The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) announced the nominees for the 2015 SIMA Image Awards, a program that strives to identify the surf industry’s most influential and innovative companies and recognize them for their efforts to advance and grow the industry over the past year. The nominees will be honored and winners announced at the SIMA Image Awards ceremony on Feb. 11, 2016, at The City National Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA.
In its thirteenth year, the SIMA Image Awards is the only awards program that gives the surf industry the opportunity to recognize their peers for their outstanding contributions to the industry. All Regular and Board Builder SIMA members were given the opportunity to enter their own brands and products for consideration in qualifying categories. These entries were then reviewed and voted upon by a nominating panel of experts comprised of both surf industry manufacturers and retailers. The outcome of the nominating panel votes determined the five final nominees in each category. Winners of these categories will be determined by a final vote open to all SIMA member companies, as well as specialty retailers. The main contact at each SIMA member company can expect information today via email for final voting.
This year, the following outstanding products and brands will be recognized as the nominees in the 13 SIMA Image Awards categories (nominees listed in alphabetical order):
2015 SIMA IMAGE AWARDS NOMINEES
OVERALL AWARD
Breakout Brand of the Year
Criteria: Recognizing the small- to mid-size men’s or women’s brand that experienced break out growth between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015. Consider surfboard, apparel, footwear, wetsuit and accessory brands that had a breakthrough year through product development and/or increased brand recognition and appeal. Nominated companies can be new or established brands, but must have annual U.S. sales of at least $1 million and no more than $20 million. Previous winners of this category are no longer eligible for five years.
AMUSE SOCIETY
DEPACTUS
OTIS
Roark Revival
SUN BUM
MEN’S AWARDS
Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the men’s apparel brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015.
Billabong
DEPACTUS
RVCA
Vissla
Volcom
Men’s Boardshort of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the boardshort product from Spring or Fall 2015 product lines (at retail between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Lo Tides by Billabong
HyperFreak by O’Neill
Mirage MF Driven by Rip Curl
Skeleton Coast by Vissla
Mod-Tech by Volcom
Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the men’s apparel, footwear, wetsuit, hardgoods, accessory or media brand that produced the most creative marketing campaign in 2015. Consider men’s brands that displayed a creative, cohesive and consistent brand message in print, digital and point-of-purchase materials. Campaign must have first appeared in consumer print publications with an on-sale date between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015 (approx. the September or October issues of endemic magazines).
Life’s Better In Boardshorts by Billabong
WHERE LAND MEETS SEA by DEPACTUS
Volume 9: “Himalayan Halfway House” by Roark Revival
Uncommon by Stance
Creators & Innovators by Vissla
WOMEN’S AWARDS
Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the women’s apparel brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015.
AMUSE SOCIETY
Billabong Women’s
O’Neill
Rip Curl
Roxy
Women’s Swim Brand of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the women’s swim brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015.
Beach Riot
Billabong Women’s
L*SPACE by Monica Wise
Rip Curl
Seea
Women’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the women’s apparel, swimwear, footwear, wetsuit, hardgoods, accessory and media brand that produced the most creative marketing campaign in 2015. Consider women’s brands that displayed a creative, cohesive and consistent brand message in print, digital and point-of-purchase materials. Campaign must have first appeared in consumer print publications with an on-sale date between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015 (approx. the September and October issues of endemic magazines).
BEACH VIDA BLING! By AMUSE SOCIETY
A Bikini Kind of Life by Billabong Women’s
Anna Sui for O’Neill by O’Neill
MY BIKINI by Rip Curl
Rihanna x Stance by Stance
PRODUCT AWARDS
Accessory Product of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the accessory product from Spring or Fall 2015 product lines (at retail between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015) that featured the most exciting innovation, design or appeal. Accessory products such as watches, eyewear, headphones, socks and other accessories can be considered.
HERO4 Session by GoPro
The Ultratide by Nixon
SearchGPS Watch by Rip Curl
Roark Revival X CRKT Collaboration “The Drifter” Pocket Knife by Roark Revival
Super Invisibles (Be Invisible) by Stance
Environmental Product of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the most exciting, appealing and/or innovative environmental surf product from Spring or Fall 2015 product lines (at retail between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015). Consider apparel, footwear, accessory, wetsuit, surfboard or any other surf-related product that was created to lessen the impact on the environment, whether through its manufacturing process, materials or usage of the product itself.
Billabong Recycler Series by Billabong
TimberTek technology by Firewire Surfboards
G7 by Mizu
R2 Yulex/Nexkin front zip full suit by Patagonia
Upcycled Coconut Boardshorts by Vissla
Footwear Product of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the footwear product from Spring or Fall 2015 product lines (at retail between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Nui by OluKai
Reef Rover with Swellular Technology by Reef
Yoga Sling 2 Sandal by Sanuk
Blackball Hi/Lo by Vans
Recliner by Volcom
Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the surf hardgood accessory product from Spring or Fall 2015 product lines (at retail between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015) that featured the most exciting innovation, design or appeal. Accessory products such as fins, leashes, board bags, wetsuit accessories (heat vests, boots, etc.) and other hardgood accessories can be considered.
CHANNEL ISLANDS HEX CORD by Channel Islands Surfboards
SurfEars by Creatures of Leisure
FCSII Connect Tool-less Longboard Fin by FCS
Smuggler Travel Bag by Pro-Lite
Drylock TDC Boot by Xcel
Surfboard of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the surfboard model from Spring or Fall 2015 product lines (at retail between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
ROOK 15 by Channel Islands Surfboards
EVO by Firewire Surfboards
Hypto Krypto by Haydenshapes
SISTA BROTHA by Rusty Surfboards
Clay Marzo “Mad Cat” by SUPERbrand
Wetsuit of the Year
Criteria: Awarded to the wetsuit from Spring or Fall 2015 product lines (at retail between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2015) that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Psycho Series by O’Neill
R2 Yulex/Nexkin front zip full suit by Patagonia
Flash Bomb Zip Free by Rip Curl
7 Seas Wetsuit by Vissla
Drylock TDC by Xcel
A complete description of awards criteria, as well as a detailed explanation of the entry and voting processes can be found here. The winners will be announced at the SIMA Image Awards ceremony on February 11, 2016 at The City National Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA. The ceremony is open to the public and tickets will go on sale in January.
