Billabong Identity

1283 Words3 Pages

Billabong
• Back ground

Billabong was founded on Australia's Gold Coast in 1973 by surfer and surfboard shaper Gordon Merchant and his then partner, Rena. Those early days were rather inauspicious, with the pair designing boardshorts at home, cutting them out on the kitchen table and then carting the finished product around to the local surf shop to sell.

The business found immediate traction, with surfers drawn to the superior functionality of the Billabong boardshorts. They were also far more durable courtesy of the unique triple-stitching technique developed by Gordon.

By the 1980s, Billabong had firmly established its place in Australian surf culture and was ready for international expansion. The initial focus was on the large North American market and, again, the brand enjoyed success. Through the 1990s the surf industry grew …show more content…

It's so easy to just be a ‘big brand' and assume people all want to hear the same thing,” said Stirling Howland, digital marketing manager at Billabong International. “Creating an intimate message can be a challenge, but at the same time very rewarding — not just for the brand, but also for the consumer.”

• Brand Identity

When Launa Inman took over as CEO of Billabong in May 2012, she knew she had a huge challenge ahead of her to turn around the company. Launa recently announced a $275.6 million loss at Billabong, which means she has a daunting task of turning around the fortunes of the company. However, her previous experience at Target and Office works, along with her passion for marketing is likely to stand her in good stead.

Billabong is an iconic Australian brand, closely associated with surf, sun and fun – all great ingredients for an Aussie marketing success. But along the way, Billabong lost its direction – especially in terms of its customer strategy, knowing who are its loyal customers and exactly what they want in terms of athletic

More about Billabong Identity

Open Document