Quiksilver CEO, Bob McKnight. Quote taken from The Mountain and the Wave: The Quiksilver Story...
There were no board sports business models when we started, but we wanted to build a great brand. How do you do that? We looked at role models, at other great lifestyle brands. Nike, Starbucks, Mercedes, Coca Cola--they share a lot in common. They all have an unwavering commitment to and passion for good, innovative product. Marketing is key, and a positive consumer experience and "word of mouth" from users is paramount. A lot of time is spent building the brand which gives it history and in turn earns it authenticity. In this way each of our role models has forged a global following. These brick-by-brick foundations have given these great brands "consumer permission" to get big and extend into new products.
We have tried to emulate these brand truths in everything we do at Quiksilver, growing but still staying true to our core values. Each of our brands has to operate in its own universe, have its own values and stay true to them. The company itself provides a shared infrastructure and support to all of them. We want to be proud of each one. And we want to keep growing, because if you don't you go backwards. Every person in our company wants to grow in his or her life, so our job is to facilitate that while keeping it cool.
Here are a few of evo buyer Christine Koller’s favorite things about Quiksilver:
- Customer Loyalty - Adding Quiksilver was a smart business decision for evo. People are looking for Quiksilver and demand it. Quiksilver has a huge following and even though it is a large brand it develops unique touches such as their DPM (disruptive pattern material, i.e. custom camouflage patterns) fabrics and Limited Edition offerings. Come check out the exclusive Limited Edition collection at the evo store in Fremont, Seattle. It is not available anywhere online. Quiksilver does an excellent job of promoting their clothing. It is engaging in the lifestyle of its followers and is present where they are.
- Design - We were very pleasantly surprised by Quiksilver's clothing design. Instead of following trends Quiksilver is setting them. Some other companies are still mired in fading trends such as skull prints. Quiksilver's line isn't expected and there is a sense of innovation within each piece. Some of our favorite pieces from the collection are woven, walking shorts, and boardshorts. We can't keep them in stock.
- Company philosophy - Quiksilver's company culture is much live evo's. Employees are involved in the sports represented by the brand and seek a balance between work and play. Even though Quiksilver is a successful business it is a very authentic company. The employees are laid back, genuine, totally casual, and value traveling the globe. Quiksilver also has great support for its retail partnerships and is a great company to work with.
Check out
photos of the evo crew as they listen to Andy Heinzle explain the benefits of Quiksilver, including the limited edition line available at
evo in Seattle.
