The Volcom stone is the logo of the Volcom clothing brand. Created using a $5000 loan in 1991 by two snowboarders Richard Woolcott and Tucker Hall the first years sales amounted to a paltry $2600. From these humble beginnings and despite retaining the rebellious slogan "Youth against the establishment" Volcom is now a global brand worth over $450,000,000.
Volcom has successfully managed to walk the fine line between corporate success and credibility within the notoriously fickle world of action sports market. Whilst other brands have suffered from over exposure or have been perceived to sell out in an attempt to grow, Volcom has carefully avoided its products making their way into the discount retailers.
Volcom backs up its premium status with premium product quality. Volcom's choice of materials and manufacture remain excellent and prove more than able to cope with the lifestyles of the most hardcore action sports athlete.
Today it heavily utilises art and colour to create a range that sets it apart from the surrounding run of the mill collections. In 1995 they introduced the featured artist collection to create unique designs that would come to characterise the brand. These days artists such as Todd Bratrud contribute designs for everything from caps and beanies to sock puppets and have helped create a Volcom look that is instantly recognisable.
Volcoms marketing is spearheaded by pro teams covering the core actions sports namely surf, snow, skate and motocross. Famous team riders include Bruce Irons, Ozzie Wright, Rune Glifberg and Mark Appleyard.
As with many actions sports fashion brands Volcom has over time grown beyond simply clothing. Volcom Entertainment, a subsidiary of Volcom has acquired a roster of bands including Pepper, Valient Thorr, Riverboat Gamblers and Year Long Disaster. They hosted the "Volcom Stage" on the Vans Warped Tour and in now have their own international tour simply named "The Volcom Tour". Maintaining the Volcom tradition for doing things slightly differently the Volcom Entertainment Vinyl Club or VEVC delivers subscribers collectible vinyl singles all over the world bi-monthly.
Volcom's media presence is heavily infused with the artistic iNFLuences that differentiate the Volcom brand. Currently Volcom's marketing is characterised by creative use of black and white collage in combination with digital photography. Sci fi iNFLuenced largely black and white comic book imagery mix with action sports shots, to create a humorous, hand made and truly distinct Volcom style.
Volcom's story is truly inspirational. Started on a shoestring to finance time on the slopes for a couple of snowboarders Volcom is now a truly global corporation with a turnover in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Despite this Volcom has succeeded where many other brands fail and retained the small time, niche feel that so appeals to its target demographic.
So to Volcom's distinctive logo the Volcom stone. A good choice? Well for Richard Woolcott an Tucker Hall there's little doubt that the Volcom stone certainly is a diamond.
Volcom beanies and caps at the web's number one head wear retailer BeanieHut
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