Having the ability to run polls is kinda cool - who knows where this may lead? Anyway, here's a question that interests me after being involved in kiting here in NZ for a while, and being involved in marketing of brands etc - the results of which may be instructive to others also.

Obviously I can't stop voter fraud but the system won't allow two votes from one email address so hopefully that will slow the riggers down. Also, you have to register / log in to have voting rights. Don't worry - I can't tell who voted for what.

I've included 10 options of brands which produce kites and boards - obviously this excludes some well known specialist board builders for example. (Underground's marketing is pretty good anyway, even when all they've got is ashes to deal with).

If you vote, try to do so - not based on what you ride, or what you import, or sell in your shop, but as a consumer. Who has reached you dude? If you could have your time all over again, what would you ride?

POLL PROGRESS ANALYSIS: Hmmm, interesting result with Slingshot the early winner after a low turn-out of less than 30% of eligible voters casting their vote so far.

Slingshot entered the NZ market at the start of 2001 and has always been a company completely dedicated to kiteboarding. Importer Gavin Broadbent is the current national champ (equal with Aaron Smith). The rest of the Slingshot team also made a strong showing at the 03 nationals with 4 of the top 10 places. Gavin's mug has been on TV a couple of times more than the average kiter, and this will have raised his personal profile but the rewards for Slingshot are probably low to negligible.

Slingshot NZ has no website yet, and has never advertised in any print publication - nor has it received any editorial coverage whatsoever in the current national mag Wind & Kite. Slingshot NZ's marketing initiatives have been limited to a 5000 x print run of a DLE flyer, Gavin's vehicle signage and a banner ad on this site linking to Slingshot International's impressive (though slow to download) website.

As a self-styled marketing guru, I find this result intriguing - given the far larger marketing budget and longevity of current poll #2 Naish Kiteboarding.

Early days yet though, we'll see how this pans out...

I think that the Slingshot team's results at the Chch nats, and the subsequent slag match on the old Anabatic forums probably did more for the brand's profile than anything else.

'never advertised in any print publication'
actually I have seen various adverts featuring Slingshot in many publications including wind & kite, sea spray and others. Not to mention the very pro Slingshot article about Gavin in the latest Brass magazine(money can't buy that sort of promo)
Then there's the full spread international ads in every major true kiteboard magazine worth reading. Something that is sadley lacking in New Zealand.

Yes, there was an advert featuring slingshot in Sea Spray, though this was paid for by an Ausckland retail store flogging the kites.

Thanks for alerting us to the "very pro Slingshot article about Gavin in the latest Brass magazine (money can't buy that sort of promo)" - and it didn't, but this is further proof of what I was talking about earlier and what is apparently the case: unconventional marketing pays dividends. If not on the shop floor, at least in the hearts and minds of the targetted groupies.

You are right, of course Slingshot's international efforts in market positioning are pretty slick (no more so than any of the others though) and everyone gets exposed to a bit of that regardless of what happens on the ground here.

Nice poll system, hmmm. Pole on a bboard. Does that make this a wind surfer? now there is an idea!

Eh...Shaan...Slingshot has had a solid amount of exposure over the last 12 months....I'm sure

Yep, you guys are right....Anabatic in Auckwackerland has been promoting SLINGSHOT gear in most all advertising mediums available. mags, TV, web site & in store. plenty of $$$ being spent to get their 'dont fck with me Kiter attitude out there'...

Gavin Broadbent also does a fine job of showing us all how far you can take kiteboarding if you ride with that gear. (no fear or thoughts of a future beyound launching into his sickest move).
Its going to hurt one day.