Billabong Stratedgy Interi

Billabong: Defining the Industry Landscape

The Swell

In the early 1970s, three major surf-wear companies emerged from Down Under. Embodying the laid-back, surfer lifestyle that the Australian coastlines are known for, Billabong, along with Quicksilver and Rip Curl, grew to become the principal global producers of surf-style clothing. The companies were mostly started by surfers for surfers, but the "outlaw mystique" soon gathered cultural currency and the major surf brands became big business. Through the 1990s the surf industry grew exponentially and professional surfing gained a newfound respectability. These three companies would soon grow across international levels and were known in the industry as "the big three".

Significant turning points of Billabong's history/Billabong through the years

1. From 1973 to 1999 the brand focused on amazing board shorts and subsequent surfwear brand extensions using the Billabong brand. The year 2000, saw the company listed on the ASX and suddenly embarking on a wanton spree of big name acquisitions starting with Von Zipper and including Element, Nixon and a host of other related brands.

2. When the brand was born, Billabong was very clearly a manufacturer that sold surfwear through wholesalers. Along with the decision