TW Surf: Having fun with the Brand

Overview: Transworld Surf, never lacking for personality thanks to colorful ideas from editorial staff Chris Cote, Casey Koteen, Justin Cote and Aaron Checkwood, has taken its video production to a new level with the Transworld Surf Nerd, starring Managing Editor, Casey Koteen.

Surf Nerd is essentially a quiz game show shot on a set built within the new TW offices. With Koteen as host and celebrities from surfing as the contestants, the show is a simple surf-trivia concept but it’s the execution that makes it stand out. Completely tongue-in-cheek, the Surf Nerd show tries to keep a legitimate face amidst the classic cheesy host get up, the luau-style set, a live studio audience and a myriad of funny sound effects. Koteen says they have a lot of fun with the show even though researching the questions is a lot more work than he expected. “The purpose of the show is just to have fun and further differentiate ourselves from the other surf titles. But hopefully this is just a start of us doing original video content which I think there is a lot of room for.”

Results: So far Koteen says the response has been all positive and they are currently exploring marketing opportunities. Even if the show never makes it to network (Cote is exploring the possibilities) or produces off-the-charts traffic, it is having its effects. “A couple weeks ago we were in a bar and usually people come up to Chris because he’s the recognizable face of TW Surf from being on Fuel TV and various interviews. But this time a guy came up and recognized me as ‘that surf nerd guy from the website’.”

For more info: casey.koteen@transworld.net  http://surf.transworld.net/videos/transworld-surf-nerd/

Kiteboarding Editor Solves Editor's Letter Dilemma

Overview: Every editor struggles finding valuable content for the editor's letter. No one wants your letter to be a glorified table of contents nor does anyone want to hear how your job is tough but someone has to do it. So how can that page create real value?

Mythbusting: Aaron Sales, Editor of Kiteboarding may have found the solution in his December issue. He tackled a longstanding myth about kiteboarding--whether the kite would fly better if inflated with helium rather than air. On the surface, this is just an interesting-to-kiteboarders "I've always wondered about that" kind of piece. But at its core it could be the blueprint for a "mythbuster" type-column where you as editor can serve as almost a peoples' advocate--going out there and solving the questions about which everyone has always wondered.

Sales says this particular issue has been a question for almost ten years. "Finally we just moved forward and tested it ourselves. It didn't work as we hoped, the kite didn't just float in the air and change the way we fly, but it's good to put the myth to rest."

Results:  Sales says so far he's gotten really good response on the piece and he's now looking for other things to demystify. "It has inspired me to take on challenges. It's given me focus and it's giving the reader something interesting to read."
For more info: aaron.sales@bonniercorp.com