There’s another new nutrition drink on the market and this time, it’s coming from surfing’s kingpin, Kelly Slater. Called Purps (rhymes with burps), the packaging fonts and website are in purple, illustrating four different sized bottles/shots of beverage choices. Slater is among the brand’s founders, along with scientist Dr. Chris Schaumburg, and designer PM Tenore.
According to Purps, their mission is to: “Unite Nature and Science to promote your life’s health. We are passionate about designing premium nutrition products that are better choices for your daily routine, with the greater goal of giving back by inspiring and educating our youth to adopt a healthier lifestyle.”
Purps claims that their products are designed with a purpose with premium ingredients. “Each product is formulated using the Proprietary Organic Purple Life Formula that is harvested from this earth and non-GMO, with valuable phytonutrients, antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals. No artificial colors. No artificial flavors. No preservatives.”
While many in the surfing community tend have healthy choices when it comes to what they drink and eat, Purps appears to be trying to tap into the larger picture of beverages overall similar to the emergence of the variety of coconut water brands.
Purps also plans to begin an advocacy program, and are tapping into the humanitarian side of youth culture.
ASP International announced today, July 21, 2014, the appointment of Mark Noonan as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).
Noonan’s first task will be developing and staffing the ASP’s new office in New York City which brings the ASP global network of offices to nine, including the recently-opened headquarters offices in Santa Monica, CA. “We’re midway through our opening year under new management and the ASP has already seen tremendous growth across all verticals for the sport of surfing,” Paul Speaker, ASP CEO, said. “Planting a flag in the media and marketing capital of the world, New York City, is a natural extension of this growth and places professional surfing in line with all major sporting leagues in terms of proximity to major partnership opportunities. We’re very fortunate to be bringing on Mark Noonan in to lead the team. He has a phenomenal background in this arena and we look forward to a great future together.”
Noonan comes to the ASP from FocalSport, a sports marketing and media agency he founded and led since its inception in 2005. Select FocalSport clients included the New York Mets and SNY where Noonan advised ownership on the landmark Citi Field naming rights and all seven signature partner agreements, FIBA – the world governing body of basketball, Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing, Brown-Forman, the USTA, USA TODAY Sports Media Group and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Prior to forming his agency Noonan was an Executive Vice President for Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing, CMO of U.S. Soccer and Director of Integrated Marketing for the iconic sports beverage brand, Gatorade. “When you look at what makes a great sports property in today’s rapidly changing marketplace, the New ASP has it all,” Noonan commented.
“We have the best male and female surfers in the world, a powerful ‘digitally native’ global audience, an incredibly seductive and aspirational lifestyle, and a demonstrated ability to package, produce and distribute compelling content for our partners. This is a special moment in time for professional surfing and I am thrilled and humbled to be joining the new ASP ownership and management team.”
Vans U.S. Open of Surfing to Kick-off in Huntington Beach, Surf City, USA
Huntington Beach, CA, a.k.a. Surf City USA is getting ready for the mainland’s largest surf competition, running from July 26-August 3, 2014. While the event is known mostly for attracting the top male and female surfers on the international circuit, the event also hosts the Van Doren Invitational Women’s Skatebowl Contest, a BMX competition, and men’s skateboarding competition.
The Vans US Open of Surfing is actually owned and produced now by IMG. It features an impressive line-up including champions Alejo Muniz and Carissa Moore, Kelly Slater, Julian Wilson, Pat Gudauskas, Sally Fitzgibbons and Brazilian Jr. Yago Dora. The Vans US Open is a pivotal point on the Men’s ASP Qualification Series and Women’s World Championship Tour (WCT). For the men, a win at the Vans US Open – ASP Men’s Prime event – will earn them valuable points toward a coveted Top 10 QS ranking. And for the women, with a close race for the ASP World Title, the Vans US Open of Surfing marks a key midseason stop on the Women’s WCT. Alongside the ASP QS and WCT competition, Vans will host the ASP Pro Juniors for men’s and women’s, prepping the field for a spot in the coveted ASP World Junior Championships. In addition, the invite-only Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational, presented by Pacifico, returns to Huntington Beach with new invitees including 2012 & 2013 ASP Women’s Longboard Champ Kelia Moniz, Troy Mothershead, and Devon Howard plus 13 more talented longboarders who embody the expressive style and creativity of longboarding. Reinforced by contest director Joel Tudor’s legacy of eight US Open Longboarding Championships, the Duct Tape contests remain an influential platform honoring Huntington Beach’s competitive surfing community.
Other sponsors of the Vans US Open of Surfing include FIAT, iON Cameras, G-Shock, Pacifico, Paul Mitchell Salon Haircare, Red Bull, Bose® and Surfing Magazine.
Stay tuned for more from the Vans US Open of Surfing, live from Label Networks next week.
