Playboy Burton boards brew up a mini storm
A few papers in the US have picked up on a bit of a local hoohaa about Burton’s Love snowboard series. These are men’s snowboards from the Coalition line featuring vintage Playboy photos.
Parents of some young snowboarders are objecting to the sale of the boards in shops they frequent with their children. Burton say the boards will only be sold to those aged 18 and over and will be wrapped.
This article in the Burlington Free Press also points out that Rome haven’t had any flack over their new Artifact snowboard which features strip-joint style writing saying ‘Live Nude Girls’ on the base (click here for the Artifact product page on the Rome website).
I’m quite sure Burton aren’t in the slight bit concerned – the old ‘any publicity is good publicity’ chestnut and all that.
What do you think? Are you offended? Do you really care? Do you think snowboard stores should introduce a ‘top shelf’ for boards like this?
Or would you feel we’d be even if we could have a set of snowboards featuring Daniel Craig, Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt in their pants?
October 4, 2008 - 07:45
When I used to work at a skate shop, we had a deck with "The Shocker" on it.. a kid came in with his mom and said "I want the one with the hand on it!" None of us had the heart to explain to the mom (or the kid) exactly what "the hand" was about.. at least these are explicit enough for parents to know!
I don't have a problem with it - it's not like any of the naughty parts are actually showing anyway! These are no worse than banner ads I've seen on NON-adult websites, and probably are more tame than the movies most parents (and probably the same parents) let their kids watch.
October 4, 2008 - 09:21
This is on the home page of CNN.com under the title "Naked-girl snowboards get Icy Reaction"
Burton knew exactly the reaction and media coverage they'd get when they did this. Remember when Sims did the Fader series?
October 4, 2008 - 09:33
i think that all the media is just stupid. Like the guy said, they are only naked bodies.
October 5, 2008 - 05:25
I don't understand what is so indignating about these boards. And is there really something to "explain" to kids, as one of the moms said in the video report? Plus you don't really see as much flesh as most of the reactions suppose. for instance, pin-up girls pictures are accepted as art and are seen in many ads.
October 5, 2008 - 19:46
I don't remember hearing a big hoopla about the Lib Tech Phoenix.. which are a lot more risque..
Last year's:
This year's:
February 3, 2009 - 17:56
Yeah they are only naked bodies i dont see anything to special with it, their not female escorts it's not like two people having sex on the board so nothing to special.