Blog » Josh http://sparkhaus.com Sparkhaus Blog Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:56:34 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 More from the US Open of Surfing! http://sparkhaus.com/branding/more-from-the-us-open-of-surfing/ http://sparkhaus.com/branding/more-from-the-us-open-of-surfing/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:10:48 +0000 Josh http://sparkhaus.com/?p=474 Another perfect day to be in Huntington Beach for the US Open of Surfing! Crystal clear weather, big events, and plenty of entertainment in the event village.

Huntington Beach was packed with people beachin' it up for the event!

Viewers & media had their choice of watching from the pier or from the beach line...I chose a little of both.

Is this the next rage? Single wheel pivoting "skates"?

Nike 6.0 surf gear was looking awesome!

Decked out in more Nike gear...looking good!

Overview of the Converse skateboard park! (with the event village and HB pier in the background)

One of the skaters carving around the "capsule" section of the Converse park.

One competitor looking upon the other as the competition heats up.

Some of us couldn't take the heat...

...and others had more important things to ride than waves.

Sand volleyball anyone?

Bright fluorescent colors are definitely the hot thing in action sports right now.

On the opposite side of the pier, plenty of amateur surfers grabbed their boards and caught some waves of their own.

Actions Sports lifestyle culture is always full of interesting cues towards the next wave of apparel fashion, cutting edge marketing efforts, and some of the most exciting sports imagery in the world. Wow, what a weekend…thanks for tuning in!

]]> http://sparkhaus.com/branding/more-from-the-us-open-of-surfing/feed/ 3 2010 US Open of Surfing http://sparkhaus.com/branding/2010-us-open-of-surfing/ http://sparkhaus.com/branding/2010-us-open-of-surfing/#comments Sun, 08 Aug 2010 09:05:54 +0000 Josh http://sparkhaus.com/?p=445 Huntington Beach has been bustling this past week for the 2010 US Open of Surfing. With incentives from the likes of Nike, Hurley, and Converse, surfing’s best have been battling it out to collect the coveted first place cash prizes.

Hawaii's Carissa Moore on her way to first place in the Women's division, and a cash prize of $50,000. Oh yeah, she's only 17 years old!

It's always great to see the Pros of the event spending time talking with their fans up close and in person.

This event was more like a giant beach festival, with plenty of booths for the attendees to have a blast. "Feed the Geico Gecko" anyone?

There was no shortage of interesting product displays. Pictured here is Casio's "G-Shock" watch line in a gigantic rock-like display case.

It's inspiring to see brands reaching out for social and environmental causes. Hurley's booth was dedicated to raising environmental awareness and informing about their efforts in a creative way.

There was something crazy going on around every corner of the event. This random skateboarder was jumping off of the roof of a building, and drawing an excited crowd in the process.

I saw some interesting tattoos for sure. Wizards, flaming skulls, elaborate pieces of art, and some that looked like prison tattoos. This guy was more than willing to show off his ink for a photo opportunity.

If you weren't quite ready to commit to some serious ink, you could always drop in one of the booths and get a brand logo temporarily sprayed on you. Not a bad marketing idea!

The weather was perfect and everyone was having a good time hanging out at the beach to soak up some rays.

Hundreds of people lined the beach and the pier to watch some of the best surfers in the world shred some waves.

Stay tuned tomorrow for surf & skateboard action, and a further look behind the scenes of one of the largest surfing events in the world!

]]> http://sparkhaus.com/branding/2010-us-open-of-surfing/feed/ 0 Best of X Games, and more to come… http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/best-of-x-games-and-more-to-come/ http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/best-of-x-games-and-more-to-come/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:41:03 +0000 Josh http://sparkhaus.com/?p=426 X Games 16 has finally come to an end, but the action doesn’t stop there! Stay tuned this weekend for an inside look at the US Open of Surfing, where I will be reporting from Huntington Beach!

Thanks to our guest contributing photographer, Cody York, for providing amazing shots of the X Games action this weekend. Cody is a photographer/editor for ESPN Actions Sports and you can check out more of his work by clicking here.

Danny Hickerson tailwhips during a run on the Street Course (Photo Credit: Cody York, ESPN)

Brett Banasiewicz is the midst of a "flair whip" during his final run! (Photo Credit: Cody York, ESPN)

Dakota Roche blasting a "turndown fakie" during the Street BMX finals. (Photo Credit: Cody York, ESPN)

Sometimes the less glamourous tricks actually score more points with the judges for style. Here Gary Young sends a one-handed "tabletop." (Photo Credit: Cody York, ESPN)

Some of the top contenders are actually good friends. Dennis Enarson, Morgan Wade, and Gary Young hanging out and having a good time. (and yes, that is a black eye and missing tooth on Morgan Wade...he's a warrior!) (Photo Credit: Cody York / ESPN)

Check back this weekend, you’re not going to want to miss behind the scenes coverage from one of the biggest surfing events in the world!

]]> http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/best-of-x-games-and-more-to-come/feed/ 0 X Games Weekend Wrap Up http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/x-games-weekend-wrap-up/ http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/x-games-weekend-wrap-up/#comments Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:26:25 +0000 Josh http://sparkhaus.com/?p=407 After an intense weekend of adrenaline-fueled mayhem, X Games 16 has finally come to an end. Sunday was the most crowded day of the event, with many of the final events taking place and plenty of entertainment going on in “X Games Village.”

Fans making friends with some hi-tech robots!

Columbia Outerwear's booth featured a chilled interior with giant blocks of ice everywhere! Fans stood in long lines just to cool off from the California sun.

It's great to see environmental and social responsibility integrated into such an influential event like the X Games. Pictured here is a campaign offering prizes to motivate kids to recycle.

Colorfully hand painted recycling cans distinguished themselves from "trash" cans, and offered a fresh approach to teaching kids about environmental awareness.

Ok, enough about the environment...the kids wants some candy! (and TONS of it was at their fingertips)

Sour "Warheads" and "Energy Infused Peanuts" were definitely some of the crowd favorites. Those peanuts have a metallic glittery sheen and 3000% of your daily B vitamins...yikes!

...and of course you need something to wash it down with, right?

Here's a sneak peak at Oakley's sunglasses testing unit. Apparently they test the impact/shatter resistance of their eyewear with these hi-tech machines.

Here we have BMX star, Jeremiah Smith, busting a "Superman Seatgrab" after grinding up a handrail. (Photo Credit: Cody York / ESPN)

Check back soon for a recap of some of the weekend X Games action!

]]> http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/x-games-weekend-wrap-up/feed/ 1 X Games Heats Up! http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/x-games-heats-up/ http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/x-games-heats-up/#comments Sun, 01 Aug 2010 06:51:36 +0000 Josh http://sparkhaus.com/?p=374 Everything about X Games is raw and “in your face.” From the intensity of athletes pushing the boundaries of action sports, to the exhibitors creative marketing in “X Games Village,” you’re definitely not going to leave the event without a sensory overload!

Shaun White is a repeat X Games medalist in Skateboarding AND Snowboarding. He has a signature line of clothing available in Target stores, and is one of the most celebrated athletes in X Games history. (Photo Credit: Cody York / ESPN)

The Paul Frank booth engages "hands on" with kids to design their own shirts and posters using branded stencils and spray paint. What a great way to create a memorable experience for their audience.

At the Bell Helmets booth, kids have the opportunity to creatively sketch up their "dream helmet." If selected as the winner from the contest, they will see their design go from a simple sketch, to final production model!

In case watching X Games isn't exciting enough, you can get jittery with one of the many themed energy drinks being handed out.

Remote control hovering "Drone" plane with built-in video cameras anyone?

Athletes have been pushing themselves to the max all weekend, chasing a coveted spot on the winners podium. Steve McCann "Tailwhips" during his run in the BMX Vert finals. (Photo Credit: Cody York / ESPN)

Sometimes tricks don't work out as planned, but that doesn't stop the athletes from continuing to give it their best. Morgan Wade suffered a black eye and 20 stitches on his head, then came back the next day to backflip over a 70 ft. jump in the "Big Air" contest. (Photo Credit: Cody York / ESPN)

Stay tuned for more behind the scenes coverage and photos from the final day of X Games 16!

]]> http://sparkhaus.com/x-games-2010/x-games-heats-up/feed/ 2 X Games Continues! http://sparkhaus.com/branding/x-games-continues/ http://sparkhaus.com/branding/x-games-continues/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:55:29 +0000 Josh http://sparkhaus.com/?p=350 X Games events continued to unfold today, as riders battled it out to make the preliminary cuts before the final competitions this weekend. The courses are different every year, and many of the competitors have been saying this year’s courses are the most unique to date!

An overview of the enormous cement "Park" course where riders flip, spin, and catch air off of vertical transitions and over gaps!

There is definitely no lack of creativity on the "Street" course. Here, a skateboarder does a grind on a gigantic "broken tea cup!"

BMX rider Dennis Enarson does a "180 Barspin" down the stairs and over a handrail. (Photo credit: Cody York / ESPN)

BMX rider Scotty Cranmer launches a "Flair" between the vertical transitions of the Park course. A "Flair" is the name for a 180 degree rotation in the midst of a backflip. (Photo Credit: Cody York / ESPN)

Back in "X Games Village," fans can safely flip upside down and catch some air, just like their favorite athletes!

X Games fans backflipping safely!

]]> http://sparkhaus.com/branding/x-games-continues/feed/ 0 Behind the Scenes of X Games 16! http://sparkhaus.com/branding/behind-the-scenes-of-x-games-16/ http://sparkhaus.com/branding/behind-the-scenes-of-x-games-16/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:57:45 +0000 Josh http://sparkhaus.com/?p=329 ESPN’s 16th annual X Games are underway! Preliminary events took place today and everything is over the top: from the specialty designed sport courses, to the “X Games Village” (an area designated for event sponsors to set up booths and engage with X Games attendees).

Professional skateboarder and MTV star, Ryan Sheckler, during Skateboard Street Prelims.

A massive sign greets thousands of eager attendees at the entrance of "X Games Village," an area where brands can engage withe their target market consumers.

Pictured above are "Foam Pits" allowing aspiring skateboarders to test their balance out with little to no risk of injury.

The U.S. NAVY booth had no problem drawing passersby for their "Pull Up Challenge" and a ride on a hydraulic interactive "rollercoaser."

The NAVY hydraulic interactive "rollercoaster" in action!

AXE Body Spray is know for their cutting edge television commercials, and they put the same ingenuity into their booth design. Attendees can play games to win coupons, T-shirts, and have their photo taken with the "AXE girls" swooning over their fresh new AXE scent.

Over the next few days we will be taking a closer look at the cutting edge marketing of youth culture brands and the X Games sports events…so keep checking back!

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