Cori Schumacher

State of Flux

Tell Roxy That Female Surfers Deserve Better

Dear Roxy,

Roxy is the world’s most visible and well known women’s surf brand. Recently, Roxy released a trailer for the 2013 Roxy Biarritz Pro contest that showcases a style of marketing women’s surfing that is not conducive to a healthy, empowered vision of women. Instead of women surfers being presented as an alternative to the sexualization and objectification of women in the culture-at-large, this campaign succumbs to the lazy marketing that is already so prevalent.

As the most visible and well known women’s surf brand, Roxy has a unique opportunity to truly make a difference in how women and girls are represented in the world.

We ask that you stop the sexualization of women in your marketing and advertising and instead, help to present women surfers in a light that women can be proud to be associated with and young girls can truly admire.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Sign the petition asking Roxy to end this new campaign and to represent female surfers to the world in a way that we can all be proud of.

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14 responses to “Tell Roxy That Female Surfers Deserve Better”

  1. sylvia dochterman Avatar
    sylvia dochterman

    Shame on Roxy. Female surfers deserve much, much better, as you say. Didn’t we fight this fight years ago? Roxy is in the Stone Ages. Shame on Roxy.

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  2. Lorraine Avatar
    Lorraine

    The video is terrible. How could you advertise such corporate rubbish? A topless female surfer? You can do much better. It be a waste to put a good brand like Roxy down the drain with such BS. Focus more on the art of surfing please.

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  3. Jo Bangles Avatar
    Jo Bangles

    Hear hear Cori! I’m an Aussie lady surfer who has long battled the portrayal of female surfers in advertising and the media and I’m absolutely horrified by this video. I would list the reasons why but you’ve pretty much nailed it – GOOD ON YOU!! I have shared your petition with my surf sisters and I really hope you get a massive response. It’s 2013 for crying out loud – C’MON LADIES DON’T STAND FOR THIS BULLSH*T!!!
    If I can do anything here in Torquay (where Quiksilver has it’s Aussie head office) then please let me know.
    All the best,
    jo bangles

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  4. Nicky B Avatar
    Nicky B

    There are so many things wrong with this ad I don’t know where to start. LEARN TO RESPECT WOMEN! (Clue – you can start by showing their face, not just a collection of body part)

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  5. Laura Bentley Avatar
    Laura Bentley

    That marketing campaign is shockingly reductive. They are presenting this woman as a faceless body- whos most important skills seem to be getting dressed, undressed, dressed, undressed over and over again. Really!? If the campaign’s aim is to rouse intrigue into who this woman is, I’m not really that interested in the big reveal!

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  6. jasper sanders Avatar
    jasper sanders

    for all you women out there, I would suggest that you stop buying any beauty products, perfumes or anything else that uses the glamour of being a women to market their products, in fact you should never go to automobile trade show to see, that in front of every new car there is a bimbo! Don’t listen to Rap and hip hop either. In fact you’d all be better off moving to another planet.
    There is more skin and even boobs on soap commercials on public TV in france than there is in that clip.
    For your information Stephie Gilmore was happy to do the clip. She knew exactly want she was doing. She is the sexiest and most glamourous surfer to ever tear the bag out of it! And your all upset about it.
    Now go and wax your legs, polish your nails, straighten your hair, spray on that perfume, roll on that deodorant, and don’t forget to look at your ass in the mirror before you step out of the door

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  7. Deanna Lankin Avatar
    Deanna Lankin

    I’m not sure what the thought process was during the conceptualizing of this ad…but Roxy certainly didn’t have the good of it’s female audience in mind. For a company mostly targeting young, developing women, this ad is a shocking embarrassment. I’m a 30 year old, female surfer with a young daughter and I hope that one day she doesn’t have to grow up in a world where women are still exploited in this manner…especially withing the marketing of companies that are supposed to nurture and support girls. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

    I no longer feel proud to dress my daughter up in her Roxy rash guard when it’s time for us to go out and enjoy the ocean.

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  8. Micaiah Hardison Avatar
    Micaiah Hardison

    I’m not impressed. That isn’t even sexy, that is just superficial frivolous glam. Sad.

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  9. Anthea Paul Avatar
    Anthea Paul

    Thanks Cori for the petition – it’s very needed as a reminder to the marketers. Also just fyi, one of our contributors, Jennifer Nash has just written a very cool article about the ad called ‘I’d Rather Be a Surfer… than a Sex Toy’, which is currently on our homepage. Be great if you would share it, Jennifer has summed it all up perfectly!

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  10. Isabella Avatar
    Isabella

    I don’t see what the fuss is about… This promo video is meant to be a faceless girl because they’re trying to make people guess who is the latest surfer for Roxy. They have made a Part 2 video which reveals the surfer. Yes they could have gone about it differently but they also had Stephanie Gilmore’s consent, it was her choice to do this so why is everyone sticking up for women’s rights when she chose to be a part of the promo?!

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    1. Anthea Paul Avatar
      Anthea Paul

      @Isabella. I understand your point, but there is always the (very distinct) possibility that it was never presented to Stephanie Gilmore the way the edited version turned out. You know, the concept may have been ‘It will be a super cool video with only your back / feet etc etc, so it’s a guessing game for the viewer etc etc’. Not the actual “It will really be a slow-mo, sexed up verging on soft porn POS video that will get the guys hot and girls envious so they buy more Roxy stuff’. It’s also entirely possible that even Stephanie Gilmore may not have completely understood how she was to be or is being portrayed in this video. Many girls and women still seem clueless or at the least to not ‘get’ what exploitation and sexist representation is. The whole point is about context which is critical. And context relies on a director and an editor making clear choices. In this case, it seems that many people are dismayed that Stephanie, who is a role model as a professional athlete, has just allowed herself (whether by accident or design) to be ‘dummed down’ to a generation of much younger fans who may not see the grey areas as more seasoned / older media interpreters do. THAT is the problem and why there is a fuss.

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  11. Aussie Female Surfer Avatar
    Aussie Female Surfer

    Sorry but I don’t agree at all. Stephanie looks young, healthy and full of vitality and that is something every woman should admire. With all due respect I think this has been blown way out of proportion. I’m sure she was in no way pressured to do the ad and she is a strong, motivated young person who makes her own decisions and her own money. I say congrats Stephanie. You look awesome, I love the way the commercial was shot and if I looked that good I’d be doing exactly the same.

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  12. Harry Dixon-balls Avatar
    Harry Dixon-balls

    Get a life, spend your time petitioning a more important issue in life. Surfing is a art.

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    1. Cori Avatar
      Cori

      I agree, surfing is an art and to that point, I agree very much with what Adrienne Rich said: “I don’t think we can separate art from overall human dignity and hope.”

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