Radical Alice aims to turn establishment on head with skateboards

By IRENE CHAPPLE

Communications agency Radical Alice has expanded its brand and advertising empire to include stamping its name on skateboards.

The new line of business reflects the company's anarchic streak, says partner Jerry Beale.

The skateboards, which are manufactured by Hong Kong-based business partner Wooamart, are sold with the Radical Alice brand in Ireland, United States, Canada and Germany.

They are pro-grade but the range includes "cut-offs", boards made shorter so kids can sneak them into schools by squeezing them into lockers and schoolbags.

Beale thinks that's pretty cool. "Schools have tried to ban skateboards ... I don't think so!"

The idea came to the agency through a contact in Wooamart who liked the Radical Alice brand.

Beale says Wooamart was attracted to the agency's brand because it was "trying to turn the establishment on its head ... they saw a strong parallel between the Radical Alice brand and kids who buy skateboards".

Wooamart manufactures and wholesales the brand while Radical Alice maintains control over packaging and marketing.

Beale says an initial run of at least 50,000 skateboards, which sell for US$100 ($144), made the business viable but profit for Radical Alice was "pocket money".

The idea was to better understand clients' processes in brand building. Beale says Radical Alice is also looking at other products.

The agency, which was established a year ago, has grown from two people to six and has clients such as L'Oréal Professionnel, Hirepool, Firth, EMI & Virgin Music and Sharon Hunter's sportswear brand, Game Dame.