{"id":976,"date":"2015-12-04T17:56:30","date_gmt":"2015-12-04T22:56:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/catch-surf-a-surfboard-company-with-an-apparel-problem\/"},"modified":"2015-12-09T18:13:40","modified_gmt":"2015-12-09T23:13:40","slug":"catch-surf-a-surfboard-company-with-an-apparel-problem","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/catch-surf-a-surfboard-company-with-an-apparel-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"Catch Surf: A Surfboard Company with an Apparel Problem?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Catch showcasing their retro-80’s appreciation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Background<\/u><\/p>\n

Started in 2007 by\u00a0Wall Street veteran\u00a0George Arsenate, Catch Surf is the result of one too many New York winters and an unrelenting passion for surfing. Arsenate’s\u00a0first product, the ‘Beater,’ was originally designed to provide Laguna Beach surfers an option for busy summer days when lifeguards deemed the waters too crowded for the sharp fins and pointed noses that characterize\u00a0most surfboards.\u00a0Lifeguards would raise a blackball to signify the temporary ban on all traditional surfboards. In response, Arsenate\u00a0created a finless foam surfboard to ‘beat’ the blackball. The Beater was deemed safe for crowded waters, and provided a functional alternative for nearly any set of wave conditions. Catch boards\u00a0can now be found in the collection – or ‘quiver’ – of surfers across the planet, beginner and professional alike.<\/p>\n

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Custom model from Oahu North Shore Legend, Jamie O’Brien<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the Business of Beaters<\/span><\/p>\n

Though\u00a0“disregarded by many in the surf industry as just another surf toy that wouldn’t take off,”\u00a0Catch Surf has continued to innovate, and since grown into\u00a0a legitimate player in the global\u00a0surfboard industry.[1]<\/a> In doing so, Arsenate has introduced technology and automation into the\u00a0board shaping process. The company now uses\u00a0state-of-the art-Computer Aided Design and 3-axis foam shapers to replicate and mass produce\u00a0a variety of surfboard models, many of which are based on signature designs from\u00a0pro surfers.\u00a0In addition to contributing to board concepts,\u00a0endorsed surfers\u00a0also bring awareness to the brand with a strong social media presence, often featuring video clips<\/a> of sponsored riders on Beaters in\u00a0extreme surf conditions around the world.\u00a0As the company expands into retail apparel, Arsenate and the Catch team rely on a strong\u00a0alignment with their operating and business models to\u00a0\u00a0navigate uncharted waters.\u00a0\"pipenov2\"<\/p>\n

Operating for Fun: The Move to Apparel<\/span><\/p>\n

In a market dominated by surf giants such as Quicksilver, Billabong, and Rip Curl, George Arsenate has positioned the\u00a0Catch clothing line\u00a0for niche appeal. With the goal of “bleed[ing] fun into a category that everybody could be part in,” Arsenate calls on a retro-80’s styles and flair to “translate a spirit of radness” for\u00a0the\u00a0modern surf apparel market.[2]<\/a>\u00a0 Hats, t-shirts, and accessories are adorned \u00a0with thirty year old patterns and styles, cementing that fact\u00a0that Catch is not\u00a0your average surf brand.
\nBehind the jagged lines and pale pinks, however, Arsenate and his team have carefully designed\u00a0their operating model and distributions channels to deliver value to\u00a0consumers who have already ‘bought into’ the brand’s contrasting vision of\u00a0timeless surf culture versus\u00a0modern appeal. This strategy first brought Arsenate to local Southern California surf shops, where Beater sales had shown\u00a0steady growth year over year. He notes, “The goal is to grow our key accounts and develop deeper partnerships with the added category.”[2]<\/a>\u00a0Focusing only on Catch’s\u00a0250 existing retailers\u00a0will not be
\n\"Asufficient to sustain the expansion, however. Arsenate views boutique surf shops and even high-end fashion retailers\u00a0as a key growth opportunities for the\u00a0Catch line of apparel.\u00a0Furthermore,\u00a0Catch enjoys a competitive advantage by producing all non-woven apparel products in Los Angeles, which stands to attract\u00a0Millennials, and improves quality
\ncontrol\/speed to market for domestic sales.<\/p>\n

What’s Next?<\/span><\/p>\n

While authenticity and fun form the backbone of Catch Surf, a growing\u00a0retailer footprint combined with a\u00a0continued investment in capital expenditures,\u00a0domestic manufacturing, and innovation indicate strong performance for the company.\u00a0Though promising, the long-term success or failure of the Catch line of apparel has yet to be determined. The company’s ability to align its expanded product offerings under its current operating\u00a0model will depend largely on\u00a0marketing, distribution, and\u00a0acceptance within the niche surf culture.<\/p>\n

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