![]() Slogan-wise, Thunder emphasizes a zen-like state of knowing the unknowable. Its primary logo, a heart-shaped grenade, says to the prospective truck buyer, “These trucks are good…how good? THEY WILL CAUSE YOUR HEART TO EXPLODE.” By purchasing this brand of trucks, one joins an elite group - similar to the Green Berets or Delta Force. Similar to Ace, Thunder’s brand narrative deals in paramilitary imagery: skulls, grenades, lightning bolts. Thunder – “ Knows,” “Know Control,” “Know Future” The message inherent in the Ace brand narrative is clear: ride these trucks or you might just fucking die. The phrase brings to mind the legendary Twitter mantra “thick thighs save lives.” However, based on research conducted with the world’s most robust search engine - Twitter Advanced Search - thick thighs might actually ruin one’s life. Second, a slogan to rival those of its competitors: “Loose trucks save lives.” The Ace branding strategy is twofold: one, referring to teamriders as “pilots,” thus constructing a brand narrative that echoes back to the glory years of America’s Greatest Generation™ and all that entails.* Indeed, in spaces such as the “ truck setups” thread on the SLAP messageboard, a virtual clearinghouse for truck-related obsessive compulsions, one can find dozens of Ace converts singing the virtues of the newest truck brand to make a dent in the highly saturated truck #marketplace. In addition, the “AWAKE” logo shirt with the big “V” remains one of skating’s most iconic brand images good look bringing the shirt back recently.Īce is the veganism of trucks its disciples never hesitate to expound on its benefits. Regardless of how Carroll landed his brother on the team, the decision reaped benefits as featherlights remained the de facto truck of choice for the rest of the #90s. One can only imagine the discussion at the Carroll household in 1992… ![]() In any event, “AWAKE” encapsulates the mental possibilities of lighter trucks, when the thought process of most skaters was something like “Fuck, maybe I could noseslide double-flip out that curb if my trucks were three grams lighter.” Furthermore, former Venture team manager Greg Carroll’s decision to literally flood the Embarcadero with product remains one of the most brilliant marketing masterstrokes in history. Is it an adjective, describing the mental state of the riders of said truck, or a command, imploring the reader to join its ranks? With that in mind, and with no end in sight to the #trend of starting brands, we will deconstruct the marketing tactics of the Big Three (plus one?) truck companies, focusing on their most iconic and immortal slogans. Board companies vary by woodshop, clothiers get bought out by global conglomerates, shoe brands come and go at the mercy of the vicissitudes of fashion, but the Big Three (plus one?) truck brands remain with consistent brand narratives that - for whatever reason - synergize with the most mindblowing slogans in the culture. Few choices in life communicate as much about their owner as the skateboard truck.
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