Element is after customers in the “urban outdoor enthusiast” crowd who might have left skateboarding behind but still recall it fondly.
“It’s a two-pillar strategy, where we capture them young, build brand loyalty, and accompany them while they grow and develop new experiences,” said Frank Voit, the brand’s global general manager.
The Costa Mesa-based apparel and skateboard company, part of Australia-based Billabong International Ltd., recently debuted in Recreational Equipment Inc. stores, claiming space alongside big labels, such as Patagonia, The North Face and Columbia, whose product lines range from casual wear to “technical” gear used in extreme conditions.
“At REI … we are not here to compete with them, but to [appeal to] the younger consumer, someone who loves the outdoors but has a sense of style,” said Vice President of Marketing Christian Scott.
Element still offers its “skater uniform” for its longtime core customer base. It’s a men’s line that includes an array of “T-shirts, heavier and sturdier fleeces, caps, backpacks, coats, jackets, at a very affordable price … because the majority of their money goes to the board and the wheel and the trucks, but they still want to look cool in the park,” Voit said.
Another new target of Element’s is the young adult, often away at school or working.
“His view of fashion changes, his influence changes, but because he has that (early) experience with Element, now we are bringing workwear and cargo pants, a sturdier, military look,” Voit said. “He might not be really 100% into the skateboarding world anymore, but he remembers, he has a relationship built, and we are bringing him the styling and functionality out of that world so when he’s at college or when he goes out, he still looks hard and cool.”
Element’s upcoming offerings extend to older millennials, too.
They are the, “‘I want to be outdoors two to three hours with the family’ kind of warrior” crowd, Voit said. “And when it starts raining, he wants to have the right garment but not necessarily pay the $499 ticket.”
The REI retail launch is supported by inaugural digital ads in Outdoor Magazine and Stay Wild, because “our kids are all digital,” Scott said. Media buys also include print and online ads in skate-centric publications. They are part of “Keep Discovering,” a global marketing campaign that encompasses men’s and women’s lines—another first.
“We are starting to align the brands more, so we are more efficient, and we tell one message across the board,” he said.
Element also signed a licensing deal with Major League Baseball’s 30 teams.
“We are the first company to start making MLB skate decks and skateboards,” Scott said, adding that a 60-day soft launch in 20 skate stores has proved a “huge success for us so far. Sales have been doing really well. Back when the (action sports) brands started, you were either baseball player, surfer, skateboarder or soccer player. But now kids do everything. [They] were asking for it.”
The boards also are sold on Element’s website and on MLBShop.com. They were showcased during the 2016 MLB All-Star Game’s FanFest at the San Diego Convention Center.
Billabong, which also owns Costa Mesa-based RVCA and Billabong USA in Irvine, had global revenue of $400.63 million in the first half of its fiscal 2016, a 7.6% increase excluding the impact of exchange rates. The parent company does not disclose dollar figures for individual brands but has reported that Element’s sales grew 9.1% last year.
“I believe we have a fantastic growth curve in front of us and, I would be very surprised if we are not able to show a significant double-digit increase over the next five years,” Voit said.
