Rip Curl set to revolutionise surfing industry with GPS surf watch + digital platform launch via VML
Leading surf brand Rip Curl has announced its creation of the ‘Rip Curl Search GPS’, a new surfing watch and digital platform that allows surfers to record and relive every wave they catch. Rip Curl partnered with global digital marketing agency VML to create the platform and revolutionise the way we surf.
Using global online and television broadcasts from the 53rd Rip Curl Pro, the longest running surfing contest in history, to announce the world’s first Search GPS Watch to the world, the news has “whet the whistle” of surfers around the planet. It’s already being worn by Rip Curl test riders around the world, including 3 X ASP world champion Mick Fanning, who is wearing it in competition at Bells Beach this week.
The Search GPS Watch uses satellite positioning to auto set, meaning that with just one touch, time & tide information at over 1300 surf breaks around the world appears instantaneously.
The Rip Curl Search GPS watch also allows surfers to record wave counts, their speed and distance travelled during their surf, with the stats shown in real time on the watch face. When back on the beach, syncing the watch over Bluetooth to an iOS device or via the Desktop app (Mac + PC) will allow surfers to relive their entire surfing session by visualising all the GPS data collected on the watch, and sharing it with friends inside The Rip Curl Search GPS platform.
Shane Helm, global chairman, watches & equipment division, says this new product will encourage surfers to surf longer and more often.
Says Helm: “The new Search GPS Watch and digital experience is going to change everything. Now you can catch a wave and look down at your Rip Curl watch to see how long and how fast your wave was, instantly, right there in the water. It pushes you to go faster and to catch more waves. It’s the first of its kind and when you sync the watch to your phone, it creates stunning visuals so you can see every wave you caught.”
Rip Curl partnered with VML in Australia to create the multi-platform experience that will create new global surfing communities.
Says Aden Hepburn, managing director & ECD of VML in Australia: “It’s been a brilliant experience to create a product like this with one of the world’s most iconic brands, and with Rip Curl being an Australian-owned company, it’s an even greater privilege for our VML team here in Sydney. The Rip Curl Search platform isn’t just about tracking waves, it’s about empowering surfers to tell their stories in new ways, create new social connections, and to visualise and share the experience that previously has lasted just a moment. It’s going to challenge them and reward them, and make their surfing more fun.”
The full Rip Curl Search platform launches soon, and surfers can register their interest here.
16 Comments
Well done Rip Curl and VML for bringing some cool innovation to the surf world. Will be interesting to see if the Quantified Self trend translates into surfer world – pro’s & aspiring pro’s absolutely – but the weekend warrior?? Looking forward to seeing how the social connections and storytelling component rolls out . Good stuff.
Wasn’t this a GPYR idea? ” Says Aden Hepburn, managing director & ECD of VML in Australia” thats a shelf title if I’ve ever heard one.
Isn’t Aden Hepburn the guy who runs Digitalbuzz?
A great idea, even more impressive that an Aussie brand and agency could create something like this.
Love this!! Great work VML!
Awesome VML, as a surfer and ad guy, I’m pretty pumped this was actually created in Australia. About time Aussie agencies started producing global digi work like this!
I can only see the gratuitous tech here. Isn’t it just a GPS tracker? I’ve met a lot of surfers in my time and this seems like the last kind of data they would want to see.
My guess is they want to know about the quality of the ride (perhaps overlaid with image and video), not the length of time they’ve been out, how far they’ve traveled, speed they’ve gone and volume of waves they have caught (all of which aren’t indicators of the quality of their ride).
Did anyone ask an actual surfer about what they would want before developing this?
is it actually helping surfers.
I don’t get it. I don’t care about distance? And I have Willy Weather to tell me about Swell, Tides, Wind…? If the watch had a GoPro in it we might have a deal.
Goes against why 99% of surfers surf. It’s just you and the wave. Can see how it would be of benefit to someone like Mick Fanning, but for everyone else in the line-up? Please don’t let this crap infiltrate. It’s just not surfing.
Ignore the haters Aden n VML – good solid innovation
Great idea VML. The kids are gonna love it.
Can’t ever take away from a business that gets a client across the line and gets them to fund this sort of stuff. Well done VML.
It is a nice piece of innovation, but like the Fuelband, already out-dated. Without a wider function it will be a gimmick for the core tech flashers.
Nice award entry though, will do well.
For the consumer, not to much.
We pitched this idea to Rip Curl about 6 years ago then they fucked off with the idea and we never heard from them again. Nice to see they’ve just rehashed it as if it’s their own. Lame.
When does the searchgps watch come out?
Well I wonder if the strap loop will break like the one on my A1001 Ultimate Titanium and then they’ll force me to replace the full A1001 $80 strap instead of just replacing the loop that only costs them 50c if that to make… but refuse to sell independently.
RipOFF CURL…try supporting your existing customers instead of fleecing them,
we are the ones that made you a company..REMEMBER ????