MKTG 420 - The Culture of Surf
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Transcript of MKTG 420 - The Culture of Surf
Hannah Stoever, Brooke Blann, Beau Skalley, Jack Kelly & Omar Bishti December 8, 2016 MKTG 420 -‐-‐ Consumer Behavior Professor Bates
Ethnography Project: The Culture of Surf
Objective: When asked to infiltrate a particular market in the San Diego area for the purposes
of discovering what makes them tick, one group seemed obvious: surfers. They are a group whose culture has helped shaped Southern California’s reputation as a laid back state of beach bums. Given the sheer amount of surfers in the area, it felt like a perfect group for our friends at the San Diego Gulls to tap into. Through watching, listening, asking and jumping in with them, we aimed to find ways to market the Gulls to our wave riding peers. Process:
Short of learning to surf with the best of them, how does one become a surfer? How does one become recognized by other surfers, as a surfer? To find out, we attacked our initiative from multiple sides: 1. Getting the Basics: To get a base of (low depth) qualitative information, we created a multiple choice/short answer survey for anyone who surfs. The idea here was to get a general sense of how surfers think, what they think of surfing, what brands they gravitate to, and what they think of the sport of hockey. Although the answers might be scattered, we hoped to use this info to supplement common threads found during interviews. 2. Watch and Learn: While we couldn’t always be interviewing or following surfers around, we made sure to keep our eyes and ears open. Lucky for us, we all live in the mission beach area, and could watch surfers pass by, head to the waves, or wipe out. By becoming anonymous note takers, we were able to notice common behaviors from the various surfers. 3. Go Deep: We sat down with a number of surfers for one-‐on-‐one interviews. This allowed us to pick up on the personal side of surfing. What story or connection does each surfer have to the sport? Amongst obvious differences, are there hidden commonalities between each person’s gravitation to surfing? 4. Take the Plunge: When possible, we followed the surfers to their organized team practices, or to private surf sessions. Here we hoped to find observations that could only be found while surfing. 5. Connect the Dots: After we collected data in a number of ways, we hope to find opportunities to connect the Gulls franchise to the lives of surfers. What does Hockey and
Surfing have in common? What can the Gulls offer surfers to entice them? These and other questions are important in determining potential marketing opportunities. Survey Results: 60 Respondents ● Age
○ Ages 1-‐18: 2% ○ Ages 19-‐26: 98%
● Gender ○ Female: 28% ○ Male: 72%
● Where are you from? ○ California: 49% ○ Other: 51%
● How often do you surf? ○ Daily: 18% ○ 2-‐3 Times a Week: 35% ○ Once a Week: 14% ○ Twice a Month: 8% ○ Less than Once a Month: 25%
● Which brands do you resonate most with? ○ O’Neil: 12 Respondents ○ Quicksilver: 7 Respondents ○ Roxy: 5 Respondents ○ Rip Curl: 16 Respondents ○ Patagonia: 26 Respondents ○ Billabong: 18 Respondents ○ Hippy Tree: 3 Respondents
● Which words best describe your experiences with surfing? ○ Peaceful: 24 Respondents ○ Competitive: 4 Respondents ○ Relaxing: 20 Respondents ○ Thrilling: 28 Respondents ○ Challenging: 26 Respondents
● How strongly do you feel to the surf community? ○ Very strongly: 9 Respondents ○ Strongly: 15 Respondents ○ Neutral: 18 Respondents ○ Not strongly: 5 Respondents ○ Not at all: 7 Respondents
● What other sports interest you?
○ Climbing: 25 ○ Soccer: 22 ○ Hockey: 13 ○ Tennis: 13 ○ Skating: 19 ○ Skiing/ Snowboarding: 41 ○ Lacrosse: 11
● How likely are you to attend other non-‐surfing sporting events? ○ Extremely likely: 22 Respondents ○ Somewhat likely: 18 Respondents ○ Neither likely nor unlikely: 4 Respondents ○ Somewhat unlikely: 5 Respondents ○ Extremely unlikely: 5 Respondents
● How often do you watch or attend non surfing sporting events? ○ Very often: 16 Respondents ○ Often: 14 Respondents ○ Rarely: 20 Respondents ○ Never: 4 Respondents
● Out of the following traits, what do you find attractive in competitive sports? ○ Individual performance: 25 Respondents ○ Teamwork: 29 Respondents ○ Strong fan following: 12 Respondents ○ Competitive atmosphere: 30 Respondents ○ Team pride: 19 Respondents
● What would compel you to go watch a hockey game? ○ Action: 31 Respondents ○ Friends: 43 Respondents ○ Promotions on tickets: 32 Respondents ○ Promotions on food and beverages: 30 Respondents ○ Giveaways: 14 Respondents ○ Provided transportation: 14 Respondents ○ Interest in hockey: 19 Respondents
Raw Interviews: ● When and why did you begin surfing?
○ Lance ■ I started in 8th grade because I admired the lifestyles of my friends
who surfed. ○ Carson
■ I began surfing in my early 20’s when I moved to San Diego. I grew up in a suburb of Atlanta, so surfing wasn’t really a big deal.
○ Matthew ■ I have been in the water as long as I can remember, I think the first
time I stood on a board I was 7. I’ve been doing this as long as I can remember.
○ Charlie ■ I informally started surfing two years ago in Washington D.C, that
being said surfing was few and far between. Then late August, moved to mission beach, San Diego and started a healthy daily surf routine. It’s now early December.
○ Sydney ■ The first time I surfed was when I was 15 years old, but I didn’t keep
up with it until very recently. Now that I live at the beach and have a surfboard, I surf at least twice a week.
● What drew you to surfing? ○ Lance
■ At first it was the lifestyle that appealed to me. A couple of months into learning, the enjoyment I got out of it surpassed the amount of work it was to coordinate rides to the beach and back. Once I surfed my first real wave, it was hard to not want that feeling over and over again.
○ Carson ■ It was just such a cool part of the culture here in Southern California, I
really wanted to become a part of it -‐ my roommates surfed, and I snowboarded in my teens, this seemed like a good opportunity.
○ Matthew ■ It was what we did. I grew up in PB, and aside from skating and
school sports, this was our way to be outside -‐ and this was our way to be in the water all the time
○ Charlie ■ Surfings’ stress free and glorified image drew me to surfing. Knowing
other action sports, I know they can push you as a person and also be an escape from reality. Makes you feel young.
○ Sydney ■ I like to surf because of the exercise and challenge that it presents to
me. I’ve always had a special connection to the ocean, so surfing has been a great way for me to feel grounded and relaxed in the water.
● What do you feel when you surf? ○ Lance
■ I feel a combination of things. I feel a level of joy I can’t find anywhere else and an overwhelming sense of peace. When I surf, I don’t feel the pressures of work, school, or other life challenges.
○ Carson ■ Peace, you’re never going to experience a more peaceful place than
the ocean -‐ but you have to respect it also ○ Matthew
■ It’s just such a pure happiness, it’s wonderful, powerful, and calming all at the same time.
○ Charlie ■ Surfing since I moved to California has been my motivation and
religion honestly. It gives me a place where I am totally relaxed and happy. It is my daily exercise keeping me healthy and active. Makes you thankful and allows you to live at a more simple way of life, surfing is your fix.
○ Sydney ■ I feel mostly at peace when I’m surfing. Except for when I get
pummeled down under a wave, in which case I freak out just a little bit.
● What does surfing mean to you? ○ Lance
■ Surfing is my outlet to relieving stress, having fun, exercising, and hanging out with friends.
○ Carson ■ It’s a place to gather my thoughts and be free from the stresses of life
○ Matthew ■ Surfing is where I feel most at home. Well, I guess that’s the ocean
really, but surfing is an easy way to experience it. ○ Sydney
■ Being able to surf makes me feel fortunate for having the opportunity to practice a sport as often as I want that many other people don’t get to do.
● What is the purpose of surfing? ○ Lance
■ The purpose of surfing is selfishly the pleasure people get out of it. For me, it is also my main form of exercise to stay healthy as well as an activity to do while catching up with friends.
○ Lance
■ The purpose of surfing is selfishly the pleasure people get out of it. For me, it is also my main form of exercise to stay healthy as well as an activity to do while catching up with friends.
■ To be active in nature, to be competitive and a way to be cool ■ To have fun
○ Carson ■ To enjoy life
○ Matthew ■ Having fun
○ Charlie ■ The purpose of surfing is to have fun.
○ Sydney ■ Surfing is all about enjoying the moment, pushing yourself and doing
what makes you happy. ● What are the first three things that come to mind when I say “surfing?”
○ Lance ■ Peace, Friends, Joy
○ Carson ■ Serenity, friends, happiness
○ Matthew ■ Solitude, calmness, power
○ Charlie ■ Massive sets rolling through, my buddies I like to surf with, and 10 ft.
barrel. ADRENALINE. ○ Sydney
■ Serenity, friends, challenge ● What is a typical day for you?
○ Lance ■ A typical day for me either starts or ends with a surf session. Most
often I surf Blacks before I work or head to school. ○ Carson
■ I typically try to go to either Marine Street or Scripps before work each day
○ Matthew ■ I go out most mornings at windansea or Marine street -‐ it’s just a good
start to a day ○ Sydney
■ I usually surf on Monday and Wednesday mornings, in which case I wake up, drink my coffee out on the boardwalk & watch the waves until I’m ready to go. Then I put my wetsuit on, grab my board and go!
I usually surf for an hour to two hours depending on what I have to do at school that day. For me, it’s a great way to start my day with some exercise and I’m always left feeling rejuvenated after a good surf session.
● Aside from the ocean, where are some places you and other surfers like to hangout? ○ Lance
■ My friends and I like to hang out in beachside communities because that is where a lot of the surf culture is. Ocean Beach, Point Loma, la Jolla and especially Pacific Beach. All of these areas keep the summer vibe year round. There is also a very present addiction to Mexican food within the surf group.
○ Carson ■ PB or La Jolla -‐ we stay near the ocean
○ Matthew ■ PB all day -‐ or La Jolla, I’m especially partial to The Shack in La Jolla, or
of course Shore Club in PB ○ Sydney
■ I live with all of my friends that surf so aside from in the water we love to just chill out at home.
● What are some brands that you think embody the surf culture? ○ Lance
■ In terms of clothing brands, I think that O’Neil, Matuse, Captain Fin, Patagonia, and Stance all embody the surf culture. In general, Channel Islands, Lost, and maybe even the occasional Firewire board embody the board culture that surfers stand for.
○ Sydney ■ I currently have a Roxy wetsuit, but I also like Rip Curl and Billabong.
They all incorporate fashion into the surf culture which I like the most.
● Is there one brand in particular that stands out to you? ○ Lance
■ I think the brands that stick out to me the most are the local family owned surf shop brands. Mitch’s and especially Clairemont Surf Shop have large selections of San Diego catered brands. If I had to choose one, I would have to go with Clairemont Surf Shop as it is my previous employer and where my brother and friends work.
○ Carson ■ Just beachy vibes man. O’Neil. I really like Matuse. So Cal Creative
has some good stuff. Blenders sunglasses are where it’s ○ Matthew
■ O’Neil, Matuse, and Blenders… and Rusty… and anything on sale at Mitch’s Surf Shop
○ Charlie ■ I believe companies like Hayden shapes do cool modern shapes of
boards that seem to have worked. Also Kelly slater is experimenting with algae traction, dolphin fins, and backyard barrels…exciting stuff.
● How would you describe the surfing community? ○ Lance
■ The surfing community is close and has a very relaxed demeanor. There are Spicole type surfers out there as well as your typical 9-‐5 worker. But everyone gets along pretty well.
○ Carson ■ Don’t go out to windansea if you’re a kook… if they don’t know you -‐
you probably won't be welcome ○ Matthew
■ It’s really not for outsiders… but if you put in the time and people start to know you -‐ and you don’t suck, you’ll be alright.
○ Charlie ■ Surfing community breaks any barrier between two people who surf.
Once in a pub I read “no strangers, only friends you have not met.” Kinda like that.
○ Sydney ■ Since I am fairly new to this community, I do believe that surfers are
generally very welcoming and friendly. Even since I started surfing, I’ve been more keen on stepping out of my comfort zone to talk to strangers in the water and on shore. It gives us a very tight connection right off the bat.
● What other activities does your community enjoy besides surfing? ○ Lance
■ Surfers are generally pretty involved in other board sports like snowboarding, skating, and wakeboarding. The surf community is also active in the protection of the environment as it helps preserve the ocean and surf breaks.
○ Carson ■ Anything I can to be outdoors, I mean, we manage a kayak shop -‐
we’re always on the water ○ Matthew
■ Fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, diving, body surfing -‐ anything water related
○ Charlie
■ I found rock climbing to be a common hobby outside of surfing, obviously along with skateboarding and snowboarding.
○ Sydney ■ I personally like to swim, run and rock climb. These in addition to
surfing regularly give me a good balance and I never get bored. ● How often do you surf per week?
○ Lance ■ During the summer I will surf once or twice per day. During the school
year I manage to get out 2-‐3 times per week, but it is homework and swell dependent.
○ Carson ■ 5-‐6 days a week
○ Matthew ■ 5 days a week. Usually not Wednesday’s or Friday mornings
○ Charlie ■ As many times you can in any form of wave. Can be up to as many as a
few sessions every day.
○ Sydney
■ I usually surf about 2-‐3 times per week, but I wish I had the time to
surf everyday!
● What keeps you coming back to surfing? ○ Lance
■ Other than the pure joy I get out of it, it is the friends and exercise. ○ Carson
■ It’s just great man, there’s something about being in the water ○ Matthew
■ It’s my place to recalibrate ○ Charlie
■ Getting better personally draws me back because the sensation of
learning and doing new tricks is addicting. Also, I never have a bad
time surfing as long you are in the mindset of having fun. Each session
is different in its own way, you get so focused on surfing and just
having fun you basically forget the waves you had that session when
you walk back in on the beach.
○ Sydney
■ I continue to surf because each time I see progress in my ability. It
empowers me to know that if I work hard enough at something, I’ll be
able to achieve it.
● How has surfing helped you grow as a person or in your career? ○ Lance
■ It has helped my confidence tremendously as one must be confident and assertive at times to get waves. It has also increased my professional network of friends. I have connected with people on a deeper level while in interviews on the topic surfing. Being a surfer has also been like a resume standout for getting my jobs of Surf Shop Employee, Ocean Lifeguard, and Physical Oceanographer.
○ Carson ■ It’s a lot of the reason I have a job where I have a job today. If i hadn’t
been down on the shores so often already I would never have pursued a job at a kayak shop.
○ Matthew ■ It’s kept me in San Diego, it’s half the reason why I won’t leave.
○ Charlie ■ Surfing allows me to wake up every morning excited for the day
knowing I can surf; you become very thankful of the life you have. It has made me a more positive and motivated in life and my classes.
○ Sydney ■ Surfing definitely helped me face my fear of trying something new. I
haven’t learned a new sport since a very young age, so since I’ve recently gotten into surfing, I’m better able to face new challenges head on.
● Who is your biggest surf idol and why? ○ Lance
■ John John Florence is probably my biggest surf idol because he lives the life that all surfers dream of. He is not only the current world champion but he also lives on the North Shore and gets to surf epic waves year round. He is also one of the greatest free surfers to also be a fantastic competitor.
○ Carson ■ Kelly Slater -‐ he’s the man, like honestly coolest man in the world. I
surfed with him once in Encinitas -‐ the shit that guy can do. ○ Matthew
■ Nick Gabaldon. He was the Rosa Parks of surfing -‐ that’s awesome. ○ Charlie
■ My biggest surf idol is ASAP Rocky because he is the greatest of all
time. I love watching any grom go rip and have a good time, they do it
right.
○ Sydney
■ This is pretty cliche, but Bethany Hamilton’s story has always inspired
me beyond belief.
Interview Analysis: Through our in-‐depth interviews we gained much valuable insight on the inner workings behind the mind of a surfer. We chose to interview those individuals who surfed regularly and are considered “real” surfers by their peers in the surf community. It is a unique subculture that has a lot of little quirks and even it’s own dialect. Though our interviews only lasted around 30 minutes each, they provided valuable snapshots into the mindset of our interviewees; their lifestyle, passions, and motivations. We noticed that all of the surfers we interviewed picked up the sport at different times in their lives. Matthew, a local San Diegan, began surfing at the measly age of 7 -‐ and is now widely considered as near pro status amongst his friends. Carson was on the other end of the spectrum for our surfers -‐ he began surfing in his early 20’s, much later than the rest of our interviewees. Though we did find out that our interviewees who took up the sport later in life did not do so voluntarily. Our teenage surfers lived in largely landlocked areas where surfing was not a hot commodity. It was not until they moved nearer to the ocean that surfing became a viable opportunity and they began to get out in the water. We also gleaned that our interviewees had similar motivations that brought them to surfing. Growing up each of them were extremely interested in the surf culture of Southern California -‐ either from being a part of it or admiring from afar. Alas, those surfing videos, such as The Endless Summer, provided only a launch point -‐ their passion now goes far beyond that. All of our interviewees expressed positive feelings whilst surfing; stating that they felt a sense of happiness, peace, or freedom -‐ but they were also aware of the power of the ocean and the waves. When asked what surfing means to them, each interviewee responded differently but their answers followed a similar pattern of positivity to the previous question. Lance uses surfing as a way to relieve stress, Carson uses it as a place to regather thoughts, and Matthew finds peace in the ocean -‐ it is home. These sentiments contribute to their thoughts on the purpose of surfing, all of them were in agreement -‐ the purpose of surfing is to have fun, plain and simple. Each of them experiences such a wide array of emotions while out on the water but nearly all of them are positive. Peace, power, serenity, ADRENALINE! These were some of the most powerful thoughts that came to mind when we asked our interviewees what came to mind when they thought about surfing.
Through our interviews we also found that surfers across San Diego have very similar habits outside of the sport they all loved. They enjoy hanging out in many of the same spots throughout San Diego -‐ particularly Pacific Beach. They also had similar thoughts regarding their favorite brands, largely surf brands that they all identified with. All of our interviewees are very active individuals in their day to day life -‐ the common thread connecting them all is a love of the outdoors. They do their best to exercise outside as often as possible in various ways. Along with surfing they each have a great deal of other outdoor hobbies such as skateboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, cycling, etc. Through our interviews we got a much better look into the mind of a surfer. Whether experienced veterans or those relatively new to the sport, surfing culture has a niche for everyone. Their shared love for the sport is the essential thread that ties all of their lives together, and each of them are eternally grateful for their good fortune and surfing abilities. From here we formulated our qualtrics survey and did our best to send it out to the relevant target demographic. Field Notes & Observations: Selected Everyday Observations:
● Inconvenience seems to be a non-‐factor for surfers. I watch as surfers carry their boards far and wide from the jetty down the boardwalk. Some even bike with surfer boards in hand, navigating the crowds with ease. On multiple occasions, I’ve seen surfers run out toward the ocean at sunset, with only minutes of light left. Getting wet/lack of time certainly not a deterrent for one last surf. To me, this indicates that surfing is rewarding enough to supersede inconvenience.
● Surfers often surf alone but sometimes do so in small groups. Groups of more than 3 surfers who go out together seems to be pretty uncommon, yet when people do surf, they cluster around the same spot where they feel the waves are best. This sometimes lead to minor conflict. Specifically at mission beach the waves closest to the jetty are claimed by the locals. This raises the question, who are locals? Student surfers say the older (30+) surfers are the ones most likely to “chirp” (trash talk) surfers who invade their space. Supposedly, if you stay out of their way, and are decent and surfing, there’s nothing much they can do. Rarely does this lead to actual fighting, but does suggest territorial undertones-‐-‐it’s quietly competitive-‐-‐legitimacy is gained through showing off your skill.
● I’m watching from my balcony. It’s pretty chilly for San Diego, the water is probably miserable without a wetsuit. The sky is bright red as dusk approaches. A number of surfers are clustered at the jetty and the waves are bigger than normal. They all sit on their boards, hanging on as they roll over waves they are unable to catch. From here, anyone surfer is indistinguishable
from the other. My friend is out there somewhere. What’s most notable is that catching a wave is rare. The waves are bigger, so more surfers are out trying to catch one, but very rarely does anyone surfer actually surf. Much like football the action is limited to short bursts-‐-‐the stakes are high during these short time windows. If you mess up on entry to a wave, you might not catch another for the rest of the day, or worse yet, you fall and hurt yourself.
● I just finished a short session out at Windansea. I had planned on staying out for over 2 hours, but my skill level is far subpar to those who are regulars. It was obvious that I really didn’t know what I was doing and I was not particularly welcome. Most people remained courteous to my presence in the water but would cut me off if I tried going for a wave. I was called a “kook” on multiple occasions and told to go back to Arizona once. I suppose that is just an assumption they made. The waves were larger today than usual so naturally there were a lot of surfers in the water.
● I watched some folks out at the shores today. Actually closer to an area in La Jolla Cove called Devil’s Slide. Most of the year the waves are unsurfable, so when the conditions are right -‐ a few brave surfers go out and surf their hearts out. Those few brave surfers also happen to be my coworkers and I had the good fortune to watch them surf dangerously close to exposed reef and high cliffs. They were incredible, though they did not always catch the wave they anticipated on catching, they made even their mishaps seem graceful. Once one of them duck dived, and I swear he looked like a sea otter -‐ so nimble in the water.
UCSD Practice: ● 6:00 Arrive at the top of Blacks road where the team meets before driving
down to the beach. The gate is locked when we get there but the team has a key to drive their cars down with the surfboards. The sun is just coming up. Everyone is very friendly but a little tired as well. Everyone offered and made room for us to drive down.
● 6:15AM I rode down with the caption of the surf team who has been surfing for his whole life. He is from near Malibu and has always loved it. He recently won a big wave competition up in Northern California that is a qualifier for the big competitions.
● 6:20AM -‐ Arrive at the bottom of the hill and everyone starts unloading their boards. Everyone is very happy for it being so early in the morning and so friendly. There are boys and girls on the team who are all passionate about surfing. Surprisingly some of the team members have only been surfing since they joined the team. They tell funny stories about taco trucks, surf trips and school.
● 6:30AM -‐ Head down to the beach. They explained to us that they were practicing their heats for this weekend (15 minutes each to catch as many waves as possible but only top 2 waves are counted for score)
● Scoring -‐ 1= stood up on the wave, then everything else is based on a mix of the length of the wave, the turns, tricks and ending
● The boys went first, all in different colored rash guards to tell them apart ● The girls scored them along with the assistant coach-‐-‐who also used to be on
the surf them ● The horn blows to warn them that they have 5 minutes left then after 5
minutes the horn is blown again and the boys come in. Then it is the girls turn and the process continues.
● Some of the people don’t particularly care when the heats are going on and just go surf
● All the surfers on the surf team do not only go surfing on practice days (usually Wednesdays) but also go almost everyday of the week if the surf is good.
● The team size is probably around 25 people but only 5 girls and 5 boys get to compete for short boarding and I believe only 2 for longboarding. They only have around 6 competitions per year and compete against other Southern California schools like SLO, UCSB, Point Loma, USD and Santa Cruz. One guy who is a senior just started competing his junior year but had been on the team since freshman year. Shows that it isn’t as much about the surfing but also about the team atmosphere and love of the sport
● Compared to the other school surf teams we tried to reach out to this team was by far the most organized and seemed like a strong community.
● They not only surf together but they also have social gatherings outside of practice i.e. parties
● Everyone was very welcoming from the moment we introduced ourselves. They offered for us to come back and offered to be interviewed for anything we needed. They also were not shy about telling funny stories and including us in their morning routine
Connecting to the Gulls:
It is important to embrace the similarities between the thrill of surfing and the thrill of hockey. We think the excitement of the barrel of a wave can compare nicely to the fast pace game of hockey. As surfers have shown, inconvenience is not a deterrent for surfers if the fun is sufficient. Once a relationship between the Gulls and surfers are created, we think the surfers will reciprocate Gull’s advertising or promotional efforts with attendance at games, especially as their fondness for the sport grows. Additionally, certain surfers have a subtle competitive nature and may enjoy the competitiveness of the game.
Strategy :
We came up with various marketing strategies that would generate more awareness and comradery for the San Diego Gulls among surfers. First and foremost, there needs to be a reason for surfers to want to come to the games. Thus, we believe that if there were raffle drawings at Gulls games for surfboards, wetsuits and other surfing paraphernalia, more surfers would want to attend the games as these are meaningful to them. Another potential strategy would be getting better seating at the games for surfers. Surfers are attracted to the front-‐row action aspect of their sport. We believe that if surfers could experience a hockey game up front and close to the ice, they’d realize that there is a lot more in common between the two sports. Aside from giveaways and better seating, we also felt that promoting their food and drink specials would be a good way to get surfers to come to more Gulls games. Surfers like to socialize and have a good time after a long day, and if a larger portion of the surfing community knew about the Gulls $2 beer nights, for example, more surfers would be inclined to integrating the Gulls games into their regular social outings.
Free giveaways, front-‐row seating and drink specials are all great marketing strategies, but we feel as though the most effective way for the Gulls to gain the surfing community’s support would be to show them support first. This could be achieved by hosting an annual surf competition in San Diego before the hockey season starts, in which the first place prize would be season tickets. The Gulls could promote their competition in surf shops all over San Diego, as well as in local restaurants and bars. The goal of this marketing strategy is to create more brand awareness for the San Diego Gulls, in hopes that the surfing community will show interest in coming to more games. Not only would the competition be a gateway to the surfing community, but to all the people who come out and watch the competitions as well. Surfing is a huge aspect of the overall culture here in San Diego, so by tapping into the surfing audience, the San Diego Gulls would be able to access a much larger target market, which would increase ticket sales and overall profits. Conclusion: Through our research on the culture of surf here in San Diego, it is clear that in order for the Gulls to increase their ticket sales and overall profits, it’s necessary for them to tap into the surfing community. The Gulls can do this through embracing their similarities with surfers by initiating hangouts, such as the annual Gulls-‐hosted surf competition, in order to merge the two cultures into one. Studying the surf culture through ethnography showed us that surfers in San Diego are extremely passionate with regard to their sport, their friends and family, and their home. Local surfers have immense pride for San Diego as a whole. Thus, the Gulls need to reciprocate that pride by showing their support for the surfing community so that surfers feel more connected to the team.