Seeing as Gorilla’s all about doing things differently and making sure you don’t get stuck doing cookie cutter creative, I think it’s worth mentioning a project some friends of ours have launched. It’s called The Bomb Surf, and it’s a magazine. Sort of…
The Bomb Surf is a project started up by two former employees of Atoll Media, who were directly involved in both Zigzag and blunt magazines. They have a deep and abiding passion for the surf culture (a standard requisite for all Zigzag staffers) and when Atoll went through it’s “restructuring“, they opted to set out on their own, armed with said passion, publishing insight and a couple of mortgages.
The Bomb Surf is not a magazine in the traditional sense. It’s an oversize limited edition publication released four times a year, to a group of subscribers who get it for free. It’s the new kid on the block and has a lot to prove considering it’s competitors are older, have bigger staff (in count, not in size. the Zag online ed is a midget) and more resources at hand, but it’s an example of what can be done when instead of trying to do what you’ve always done, you look at the situation and adapt.
They’ve only been around for one issue and have had their share of praise and criticisms, mostly valid. But what is great is that it has shaken the status quo up, and any time that’s upset it bodes well for everyone. Word on the street is that the Zag is doing better than ever, which proves my point. They have had to evolve to adjust to the new environment, and that sends ripples out through the collective media pond, creating other changes.
So in the end everybody wins: Readers, Advertisers and Publishers alike.
Anyway, The Bomb Surf has about 50 subscriptions available for their next issue. Go to the site and sign up, and if you’re too late, you’ll definitely be in time for their third issue. Go subscribe to TBS and Zag and support local media.
In the meantime, if you want to see some of the craziest live surfing you ever will in Durban, the Quiksilver Goodwave may run this weekend. Four to six foot bombs at New Pier. I think I’ll stay on land for that.