Of mad men and hueys

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Outrage on the internet isn't new, it's up there with death and taxes for its certitude.

In 2016 no-one should be surprised that a bit o' vitriol flies about the broadband. Yet there are some things, some people, even some companies, that get the haters hating every single time they appear. In the surfing world it's The Mad Hueys. Each clip of theirs is met with howls of outrage, and so it was when I posted their most recent video, a road trip to South Australia where they hijacked a chicken and 'discovered' a wave.

Yet rather than join the outrage this time around I put on my inquisitor's hat. I resisted the scowling mob and questioned the motivation of those denouncing the Mad Hueys. Did all those irate comments have a 'seasoned' tone to them? Why is the Hueys label thriving if so many people dislike them? And are The Mad Hueys, for all their upstart cheek, just following a pattern as old as youth culture itself?

I donned the headpiece and went in search of answers.

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If the name 'The Mad Hueys' sounds more like a sports team then a clothing label, it's because that's how the label started. As a team. A fishing team, in fact. "The founders," that being Shaun Harrington, Dean Harrington, and Damon Nichols, "always used to call each other Hu or Huey when they saw each other," explains Sam McBride, Brand Manager for the Hueys, "then they entered a fishing comp and had to name their team. They were like, 'well, we are the maddest fishos here' so they came up with The Mad Hueys and so it began!"

Since then the core team has expanded to include Sam, Joel Scott, Dean Morrison, and Nathan Webster. Together they co-own and run the company. “We all grew up looking at brands like Volcom,” says Sam, “where the team was having a hell time and the marketing was a bit more loose than it is now and we feel like surfing has lost that raw edge lately.” The Hueys take that to heart: what could be more loose than accidentally starting a clothing company?

From the back of a Quintrex half-cabin, the genesis of The Mad Hueys is a million miles from the usual surf industry start up, the story of which starts with seed capital, follows a five year plan, and employs granular-level brand strategy. So it's no surprise the Hueys' image stands aside from the rest of the market. The 'raw edge' the Hueys show is largely POV video with the Hueys in their element, doing step offs, getting barrelled, and drinking beer out of their shoes – more on that later. In short, they remove the filter and conduct themselves the same way as most other twenty-something surfers around the country.

However, along with such carry on comes the charge of being bogans – Aussie slang for an uncouth person, for those readers from abroad. The fellas are well aware of how they're perceived and they're happy to embrace it. In Huey-land the word 'bogan' is interchangeable with 'middle class' and, says Sam resolutely, “We definitely aren't ashamed of our working class backgrounds.”

Unsurprisingly, their critics display a whiff of elitism – a loaded word in this age of elites vs deplorables. Yet if I really put my nose to the wind another scent is detected. Most of the criticism appears to be from older surfers complaining about the behaviour of the Hueys. If this is true, then the Hueys join the tradition of young surfers pissing off the older crew. And it's a long list, think of La Jolla surfers dressing up as Nazis in the 50s, or the whole 60s counter-culture, or the Quiksilver ad from the 70s that stated: “If you can't rock n' roll don't fucken come.”

So are the Hueys merely victims of the generation gap? From my middle age holdout I simply couldn't tell. I needed to speak to someone in the crows nest, someone with the scope that only advanced years can provide.

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Phil Jarratt is a wonderful bloke, for his age. A chat with him is enough to reassure anyone that while the body may betray, the brain can transcend. Phil listens as I state my theory about the Hueys and their link to surfing's history, particularly the old Quiksilver ad. He then delights in playing the role of King Solomon. The line goes silent save for the scratch of a stubbled chin. “....well, for starters,” says Phil, “that Quiksilver line was mine. It was on the invitation to a Tracks party for Surfabout in 1975. I came up with the line while Tony Edwards, who created Captain Goodvibes, drew people drinking and spewing everywhere.”

“However, I think your theory may be a bit of a stretch. That Quiksilver ad was an aberration. I don't think it represented their positioning. Gotcha were a brand that was more out there. They were obnoxious, and very, very successful. You should speak to Michael Tomson.”

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Of all the brands that rode the 80s surf boom, Gotcha sat at the top of the money pile. Rip Curl, Billabong, and Quiksilver all had fantastic rags to riches stories, but it was Gotcha, the company founded by Michael Tomson, who tapped the zeitgeist, and never more so than their “If you don't surf, don't start” ad campaign. That campaign brilliantly played on surfings cachet as a sport for outsiders; it appealed to core surfers and gave scant regard to making others feel welcome. It was obnoxious and surfers loved it.

8568f530e392c47c58df199bbee79038.jpgMichael Tomson agrees with Phil's assessment. “Yes, Gotcha was more outrageous than any other brand at that time,” says Michael, “and for many reasons. Design, marketing, advertising, and attitude being chief among them.”

Before the 80s boom, surf fashion was largely comprised of Aloha prints and Hawaiian shirts with the odd lightning bolt thrown in for good measure. It was a sedate mix of muted colour and pleasant aesthetics. Gotcha tossed all that aside for flashy graphics and slogans, and though surfing itself had moved beyond country soul, Gotcha ramped up the 'attitood' and made the old guard appear...well, old.

“It's not like we woke up each day wringing our hands thinking 'Let's see how we can fuck these old cunts up today.' Says Michael. “We were doing our thing, we wanted to be different and if along the way we pissed some people off so be it. All the outrage and indignation left behind us barely registered, we were too busy with the future to notice.”

“It's also worth noting,” continues Michael, “that at the same time all the 'Can you believe this...' was going on in the old guard offices we were winning international awards for design and advertising. My point being we had strong content. We had the goods.”

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If there's one thing The Mad Hueys do that causes more outrage and indignation than anything else it's the shoey. If you don't know what a shoey is then sit down and allow me to unpack the contents for you: When someone unties the laces on their shoe, fills it with beer, and skolls the contents it's called a shoey. If the idea of drinking sweaty beer from a shoe sounds appalling then you may be surprised how popular it's become. Shoeys have caught on, particularly in the moto world where motorcycle racer Jack Miller and Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo have celebrated international wins by filling their footwear up with beer and necking the sweaty lot.

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“We are so stoked that people are as pumped to do shoeys as we are!” Says Sam McBride excitedly. “It has probably caught on because it is so ridiculous. There's obviously no need to drink out of your shoe but it's all just for a laugh.”

Unlike Gotcha, the Hueys aren't in line for any industry awards and only time will tell if a shoey qualifies as “strong content”. Yet just as in Gotcha's day, some people are outraged and indignant by the Huey's while others are thrilled with their attitude.

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The celebration of drinking culture may be cause for concern, or it may be cause for more celebration - it depends which camp you're in. As I struggled to figure out my own positioning on the matter I received a call from Bruce Raymond. For those unaware, Bruce ran Quiksilver for many years, but more importantly – at least for this topic - he appeared in the aforementioned Quiksilver ad. That's him to your right, leaning back on a Valiant, bare-chested with beer in hand. Kong and Chappy Jennings are behind him

According to Bruce the ad was a reaction against the perception Quiksilver had gone mainstream. “We'd shot the ad in our backyard and afterwards we were having a beer and the photographer took a shot of us. It wasn't a shot for the ad but my room mate saw it and said, "You can't have beer in a Quiksilver ad!” I was shocked that we may have become so mainstream so I thought not only will we use this photo now but we'll use this line: If you can't rock n' roll don't fucken come."

Although Phil Jarratt thinks the ad is an aberration of Quik's public image, Bruce says it had the intended affect. “We offended plenty of people but it's now claimed by all our generation with a sense of humour.”

In thirty years might we look back at The Mad Hueys with the same reverence? Might drinking out of a shoe become passe?

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If you're not thrilled by shoeys then perhaps it's hard comprehend their attraction to others. And similarly, it'd also be hard to see how a company that promotes shoeys could possibly flourish. But flourishing they are. When I ask Sam if the business is growing his response is blunt: “Fuck yeah! We aren't millionaires or anything like some people think, but the brand is growing really well.”

Their growth, however, is sporadic and regional. The Hueys sell well on the Gold Coast and Bali – where they've sponsored a QS event for the last three years – but is largely absent elsewhere. Keith Curtain is the publisher of Australian Surf Business and lives in the southwest coast of Victoria. “I don't see the brand anywhere,” says Keith, “and right now I feel like playing a Public Enemy track....you know the one.”

It's important, continues Keith “to separate hype from facts and numbers.” And the numbers, at least in the scope of the wider surf industry, are modest. According to ActionWatch, Keith's research company, the Hueys aren't even in the top 50 surf brands. Like every other surfer, Keith is aware of the Hueys online clips and says they've “identified a market segment and executed it brilliantly. I just hope they have someone on the ground who can sustain the company long term.”

For now though, the Hueys have few paid riders, a large social media following, and an enormous cachet of goodwill – angry online commenters notwithstanding. The challenge, as Keith Curtain states, is making that sustainable when the wheels of fashion begin to turn.

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When you're riding high on acclaim it's easy to ignore what the critics say. Like Michael Tomson before them the Hueys don't hear the white noise and nor do they care for it. “There’s always going to be people who don't like us or some of the things we do,” says Sam McBride who easily deflects the criticism. However, and this bit is important, it's not only the Huey's that don't give a stuff about 'acceptable behaviour' but the people who wear their clothes. “We think that people who are fans of the brand probably find our lack of filter refreshing,” says Sam by way of explanation. Much as the rise of the Hueys can be read as elites vs deplorables, so too can their aversion to political correctness. They care little for the status quo of the surf industry - the conservative and mature voices who criticise them from on high.

The Mad Hueys can afford to ignore those critics because they've found their audience, much as Quiksilver and Gotcha did too all those years ago. Yet when I dig a little deeper I find there's a curious dynamic developing in Huey-land. By their own admission, the Hueys have begun toning down their behaviour and it's got everything to do with age. “The brand has probably already started to mature to some extent,” says Sam. “We are all getting older and have families of our own so we are mindful that there's probably some stuff we did in the past that we wouldn't do anymore. We aren’t ashamed of ourselves but we'd also like to build a brand that we can be proud of.”

'Building a brand' is about as close to corporate talk as you'll get from the Hueys, the clothing company founded during a fishing comp. “We can't believe how far this whole thing has come,” says Sam sincerely, “and we are grateful for every minute of it.”

How much longer it goes on remains to be seen. The Mad Hueys made a name out of being loose. They outraged the uptight and won themselves a legion of supporters, but turning that into a sustainable business will be their real challenge. “At the end of the day,” says Michael Tomson, “publicity can't be confused with achievement and whether we're still talking about them a year from now will depend on how good they are not how loud they shout."

Read the full interview with Sam McBride

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Comments

amb's picture
amb's picture
amb Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 1:06pm

amazing there not in the top 50 i've seen plenty of kids wearing there stuff.

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 1:28pm

I don't have a problem with what they are doing however it just isn't funny. My son and his mates do similar things and I have a bit of a giggle at their antics but the Hueys look very wooden and carciatures of the type. Can surf though.

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 2:03pm

Good on them. Hope they do well.

Another surf brand that interests me is Salty Crew. I read that they are about the only surf apparel brand doing well in the States, in what has been a very poor year.
They go for the same blue-collar surfer/fisherman/waterman market but with more of a laconic, family values, old sea dog vibe. If Salty Crew is successful, it would be a bit ironic, as their most high profile surfer (and co-owner) is C. J. Hopgood who never got the big sponsorship dollars because he wasn't considered very marketable.

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 2:05pm

One trick ponies...they'll struggle with the "difficult second album"...time will tell...

oiley's picture
oiley's picture
oiley Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 2:15pm

they look like they're having fun.. thats gotta count for something

abc-od's picture
abc-od's picture
abc-od Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 2:19pm

Still wankers though.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 2:41pm

Good article and I have no real problem with them, good surfers, shocking taste in music, not particularly funny and agree with mem, all just seems a little contrived.

Prediction though- dead and buried within 5 years, if that.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 3:03pm

I kind of forced myself to read this article (i skimmed through the last half) only because i didn't really understand what the Mad Hueys are, okay they are now a brand.

I hate the name, and i cant remember what i saw of theirs (some video) but i just remember it was trash and it sucked arse big time and remember thinking great surfers but complete wankers.

chickenlips's picture
chickenlips's picture
chickenlips Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 3:54pm

Taj loves em keeps on winning their contests! Surf brands? Nothing wrong with a wife beater and your favourite beer cap although wetsuits do come in handy at times? Keep spending!

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 4:06pm

No-one ever went broke under-estimating public taste and I imagine they go over well with the 12-16 demographic so yes they have a viable business model. I wonder how they will feel a few years down the track when their own kids hit that age. " Dad? What were you doing to that chicken?"

carpetman's picture
carpetman's picture
carpetman Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 4:48pm

I'll sit on the "elitist" side of this one me thinks.

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 5:53pm

Don't you have to work to be working class?

inzider's picture
inzider's picture
inzider Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 6:02pm

serious deconstruction stu, good work , they look like the wannabe jackasses of the surf world.
Im not looking down my aged nose at them , but they are relatively tame antics with little entertainment value.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 7:32pm

Not sure whether that Top 50 surf brands metric is really relevant....

Like salty crew in the states, they've managed to cross over and tap into the fishing market....and that, is huge.

Open any fishing mag and you'll see Mad Hueys everywhere.

Good on 'em, as long as they keep the dickhead behaviour out of my face I'm stoked for them.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 7:33pm

I didn't even realise they sold stuff - thought it was just some dumb ass videos (with a bit of good surfing). Just checked out their website - a bunch of black t-shirts and singlets with anchors and the odd plastic fishing jacket. I must be missing something ?

Phil Jarratt's picture
Phil Jarratt's picture
Phil Jarratt Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 7:43pm

"Phil Jarratt is a wonderful bloke, for his age." Jeez, Stu, that's ageist! I'm gonna report you to the ah, whatchamacallit thingy. And for the record, Bruce Raymond and I agree to differ on the origin of "If ya can't etc etc", but it appeared on the invitation to the Tracks Rage, held at the Scullery in Avalon in May 1975. Blindboy, MC and a few others who frequent this space will possibly remember that party. Oh, and good piece, mate. Your always probe deeper than the average proctologist .

Mad_DB's picture
Mad_DB's picture
Mad_DB Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 8:04pm

I don't know why there is so much Hate? Just let us live. There should be more of this stuff, so I'm starting my own sick-arse brand to ensure that the kulcha really gets into the grain. The Mad Douches. Its a pretty original concept, I'm going to go out and drink a million tinnies in my tinny, strain them through my jock-strap, and chuck the cans in the ocean out the front of Tugun. This is gunna make a fully farkin sick-as artificial reef for me and my pals to get totally kegged on while catching spanish mackerel with lures tied to our cocks. Shooies are totally done. Its jockies now, they are the new black old dudes, get with 2017. The Mad-Douches Artificial Beer Can Reef. I'm about to crowd source it bitches.

redrocket's picture
redrocket's picture
redrocket Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 12:24pm

haha. awesome. When are the t-shirts coming out? I want one!

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 8:08pm

whats a jock strap?

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 8:21pm

1975? A party at Avalon? Well anything's possible. The fact that I don't remember it is no evidence. Maybe it was the night the backseat of my VW caught fire on Bilgola bends.

scrubba's picture
scrubba's picture
scrubba Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 5:06pm

bb there is a saying that "if you remember the 70's you weren't there!" On this basis the fact that you don't remember the party at Avalon strongly suggests you were there. My own recollection of the 70's is somewhat sketchy and fragmented.

happyasS's picture
happyasS's picture
happyasS Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 8:33pm

just because our modern world affords us the luxury to act like children doesn't mean we should.

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 8:56pm

Great comment happy

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 10:00pm

“We are all getting older and have families of our own so we are mindful that there's probably some stuff we did in the past that we wouldn't do anymore. We aren’t ashamed of ourselves but we'd also like to build a brand that we can be proud of.”

Better start a new one then.

lets-dance's picture
lets-dance's picture
lets-dance Friday, 25 Nov 2016 at 10:35pm

A working class surfer would be in the desert chasing empty perfection until he was down to his last dollar and wouldn't tell a soul so it was still the same when he returns from his next work stint.
A spoilt little spoon fed wanker would go there with his cameras and ego blazing exploit the shit out of it for his own personal five minutes of fame.
I'm not surprised there a hit in Bali the place is full of wankers just like them!

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Saturday, 26 Nov 2016 at 8:53am

Yep I'll vouch for that. It has become an island of wankers.

SamMcBride's picture
SamMcBride's picture
SamMcBride Saturday, 26 Nov 2016 at 4:25am

Freeride76 we'd probably respectfully dispute Keith's findings too. We have distribution Aus wide as well as the USA. this is great article but I think it under estimates the level of our involvement in the surf market. Not just in qld either

Salmonhole's picture
Salmonhole's picture
Salmonhole Saturday, 26 Nov 2016 at 4:02pm

At first I thought the Mad Hueys were going to be subversive and alternate (and based on the surfing term about Huey or Hughie the old school mythical Surfing God, which they aren't), however they are as mainstream and safe as the NRL Footy Show and Commercial TV, but the surfing is pretty impressive.

penmister's picture
penmister's picture
penmister Saturday, 26 Nov 2016 at 4:44pm

Didn't read not cause its hueys penmister hardly reads the what evers on swellnet..
But hueys will conquer cause im seeing there hueys on people's backs that dont fish or surf .gym junkies running the mad , fobs running the mad..
I just shop kmart does the same job....

Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie Saturday, 26 Nov 2016 at 4:56pm

Think the Hueys have filled a void in the surf industry perfectly sure I wouldn't behave the way they do but plenty of lads do and their menswear brand fits with what a lot of blokes enjoy and thats being outside having fun and finishing of the day with a few beers.

As for the brands growth you only have to watch ifish to see the exposure they are getting on the countries biggest fishing program.

They even got Captain Blackbeard on an episode.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Sunday, 27 Nov 2016 at 6:19pm

Today's urban legends need only re-polish a turd to squelch top of heap.

Internet farts out nuggets like... ("Shoeys tall story")
C'mon guys! Nursery rhymes of 100 years fable ye olde - boot'n a beer and sipping champagne from princess slippers.

(" Party animals!")-
The wildest of Skegz... ever brave enough to crash a Punk Bash complain the band's too loud.
In-turn Punks crashing a Bikie Brawl complain the drugs were too heavy.
Coming to that...
Bikers smashing up watch-house complain bed is to hard.

Oz TV Land... every night without fail... a dot before 6:00 and/or 7:00
Mad Hueys head the World News Feed.

Fellow Swellnetonians... allude to more of the lads mass media appeal.

Millions of dollars of Mad Huey ads air prime-time each week for free.
Way beyond level of elite.

Surfing and dumbass vidz alley oop'd mainstream, now front and centre vital news component.We must now endure daily updates of animals on surfboards during biggest wipe-out news headline .

Sorry Mr President but another set has just rolled in...Lets cross live to our rusted on skeg down at the point..."How good was the surf today?"
'Should have been here yesterday!'
"OK lads we'll check back during the next set to taste test Mad Hueys Xmas brew".

Sheer dumb-ass luck!
Pizza tracker era drones upon them.
Some idiot brain must've ordered it!
Mad Hueys shipload of shit has come in.

rebecca's picture
rebecca's picture
rebecca Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 1:14pm

Great article Stu! Good to step back and take a critical look, and across such a range of perspective as well!

But you already know by the fact I'm commenting what it is I'm going to say...

The larrikinism, the drinking from shoes, the swearing, and so on is fine. That's not the crappy stuff that for me. It's the back-to-the-80s sexualised images of women that I find so disturbing. That's the stuff that is really shitty and which, as they grow in visibility I find sad. This article, which is all about men's perspectives, is a symptom of how this label and, apparently the surf industry, is all about men too. I know, I know #notallmen and that this is a brand aimed at young men. But then, what is the point of that message. As I took the time before writing this to go and re-look at the imagery of this brand, all that came to mind was that we're in the midst of 10 days of international advocacy and activism about stopping violence against women - physical, sexual, psychological, emotional violence. Images like the ones they use to promote their brand, their lifestyle and their fuck-you attitude to surfers hungry for permission to think this way too, is crappy.

We know - quantifiably and qualitatively - that promoting such sexualised images of women is bad for how women continue to be treated. And these guys continue a great surfing tradition of treating women like shit.

I'm not their target market, so perhaps it doesn't matter. But I also don't treat women like shit or pounds of flesh I can potentially fuck, so perhaps it does matter that their brand does.

Their success based on being vulgar and bogan-y is fine. Their success based on reclaiming ground I honestly thought we'd started to recover is so disappointing.

Johannesfusk's picture
Johannesfusk's picture
Johannesfusk Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 9:21pm

Rebecca is spot on. The Huey's don't show much respect for females in their brand images/positioning (nor chickens for that matter). Considering that their demographic is young, impressionable knuckleheads, it's not something to be proud of, particularly if they're now family men with children, there's a fair chance a few of these would be girls. Could be a slight chance their wives are females as well!

From my experience, surfers in general are a tolerant group who will always have a fondness for irreverence. Even older surfers are arguably more tolerant than their non surfing colleagues. So for this brand to be pissing off so many surfers, they must be really hitting some off notes.

Being from the GC I've followed the growth of these guys from the early days with the bird cage/shark incident. Over this time, I reckon the image has shifted from being larrikins..to being tools!

I hope that they can keep the brand relevant by stopping the descent and rising from the low road while still maintaining their larrikin roots, respecting females a little more, focusing on the fact that their team are sensational surfers and don't let the fricken midget speak on video...it's like hearing fingernails scratched down a chalkboard!!

patty's picture
patty's picture
patty Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 3:52pm

" and don't let the fricken midget speak on video"

Midget makes Glenn Hall sound like James Earl Jones. Enuff already...

dastasha's picture
dastasha's picture
dastasha Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 4:58pm

OMG FFS the mad Hueys are true sick carnts orrigght?
When I started reading Tracks when I was five it was for Goodvibes, Dr Geoff and the swearing yeah?
Thats it too many retirees here I'm going to hang over at stabmag

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 5:02pm

Hey, we've come so far in terms of physical, sexual and psychological abuse of midgets. Gone are the days of dwarf tossing and midget bowling. Oompa Loompa's can even legally drive now (with a booster seat).

Let's not revert back to the bad old days. I hate that the Mad-Hueys exploit that poor 'vertically challenged' little human for cheap laughs and to sell a few t-shirts.

For shame.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 7:34pm

Does anyone remember Beer Fridge?

Before that, thank goodness we had Kidman/Frank/Sutho and all that Litmus stuff in the 90's. Surfing had a deep and philosophical background, deeper than the silliness at parties anyway.

southey's picture
southey's picture
southey Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 8:23pm

Yep VJ .

Although to be honest the beer fridge lads tended to travel pretty well .
And then you had the Pillar of Hope gigs .. Classic .

WA's version would have to be Catto .

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 8:32pm

Coming soon.....Spit the Winkle with Balter.

Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 8:49pm

Rebecca mentions the objectification of women as a shift back to the 80's I guess the major labels are a little more subtle then the Hueys in their sexualisation of females in the surf industry. My question for Rebecca is how do the Hueys change their marketing approach and use of women in promoting their Brand? Something like the Huets with a few female surfers and fisherwomen rather than blatant bikini and cleavage shots?

Im also interested to read Rebbeca's view on other brands within the surf industry such as Rip Curl with Alana Blanchard as well as the "My Bikini" brand campaign.

rebecca's picture
rebecca's picture
rebecca Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 9:05am

A shift back to the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s...

Good question, Wharfjunkie.

The major labels have been just as bad, and Alana Blanchard has made a lot of money from shaking her arse. But she's making (a lot of ) money. I guess? The women the Huey's use in their images aren't. I think it's shite that Rip Curl sells gear by selling women on the idea that high cut swimmers stay on better, but at least they're selling swimmers to women. The Huey's are selling their gear to men by using women in Playboy-esque poses, so that's weirder.

My feminism wants women to be able to do what they want, so go for it if you want to let those guys use your ass to sell their stuff! But my feminism is also about not making things harder for other women, so I struggle with the choices these women make about how they present themselves for men's sexual consumption. But I understand that the choices we make are made within the options at hand, so I lay blame for the continued shitty option for women at the feet of the surf industry and media. It's changing, it is and that is so great to see! But let's face it, despite the fact that she surfs really, really well, Alana can make a LOT more by shaking her arse than she can by training and competing as a pro surfer. What's with that? One option, you work hard for and take incredible dedication, and the other requires you to be born with good genes and willing to strip down yet that's the one with the monetary rewards. Depressing.

As far as marketing goes? Have women fishing and surfing with them, but they don't always have to have their tits out or with Brazilians cut swimmers up their arses. I love hanging about in my swimmers all day too, but sometimes I put a t-shirt on to protect me from the sun, or clothes when I'm not on the beach. I'm strange like that. The Hueys guys don't sell their sexuality for their brand, but the only images they use of women are so sexualised. So my marketing advice would be, stop objectifying women in their heads and they might stop doing it for their brand.

But I know they're not going to do that.

Also, Huet? Barf!

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 6:15pm

The Huet bit was tongue in cheek but you got the idea.

Totally see your point re the image of women and surf companies. No doubt the models the Hueys use would be willing to wear their gear in suggestive poses for their marketing much like any other sponsored female surfer. Don't know what the answer is for feminists when it comes to the objectification of women by brands the Hueys are hardly doing anything new though.

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Vic Local Monday, 28 Nov 2016 at 9:25pm

TMH mentioned in the same sentence as Rip Curl, Quiksilver, and Billabong is a joke. Has anyone actually noticed that TMHs don't actually make any surf equipment. It's not like you need any of their crap in the line up.
TMH is basically a bunch of people using surfing to sell T Shirts and other crap to wannabes and fatties who don't surf. Have you seen the plonkers getting around in their "surf" clothing. They've got as much cred as the lard arses wearing The North Face hoodies in Cranbourne. As soon as the muppets find the next it brand, the mad hueys are gone. It's not like they can draw a revenue from non-existent technical surf gear.i

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:07am

VicLocal what surf equipment do the Big Three actually sell that separates them from TMH and other small labels? Wetsuits are probably the only necessity and they don't have a monopoly or offer the best value for quality either.

What separates the big three from smaller brands is capital and a name nothing more nothing less. They are really just clothing labels not unlike TMH who have found their niche can you purchase TMH off the shelves in Cranbourne?

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penmister Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 2:04am

Looks like the females are loving getting the gear off for a mad shirt and a photo of there ass in a G banger pretending to fish...
Cant stop em..poor females. .

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dastasha Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 6:50am

If I was the Hueys I'd be on to Hurley about stealing their big H

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Dingdoctor Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:00am

How many of the empty beer bottles that these fucktards consumed on their jet skis in remote pristine locations recently ended up on the sea floor??

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:14am

Looks like a few mates having some fun.

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Vic Local Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 9:47am

Stuff I need for surfing: surfboard, wetsuit 4/3, wetsuit 3/2, wetsuit hood, booties (warm and reef), wax, old pair of boardies, quality rash vest with high SPF, board bag for Indo trips, leg rope, helmet (seen enough rapid evacs out of Indo and don't want to become one) and fins.
Surf stuff I can by from the Mad Hueys: None of the above.
IT'S NOT A SURF COMPANY.
The Mad Hueys do provide a vital public service though. Anyone I see wearing one of their $45 T shirts can instantly be written off as a talentless wanker who thinks they are cool by turning themselves into a walking billboard for wankers who slap a 1000% mark up on sweat shop made crap.

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OHV500 Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 10:44am

here here !!

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 6:21pm

VicLocal initially you mentioned Ripcurl,Billabong and Quik now it's all the accessories that these clothing companies occasionally sell but aren't the best products on the market.

The Hueys are an outdoor clothing company who makes items in the same or similar sweatshops that a lot of your accessories would come from. Weren't Rip Curl under fire for selling sweatshop made apparel?

I try not to judge people by the clothing they wear but by the type of people they are so if people like the Hueys brand and choose to purchase a T-Shirt good luck to them.

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Vic Local Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 7:08pm

"Outdoor clothing company"? Are you joking?
There's nothing even remotely "outdoorsy" about cotton t shirts and hoodies. In fact you'd be hard pressed to find clothing less useful to deal with the elements commonly exposed to when participating in outdoor activities. Their clothing doesn't protect from wind, cold, or heat. It's not water resistant, waterproof, or quick drying. Only an imbecile would wear it while doing actual outdoor activities.
The MH label writ large across someone's chest indicates the wearer is some brainless trend follower who dresses (not for functionality) but to be a member of the flock. And the wearer is happy to fork over $45 for a shirt that would cost $5 (without the label) at Kmart. Paying a $40 premium to be "cool" is just so lame.

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 7:23pm

Thats what they are marketed for people who enjoy fishing and surfing being outdoors granted you wouldn't wear them in the snow but they are no different to the quality or price tag that you are well aware of that any of the other so called surf brands sell. So what constitutes an outdoor activity? Walking, Jogging, Gardening, Surfing maybe Tennis or Golf even a spot of fishing didn't realise you need a special T-Shirt for those.

Being a Viclocal how many people do you see wearing them? I see them getting around and the wearers are by no means brainless and nor are they trend followers. I prefer my garments Australian made so I refuse to purchase a $5 kmart shirt but if some one gifted me a MH tee I would not refuse to wear them.

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Vic Local Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:13pm

TMHs clothes are marketed to, but provide no actual benefit for surfers and fishers. Like I said THEY ARE NOT A SURF BRAND. They just use surfing to market their non-surf products to idiots. the reason why I get the shits with them is they portray all surfers as boorish morons. The are crass and tasteless. Who the fuck buys beer from a t shirt company? $55 for a case of mid strength domestic swill. Like I said brainless.
About the only time I see the brand is when it's being worn by bogans drinking in Bali. Although I did see a fat schoolie wearing a MH t shirt in Lorne the other day. Surf brand? Outdoor brand? spare me people.

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:25pm

The hate is hilarious but to say they portray all surfers as boorish morons is drawing a long bow. They are no more or less of a surf brand than Rip Curl, Bong or Quik.

VicLocal I think you got your blinkers on in Vic or don't actually surf that much because I see a lot of people wearing them and they tend to be quietly going about their business without drawing much attention to themselves.

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Vic Local Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:36pm

Except of course, quik, rip a bong make surfboards, wetsuits, board bags etc, where as TMH sell t shirts and beer.
I do actually surf a fair bit and their brand penetration in Vic is negligible. I did see a young twat wearing a MHs T shirt in the line up in Keramas once. Said Twat paddled straight to the inside position, and when I asked him "are you lost?" he didn't get the message. Typical Snapper Rocks Mad Huey behaviour. Fuck it was nice burning him.

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:50pm

Come on VicLocal shapers make boards they put logos on them, Wetsuits theres better products than theirs same as board bags they make their money out of clothes they are a fashion brand. They are no different than TMH.

You must not be paying attention or a lot isn't really that much because I see TMH clothes being worn regularly never had an issue with those wearing the clothes. Maybe he paddled around you because you were way out on the shoulder.

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Vic Local Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 9:06pm

Yes the major companies make a shit load of fashion but at least they still make actual surf and ski equipment. Quiksilver would have gone under if they didn't have the cash flow from their traditional surf products. TMHs are no better than Hollister. Just a fashion brand with a back story pretending to be a surf company.
As for Keramas, it's not like ten of us were all taking turns on the shoulder. The MHs t shirt kid had the exact same attitude as the fuckwits who run MHs. Selfish as all fuck. Probably owns a jet ski and tows in through crowds when it was 4-5 foot with a go-pro running.

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 9:19pm

It's a shame they didn't go under. The MH's kid you speak of if behaving like that deserved a clip but as you should know that attitude is now not immune to Qld its not a MH thing its happening in a lot of places now not acceptable but still happens.

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freeride76 Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:08pm

They are in BCF, so that alone is major distribution.

As for the sexism, to be honest, although I kinda guessed they weren't the most progressive brand out there, I hadn't really noticed any scantily clad women in the vids.

Sure enough went to the website and it's pretty rank, but in a way I find it less offensive than the Roxy soft porn marketing.

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Wharfjunkie Tuesday, 29 Nov 2016 at 8:27pm

A lot of fishing enthusiasts are wearing their range free.

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SamMcBride Thursday, 1 Dec 2016 at 2:55pm

Actually Vic Local we do make waterproof jackets for fishing, and we are currently developing a full line of technical fishing apparel in conjunction with our fishing team. We also make board shorts with the same stretch technology as all of the bigger brands.

You seem to be one of the crew who are never really going to like us or what we are doing though so I guess it's wasted time trying to tell you that we are more than just Tees and hats.

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Wharfjunkie Sunday, 4 Dec 2016 at 6:28am

Sam had a look at your fishing team no Blackbeard? Brrrrr

OHV500's picture
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OHV500 Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:40am

Sam - sorry but same old sh_t, different bucket.

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truebluebasher Sunday, 4 Dec 2016 at 1:19am

On another wave length in parallel universe Vic Local.

Stuff I need for surfing... [0]
Stuff I need from surf industry... [-0]
Surf ! Just surf !

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upnorth Sunday, 4 Dec 2016 at 8:01am

Not sure tmh can claim the shoey, that shits been a staple of the rugby club team bus for who knows how long, was probably 14 the first time some old fuck tipped a boot full down my neck. These knob heads just seem a bit long in the tooth for it, the Quick ad shows lads in their prime tmh aren't in that category by a long shot.

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stunet Monday, 12 Dec 2016 at 4:04pm

Dr Karl does a shoey!

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thermalben Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 8:46am

"Shoey" narrowly missed out on being named the "2016 Word of the Year" by the Australian National Dictionary Centre. 

It was pipped at the post by Democracy Sausage (a worthy winner IMO; I'm a big fan of alliteration).

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-14/democracy-sausage-snags-word-of-th...

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:18am

How is that alliteration?

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kaiser Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:19am

Oh wait is it the 'sausage snags' bit?

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:24am

It's the 'o' in Democracy and Sausage.

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:27am

I don't think that's alliteration mate. Ironic that we're debating grammar in a mad hueys thread. BTW tmh used to have an apostrophe in 'huey's'.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:34am

Is it not? I thought alliteration was the repetition of a letter or a sound in consecutive words (or words within a phrase). 

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:39am

It should be the beginning of each word, not really a rhyming sound embedded in the words

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:42am

... Now for homework I want a 500 word essay on the merits of a prolonged trade swell on the east coast

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:46am

Righto, I stand corrected.

Is there a term for this though? They're technically not rhyming words.

Trade swell essay will be online later this afternoon, though I may have to tweak the subject matter.

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 10:59am

Assonance. Full disclosure I can't lay claim to knowing it off hand... I googled it

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lostdoggy Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 11:11am

Ok, I will call my next election snag a demo doodle.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 11:11am

Awesome! You've made my day.

Now off to find a few apostrophe crimes.

Gary G's picture
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Gary G Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 1:31pm

Here's a good place to start: www.coastalwatch.com

kaiser's picture
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kaiser Wednesday, 14 Dec 2016 at 11:27am

Don't forget the elbow patches.

Start with its/it's and your/you're. That'll keep you busy