Times are a changing for sure. I've predicted for awhile that cultural & sports trends would lead to an increase in foreign athletes leading global marketing campaigns. Rodrigo Petersen is the most recent testament to it. Here's an interview ESPN Skateboarding did with him. Interesting to see him find a spot the BLVD team...

It has never been easy for foreign skaters to make it big in America. Language and marketability have always been a factor in U.S. kids gravitating towards riders from other countries. Recently there has been a shift towards international pros actually staying put and having pro models on brands based in their countries like Blueprint, Cliché, Jart, etc. But Rodrigo Petersen has always had loftier goals than being big only in Brazil.

Awhile back I noted the retro-acculturation concept through the skater Chico Brenes, then noticed the introduction of the BLVD brand's new style, led by Rob Gonzalez and Danny Montoya...

See it was only a matter of time before a group of U.S. Latinos would take what they've gained from living north of the border and share it with Latin America. Does it get more cross-cultural than this? Chico Brenes, Central Skate y sus amigos, being leaders down there.

I've got a feeling these guys are going to have a lot of success in the years to come...

Pro skaters Danny Montoya and Rob Gonzalez, in collaboration with Syndrome Distribution, launched the new brand BLVD Skateboards earlier this month. BLVD, a skate lifestyle collection of decks, apparel and accessories, was founded after Montoya and Gonzalez left Listen, the brand they co-founded and oversaw since 2005.

This could be one of those brands where its athletes own authenticity, creativity, and reflection of the urban youth market allow it do well at a retail level.

Here is what Syndrome Distribution VP of Marketing Mark Wiehl had to say...

What feedback have you received about BLVD from retailers so far?
We’ve had a good response overall from our retail shops and distributors. Danny Montoya and Rob Gonzalez are not only established pro skaters, they are good guys and people are happy to support things they are involved in. Since they ran Listen for over five years they have developed direct relationships with a lot of retailers. That combined with Syndrome’s long term relationships has created a positive response.

Which retailers will carry the brand?
All of them… hopefully. Syndrome has been in business for over 20 years and has built a strong network of retail shops and distributors. They have always been very supportive of our brands and are supporting BLVD.

How long has BLVD been in the works? How did the idea for the new brand come about?
Originally we planned on bringing Listen Skateboards in to our family of brands. We came to an agreement with Danny and Rob around January of this year. Danny and Rob were part owners of Listen, but there were other people involved on their end. Those people weren’t willing to let their interest in Listen go. After months of trying to work something out, we came to the realization that in order to move forward with Danny and Rob we would have to start a new brand. Danny and Rob put their hearts in to Listen so it was a hard thing for them to do, but at the same time they were intrigued by the idea of starting something new. We all got together and discussed ideas, and BLVD was born.

What is Syndrome’s strategy, as far as marketing goes, behind launching a new brand in the current economic environment?
BLVD is starting with a good foundation of core skaters. Our plan is to grow slowly with a quality team, backed by quality products. Everyone involved will be working hard and wearing a lot of hats to keep the overhead low which gives us more growth opportunity. Hard goods brands don’t have the luxury of doing massive advertising in these economic times. We will be very selective with our print advertising while maintaining a strong web presence with high quality video and team content. From a team aspect, Danny and Rob understand what it takes to build a brand. They will be visiting shops, participating in demos, filming and shooting photos and giving the brand exposure on a street level. Danny and Rob have a larger role in BLVD than just team riders.

How much of a say will Rob and Danny have in the creative process?
All of Syndrome’s brands are heavily influenced by their team riders and BLVD will be no different. Nobody has the sole creative responsibility. Everything will be a collaborative effort, although Rob and Danny will have a strong influence on the design of BLVD. They are the backbone of BLVD so their creative input will be key in guiding the direction of the brand.

You mentioned that the creative inspiration behind BLVD products will carry over from Listen. How will the new brand differ from Listen?
In a way, BLVD is an extension of Listen. The nature of Listen and it’s overall feel will carry over into BLVD. While Listen had a heavy music influence, BLVD will focus on the essence of street skating and where it’s strongest— in cities, towns, and neighborhoods. We all grew up skating our own boulevards with our friends, and that’s what BLVD Skateboards is all about. None of us are expecting to get rich or have aspirations of selling the brand to some large surf or snowboard company for a bunch of money. We all have a passion for skateboarding and BLVD is the kind of brand that we all want to be a part of.