Jeff Kelley on Sanuk’s Cult-Like Following

Take a listen to this interview with Jeff Kelley, the founder and head of Sanuk.  You know Sanuk as the fun and funky sandal brand made of unique materials like wire mesh and yoga mats.  You may also have seen Sanuk’s tongue-in-cheek print ads including cartoons and sponsored athletes including Donovan Frankenreiter and Matt Meola.

What you may not know is how Jeff and his team built such a cult-like following among surfers, climbers, and active people around the world, so I asked him to talk about the company’s strategies.  In this interview, Jeff explains:

• how he’s maintained the culture of Sanuk since it was acquired by Deckers Corporation a few years ago
• where he gets his inspiration — including hotel room curtains!
• how they designed Sanuk’s first-ever company-owned store to reflect the unique brand voice
• why Sanuk chooses certain athletes to sponsor

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

other interviews:

• Randy Garutti on the Secrets of Shake Shack’s Success
• Design Researcher Steve Portigal on Interviewing Users
• Vickie Achee on the Grand Retail Experiment at Patagonia

flagship store, cult-like following, Deckers Corporation, Donovan Frankenreiter, Jeff Kelley, Matt Meola, Sanuk, surf brand