What’s the 411 on 118 118?
Old people skateboarding certainly has been done before. (See Granny Skates for CarMax) This is a pretty good commercial from the UK, although I was disappointed that the old guy was a stunt man. For some reason I thought he was actually going to get on a board. Maybe the happy music made think it was going to be one of those touchy-feely “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” public service type of commercials. Instead it’s an ad for something called 118 118 which, near as I can tell has something to do with a phone directory or phone service. The park is Something called BaySixty6, which is apparently sponsored by XBox, whatever that means. I guess Playstation has a park too, why not. What do these sponsorships mean? Are they permanent? We know who sponsors the park, but what about the stunt rider? Whoever he is, he rides for Vans and Quicksilver. Check out the old school varial in the action sequence. Nowadays it seems like all the pros forego the the varial for the shove-it instead.
118 118 Commercial featuring skateboarding
BaySixty6 Skatepark
The web site has a pretty cool interface actually. It’s a fun thing to goof a round and explore a little. Update: I just read that BaySixty6 actually used to be called PlayStation. How annoying is that, having your skatepark renamed at the whim of an advertiser? Now all the old skatepark directories online will have to be updated so foreigners like me will know what the heck is going on. I guess it’s less annoying than not having the sponsorship money to afford upkeep of the park, especially if somone tries to burn it down.
Lastly, I’d like to point out how sad it is that my two main sources of information (via Google) about this park came from a BMX site and an inline skating site.
What’s with the mustache bit?
The park used to be called Playstation. I did a couple of shoots for MTV stings there. Its used all the time for things like this, as its undercover from the UK weather. Its an OK park I always found the surface a little rough there though.
the tache thing is a trademark of the characters used on these ads.
PIGCITY
Playstation was a pretty fun place to skate if it was raining in london. The mini-ramp was great fun as it was really really wide.
If the suns out, go up the road and skate meanwhile bowls… alot more fun and concrete, but nothing like the northwest.