls]

...Silverfish is not be the real world, but I think silverfish is a few years ahead of the real world. ....

this is an extremely key observation. The specialty market always designs and innovates and leads. The mainstream copies and duplicates. This is not skateboarding. This is basic marketing. Its what the industry does not seem to understand. they hide behind words and phrases and lifestyles, but in truth, they are so big that the laws of marketing apply, they just dont know it. This can be read as Silverfish-type vendors/supporters are the specialty market. It is only a matter of time, in this world of internet and programmable manufacturing, that mainstream can begin to duplicate. First it comes from the import market, this is status quo. However, since the mainstream skateboard industry (TWS, IASC, etc etc) is based in low cost high volume manufacturing, it is only a matter of time between they too will join in. It did not use to be this way. the real skateboard market was a specialty. the mall and department stores were the mainstream copycats of lower cost and functionless "looks like" design. the wierd thing is that the maisntream skateboard market fits into the same categories of the NASHes and Pro-Classes of yesterday. Mainstream offerings for longboards will, by definition, lack the enginuity. I feel you will have to search hard for something really out of the ordinary. First off, they dont have the background, nor the budget to innovate, when the specialty market is doing a fine job. Next, they dont want to get held down by inventory that they are not really sure of. Once again, they have no real clue, just simply copying what they are seeing selling. Its not a knock against Element. Its a knock against the "industry", which I will term as the TWS's, IASC's, etc etc. I recall in the blank board document, Element was about the only ones that truly understood the problem. Everyone else was spouting about pro and brand support, while Element knew the answer was lack of freshness in design. By them, adopting a longboard line, they are moving with the market. Which is how you try to stay near the top. the cache 22 is that they have knocked the very section of the market they are now trying to branch in to.

[Bryant@BCLongboards]

Not only did they get a full spread in Transworld, SkateGeezer, you gave them a full spread here as well!