GR604 Student Project_Airwalk Rebranding_Visual Strategy Guide

AIRWALK’S VISUAL STRATERGY GUIDE

Visual Strategy Guide

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AIRWALK’S VISUAL STRATERGY GUIDE

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Vol. 1 Visual Strategy Guide

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CONTENTS

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BRAND INTRODUCTION

OUR FUTURE

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Brand History

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Potential Expansion

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Brand Timeline

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Mission Statement

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Rebranding Objective

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Keywords

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TARGET AUDIENCE

OUR COMPETITORS

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The Audience

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Current Competitors

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Brand Grid

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Adjacent Competitors

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Future Competitors

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Brand Attributes

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BRAND INTRODUCTION Brand History Brand Timeline

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About Airwalk Airwalk was a board sports brand founded in 1986 by George Yohn and Bill Mann at the request of a skateboarder, and named after a trick created by Tony Hawk, one of the brand’s first pro athletes. It was the first to make products inspired by and specifically designed for skateboarding.

In the past, athletes modified their skate shoes so as to reduce the amount of wear on the skateboard. These shoes generally reflected the desire and need for durable and wearable skate shoes. Airwalk was the first brand to develop high-level shoe safety, pedal padding and rubber banding, which is why they designed the classic PROTOTYPE skateboard shoe. In addition, Airwalk paid close attention to the shoe’s midsole structure and outsole reinforcement, which were regarded in those days as breakthrough developments for shoes.

The company contributed to launching and building the action sports scene. They are driven by passion and progression, through innovation, support, and taking risks.

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Brand Timeline

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Airwalk was founded by George Yohn and Bill Mann.

Pro Skater Tony Hawk endorsed the brand was among the first skaters to use Airwalk.

Airwalk was making huge profits locally and Internationally.

1986

1989

1992

1987

1990

First skateboard shoe models were launched.

Airwalk began to expand in the European market.

BRAND TIMELINE

Airwalk began marketing accessories to compliment the sales of its shoes.

First skate media channel was introduced. Airwalk produced a professional model shoe for Tony Hawk and Jason Lee.

Airwalk undergoes a rebranding initiative and alters its mission to a more adventurous and exciting brand that incorporates new products and services.

1995

1997

2022

1994

1996

1999

Airwalk introduced a massive modification to their shoe designs.

The balance that Airwalk had created by signing skaters to their team, putting money into grassroots skating and the coolness that Lamberts had created in their AD’s began to crumble.

Brand was sold to Sunrise Capital Partners which was later sold again to Collective Licensing International.

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OUR FUTURE Potential Expansion Mission Statement Rebranding Objective Keywords

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OUR FUTURE

Potential Expansion The expansion of Airwalk is to create a unique brand, community and purpose driven company that lives at the nexus of sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. Our Vision is to drive positive change through extreme and adventure sports. This is realized through our integrated approach of some of the world’s most innovative destinations, spectacular events, entertaining media, and engaging brand campaigns.

Unique Selling Point Airwalk has been a pioneer in the skate and action sports community. Airwalk has helped to shape and build the progressions of that culture, which is rooted in its DNA.

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NEW MISSION Airwalk’s mission is to push people to be fearless and let go of their inhibitions.

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“The beauty of skating is that everybody has a unique set of variables that they can put in place andexpress their individual identity in the form of—call it greatness.”

—Rodney Mullen

(Influential Skateboarder)

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Rebanding Objective The expansion of Airwalk is to create a unique brand, community and purpose driven company that lives at the nexus of sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. Our Vision is to drive positive change through extreme and adventure sports. This is realized through our integrated approach of some of the world’s most innovative destinations, spectacular events, entertaining media, and engaging brand campaigns.

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REBRANDING OBJECTIVE

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KEYWORDS

Keywords Passionate Airwalk will provide them with opportunities to discover what they are passionate about.

Limitless Airwalk will be a platform where people can build character by participating in unique experiences and being limitless.

Individualistic Airwalk will encourage people to be motivated and showcase their individual personalities in their exciting endeavors.

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TARGET AUDIENCE The Audience Brand Grid

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The Multi-tasker Name: Josh Diaz Age: 28 years old Occupation: Photographer Location: Utah Favorite Hobby: Skiing

A

Josh grew up in Salt lake city, Utah. So he has developed a love for skiing since a very young age.

A

Josh intends to further his career in sports photography so he is always looking for opportunities to travel and capture different sporting events.

A

In recent years, he has combined two of his passions, because of which he loves taking pictures while skiing.

B

He likes to challenge himself so he competes in skiing competitions.

B

The adrenaline rush excites him and also gives him a sense of calm so he keeps pushing his limits to do more.

C

He wants to showcase the world through his lens so, he is motivated to experience different traditions and cultures.

C

Josh enjoys meeting like-minded people so he can share his interests and experiences.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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TARGET AUDIENCE

The Self-Motivator Name: Rodrigo Domingues Age: 23 years old Occupation: Rapper Location: Florida Favorite Hobby: Surfing

A

Rodrigo has grown up in a rough neighborhood so he raps as a way to communicate and express himself.

A

When is he stressed or overworked so he goes to explore different beaches as the sound of the waves makes him feel a sense of calm.

A

He likes to explore new adventures because he believes that will make him grow as a rapper.

B

He likes to challenge himself so goes surfing on days when the water is rough and has steady currents.

B

Training alongside the beach is unconventional as it is very tough so he has been more dedicated than ever to do it.

C

He knows a lot of the locals so he encourages people to try surfing.

C

As an artist he travels quite a bit as a result he wants to build a network of like-minded people he can collaborate with.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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The Free Spirited Name: Adriana West Age: 19 years old Occupation: Student Location: Atlanta Favorite Hobby: Parkour

A

Adriana has been obsessed with parkour because since she saw a couple of her f riends do it and thought it was cool.

A

Performing parkour gives her a sense of accomplishment to challenge herself as she is constantly doing things out of her comfort zone.

A

She has tried skateboarding before and loves it because of the creative f reedom of being able to express herself through art.

B

Adriana is driven even more to challenge herself because parkour is such a male-dominated sport.

B

She is planning on competing in parkour so she can stay motivated and have a sense of purpose.

C

On the weekends she gets together with her f riends and learns new tricks because it makes her more confident.

C

She is always looking for role models to look up to as she needs the positive encouragement to be inspired and do better.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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TARGET AUDIENCE

The Biker Name: Ali Khan Age: 47 years old Occupation: Teacher Location: Arizona Favorite Hobby: Mountain Biking

A

Ali moved to Arizona for work, so has started to train himself to bike as a means of commute.

A

He often goes alone when he feels like mountain biking as he is one of the few people to do it in his neighborhood.

A

Ali is always looking for his breaks f rom school, so he can go around traveling finding new terrains to bike on.

B

Coming down a mountain at a high speed gives him a sense of thrill and excitement as motivates him to keep doing more.

B

He plans to take his bikes to the steepest of mountains because he wants to prove to himself that age will not limit his passion.

C

He loves to commute on his bike as it helps him stay fit.

C

He is always encouraging his students to make biking a part of their daily routine so they can help save the planet.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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The Artist Name: Alaya Kapoor Age: 33 years old Occupation: DJ Location: New York City Favorite Hobby: Scuba Diving

A

Alaya moved to the states seven years ago and is always looking for a getaway to the ocean so she can scuba dive.

A

She wants to explore all the beaches in the US so she can tick them off her bucket list.

A

In her early twenties, her visit to Andaman islands got her obsessed with scuba diving because she felt that being underwater is challenging yet very relaxing.

B

She has taken up different scuba certifications because she wants to keep pushing her limits each time.

B

Her aim is to take up the toughest of toughest diving licenses from around the world so she can prove to herself that she can achieve anything once she set her mind to it.

C

No one in her f riend’s circles in the US has much interest in scuba diving so she always ends up going alone.

C

She wants to meet fellow scuba divers so she can share her experiences with them.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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TARGET AUDIENCE

The Rebel Name: Kim Li Age: 27 years old Occupation: Graffiti Artist Location: Minneapolis Favorite Hobby: Cliff Diving

A

Kim travels a lot because he is so mesmerized by the talent f rom around the world.

A

He tried cliff diving on his trip to Bali and absolutely fell in love with it as it gave him a sense of thrill.

B

He was initially very scared of heights but he overcame his fears so he can express himself better.

B

Doing activities that are not in his comfort zone is his mantra as it will help him grow as a person.

C

Kim moved to New York City so he can be a part of the Graffiti community.

C

He is always taking pictures to upload on social media to prove to people that being unconventional is ok.

C

He loves to hang out with his friends as he feels more connected to them.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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The Racer Name: Hector Perez Age: 37 years old Occupation: Former Race Car Driver Location: Los Angeles Favorite Hobby: Water Skiing

A

Hector moved to California after retiring f rom racing as he needs a break and wants to spend time with his family.

A

He does not like to be ideal so he is always looking for things to excite him and give him that adrenaline rush.

A

He wants to travel the world to try different extreme sports as he thinks it will motivate him to face his fears.

B

His favorite hobby is water skiing as it is very different f rom what he did professionally but excites him just as much.

B

His kids are on sports teams so being fit and in shape is his priority as he can train with them and help them get better.

C

Being an extrovert he loves to meet people so he can learn about exciting adventurous happening around the world.

C

He loves to take videos of him doing new adventurous activities and post them on social media to influence his followers to be more physically fit.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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TARGET AUDIENCE

The Social Butterfly Name: Jayden Evans Age: 24 years Occupation: Stunt woman Location: Atlanta Favorite Hobby: Sky Diving

A

Jayden has always loved action movies because of which performing stunts as a profession was a no-brainer for her.

B

She is very focused so when she sets her mind on doing a stunt no matter how difficult it is, she always does it.

B

She loves sky diving because she can’t let her fear of heights overcome her when she is up in the air.

B

She challenges herself with every stunt because she is defying the norms of being in a male-dominated profession.

B

She had a rough childhood so performing stunts is her way of venting her emotions.

C C

She loves to meet new people from all walks of life so she can gain experiences.

She is an extrovert, so it is easy for her to exuberant confidence and positive energy.

A. Explore | B. Challenge | C. Community

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“Skateboarding is an art form, a lifestyle, and a sport.”

—Mike Taylor

(Influential Skateboarder)

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Past Brand Look These images represent how Airwalk was perceived in the past. They represent the skateboarding culture and elements.

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BRAND GRID

AIRWALK

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Future Brand Look These images represent how Airwalk will be perceived in the future. They represent being fearless and bold.

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BRAND GRID

AIRWALK

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OUR COMPETITORS Current Competitors Adjacent Competitors Future Competitors Brand Attributes

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Current Competitors Determining the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors within my market, strategies that will provide a distinct advantage. These competitors are provide same products as Airwalk.

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Vans

Blind

Vans is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes. They sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams.

Blind markets decks, wheels and accessories as well as clothing.

Almost

Plan B

They are also known for their lightweight products, and the technical prowess of the Almost skate team.

Plan B come with the high durability, pop colors, and attractive designs on their decks thanks to their unique deck technologies.

OUR COMPETITORS

Element

DC Shoes

Element continues to create the art, direction, and message on a constant path to bring progress to skateboarding.

DC Shoes is an American company that specializes in footwear for action sports, including skateboarding and snowboarding.

Girl

Adidas Skateboarding

Girl offers great all-around boards and they are tough and sturdy. Popular among vert and bowl skaters but also perfect for the streets.

They produce stylish, durable, protective, and super comfortable shoes for skateboarding.

Enjoi

Zero

Enjoi is a premium brand of skateboards, t-shirts, and accessories, like stickers and belts.

The company offers complete skateboards that come with the deck, wheels, trucks, as well as decks you can customize, accessories and clothing.

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Adjacent Competitors Adjacent competitors are something someone could do instead of choosing my product, but they’re using the same resources they could have committed to my product.

These adjacent competitors are providing the adventure as same as Airwalk.

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Youtube

Eastern Bikes

YouTube is an American online video sharing and social media platform.

Eastern Bikes is a rider-owned BMX company that’s passionate about the bikes they design and the people who ride them.

Ther-A-Rest

Triple 8

Therm-a-Rest is an American outdoor product company specializing in camping mattresses, sleeping bags.

Develop tough, stylish protective gear for the action sports industry.

OUR COMPETITORS

Decathlon

Big Agnes

Decathlon is inspired by the belief that the best sports products should be accessible to everyone.

Big Agnes makes high-quality tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags and outdoor apparel.

Discord

GoPro

Discord is the easiest way to talk over voice, video, and text. Talk, chat, hang out, and stay close with your friends and communities.

GoPro manufactures action sports camera’s that is versatile and tough.

Volcom

Skullcandy

Volcom is a lifestyle brand that designs, markets, and distributes boardsports-oriented products.

Skullcandy is known for making headphones that put fashion first and sound quality second.

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Future Competitors Aspirational competitors are someone that may not be directly competing with Airwalk now but it would be someday as the business grows. Aspirational competitors are companies as similar as future Airwalk. They are all about promoting people to take risks and be fearless.

America’s Ninja Warrior

X Games

“American Ninja Warrior,” where some of the most elite athletes in the country compete on the world’s most difficult obstacle courses.

X Games and action sports videos, photos, athletes, events, original series, news and more

Live It Sports

American Ramp Company

Live It Sport is a company that arranges trips such as climbing and outback biking. They also hold extreme sports competitors utilizing this brand.

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American Ramp Company specializes in skate parks and bike parks for communities around the world.

OUR COMPETITORS

Mountain Dew

SKYWALK

The Dew Tour, a showcase of action sports ranging from BMX biking to snowboarding. A drink of choice for non-traditional athletes around the globe.

Skywalk is a company that deals with only extreme sports that happen only in the sky. They mainly offer sports, such as skydiving and certification services.

Graffiti Kings

The North Face

A Worldwide authentic graffiti and urban subculture brand. A graffiti street art collective.

The North Face is an American outdoor recreation products company.

The North Face produces outdoor clothing, footwear, and related equipment.

Red Bull

Pack Up and Go

Red Bull prides itself on associating with exciting, action-packed, adrenaline-fuelled sporting action hence their involvement with extreme sports.

Pack Up + Go encourages the pursuit of wonder, spontaneity, and exploration by planning surprise getaways.

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Brand Attributes Identify 20 words that are common among your current and adjacent competitors. Identify which of these words could be “claimed” by your brand as well.

The New Airwalk Authentic | Revolution | Dynamic | Individuality | Raw

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Positive Words

Neutral Words

Negative Words

Confident

Community

Misfit

Driven

Active

Unreliable

Freedom

Independence

Disobedience

Adventurous

Accessible

Reckless

Exciting

Resilient

Irrelevant

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To introduce the new Airwalk, we will develop a new visual language using the Visual Strategy Guide.

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DESIGNER Roshni Vasudevan CLASS Nature of Identity Fall 2021 INSTRUCTOR Hunter Wimmer FONTS Montserrat IMAGES Unsplash Pexels PRINTING Blurb.com STOCK Mohawk Superf ine 100lb Uncoated text

This is a student project and was created for academic purpose. It is not intended to represent the parent brand in any way.

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