Category Archive: Media Watch
Skateboard World Feb 1978
I’ve added 59 ads from the February 1978 issue of Skateboard World magazine, bringing the grand total in the gallery to 1,483 vintage skateboard ads! There’s some good stuff in there. There’s definitely some overlap with what you’d see in Skateboarder, but not nearly as much as you’d think.
National Skateboard Review
I’ve added 97 ads from the National Skateboard Review to the gallery of Vintage Skate Ads. If you’re counting, the galley is a at 1,441 ads! These latest additions came from scans of used with permission by Di Dootson-Rose, the original publisher. Shoutout to Natalie Porter of Womxn Skate History, which is where I first found a link to Di’s online archive. The scans are not the greatest, as these were printed on newsprint some 50 years ago, but the ads are interesting because you get to see a lot of riders that didn’t hit the big time. The stakes were lower so the companies weren’t as concerned with impact. So far I’ve only goten through 1976-77, but you can view them all, up to the last issue in 1979, at the National Skateboard Review.
TDK – So Real
Here’s an ad for TDK tapes that brags about being able to “clearly reproduce the complete music spectrum of digital sources.” That looks like Venice Beach, and that looks like Tony Alva. What say you? 1988 is the year of this ad, which seemed doubtful to me until I looked it up and saw that 1988 was the first year that CD’s outsold records. You can buy this ad in the usual place for as low as $8. Photos from this session were used in another TDK ad. Looks like I thought it was Hackett or Olson last time around, but that ad doesn’t really show that TA looking long hair. UPDATE: When you blow it up there is no long frizzy hair, it’s just motion blur and shadowy leopard print.
Core AI Slop Lifestyle Brands
It’s been couple of years since I last posted about AI slop generated skateboards, but recently my timeline has been hammered with ads from a bullshit company selling so-called skate shoes, and using AI generated product and lifestyle photos. It’s so very bad, almost as bad as trying to pass off corduroy slippers as viable skate shoes. I threw in a couple of less elaborate (and less offensive) examples as well. I’m not going to link to these brands because eff them.
Archie’s Pal Jughead #61
This is Archie’s Pal Jughead, Volume 2 #61, published in October of 1994. It’s got a one page story called Wheel Speil that has skateboarding as the main gag despite being mostly arm candy. Wheel Spiel is used as a title in at least two other comic books (Reggies Wise Guy Jokes #47 – 1978, Archie and Me #148 – 1988) in the Archie universe, and none of the stories are the same. There’s also a sales club ad with a chance to earn a Nash Beach Bum skateboard.
Red Bull Skateboarding not at Red Bull FC
Red Bull Skateboarding and Danny Leon on 50-50 grind along the crossbar of a goal. Looks like it may be at the Athletico Madrid stadium because they do currently have a sponsorship deal with Athletico Madrid, as does “Visit Rwanda,” and you can see La Liga sings in some of the shots. Still, I haven’t been able to spot the cut out entrance behind the goal is static photos of the stadium, which may be old anyway. Red Bull does own 4 other teams in 3 different countries. You’d think they’d use one of their own stadiums, or at least make Atletico Madrid a main character in the shots. So technically not shot at any of the Red Bull FC stadiums, but I like the headline so I’m leaving it.
Dept Store Catalog Gallery
I added a category for Department Store Catalogs to the Skate and Annoy galleries. Right now there’s only 10 catalogs spanning 19964-1966. The biggest reason is my OCD I took it upon myself to also add images of the skateboards found in those ads, which turned out to be quite time consuming. I plan on continuing this through the 70’s, but as soon as they get impossible to identify I’ll probably stop adding the real life photos. Check out Department Store Catalogs.
Rockstar & Heitt at the Portland Timbers
Rockstar Energy Drink wis in town last week for a free contest at the riverfront in Portland. I’ve been to that before, it’s free, fun, and everyone rips. I didn’t make it this year, but GVK was going to apply for media credentials again. I’m not sure if he made it either. For some reason, (OK everyone knows the reason, marketing and money…) Rockstar (via Powell skater Christopher Heitt) went to a Portland Timbers match. You can watch the whole thing without snarky commentary on Instagram, but since you’re already here, just remember that Skate and Annoy is your premier site for MLS crossover action!
New York Times Cringe
The New York Times has a column titled Modern Love, and a promo for this one keeps coming up in my Reddit feed. Now sure, I’m old and out of touch, but hopefully nowhere near as out of touch as this short story is. It’s got a typical skateboard stereotype and seems like it’s written for a young adult audience instead of the New York Times. But what do I know? Angela Cravens is getting paid to write for the Times, while it costs me money to keep Skate and Annoy going.
Mad House Comics #108
Mad House Comics #108 was published in August of 1977. It’s another fine example of the Archie Comics group. There’s nothing on the cover but there is a 1 page story or gag at least, and a whopping 3 different sales club ads featuring different skateboards you could have earned by selling crap.











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