Tony Hawk is regarded as a trailblazer in the world of skateboarding, taking the sport from the streets of California onto screens across the world. Although he isn’t solely responsible for this legendary feat, he certainly played a significant role.
It wasn’t just Hawk’s talent in the skatepark that transformed the sport, but also his ability to commercially push the boundaries of what people thought was possible. At the SBC Summit in Lisbon, Hawk told presenter Laura Woods all about what keeps the wheels turning on a global brand.
Taking a moment to address the audience, Woods posed a question. She said: “Am I right in saying that even if you know nothing about skateboarding, if someone asked you to name one thing you would say Tony Hawk”.
Signified by the positive reaction from those in attendance at the SBC’s Super Stage, Hawk was reminded just how big of a brand he has created. Notably, Hawk mentioned this when he was asked ‘w: “When was the exact moment you realised you were famous?’”
The Californian responded: “When people started to say my name, but not in connection with me as a person, but as a brand”. Interestingly, Hawk emphasised that he never aspired to have fame or fortune – a rhetoric he faced from his peers during his career.
Tony Hawk – the brand
Hawk first picked up a skateboard because of his older brother and it wasn’t until a couple of years later that he began practising tricks at skateparks, like the ones he would go onto win competitions at.
One of his first visits was a pivotal moment, as he remembered seeing older kids go up and down the ramps and saying, “I want to fly, how do I do that?”. It was this sense of adventure that got Hawk to where he is today, but this came at a price.
Shortly after Hawk tried to replicate what he saw more experienced skaters performing, he found himself on the floor with a few teeth missing. However, this is another testament to his character because it only drove him to improve.
For Hawk, his passion and love for skateboarding allowed him to reach the levels of influence he has today. One of his first ventures was creating skateboarding-themed clothes for children, not to make money but to clothe his siblings’ children. This then progressed into shoes, events and most notably video games.
Most of these projects will be considered a success by marketing and commercial teams. However, for Hawk, these efforts are important to boost the reach of skateboarding. This difference was highlighted when he spoke about his relationship with past partners.
“Authenticity is key, the fact that they believe in what you are doing is a priority,” he added as looked back at his success with companies and marketing teams.
It is easy to look around and see brand deals that lack authenticity in this day and age, but Hawk emphasised that this is what truly matters and warned that people will try to paint you in a way that is best for them.
“I learned that just because someone has a degree in marketing doesn’t mean they know how to represent sports”, he said, adding that it took the success of his first video game for people to listen to him.
Not finished yet
Skateboarding continues to rise to new heights, debuting at the Olympics in 2020. Hawk stated that he has enjoyed watching the events and is glad that female skaters are now being encouraged and rewarded for their talents.
Although Hawk is in his 50s, he hasn’t retired to the couch just yet. He told the audience that he was skating just yesterday. Looking forward, Hawk left the stage with a message for the audience and aspiring athletes.
“Learn everything about your business or your craft, if someone can’t do the job you already have that skill set, wear all the hats. In sports, there’s no guidebook for success, lean into anything that works,” he concluded.
