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Burton Boards' Nudity, Missing Digits Don't Add Up

December 10, 2008 - Have you seen Burton's new snowboard graphics? The Burton Love series pictures lovely but scantily clad ladies (OK -- nude). Wait, Burton gets even edgier with its Coalition Primo series of four different boards each, with a cartoon diagram of appendage amputation, specifically removal of fingers.

Burton clearly wanted to make a splash and turn heads with these bold new cosmetic covers on its popular snowboards. I am not certain company officials anticipated protesters showing up en masse at Burton's Burlington, Vt., headquarters with signs demanding that the gritty graphics be recalled.

Now some ski resorts, including Vail's five resorts and Smugglers' Notch in Vermont, are banning employees from using these boards at their resorts.

As a ski journalist, I am all about freedom of speech and expression. But you have to be sure your free expression is appropriate to its audience.

Our movie theatres have ratings to keep mature content (specifically nudity or violence) away from young, impressionable minds. Our lift lines do not have ratings, and these boards will be highly visible, especially to the smallest skiers and riders.

Snowboarders have always been at the fore of their own free-spirit movement. Let's remember that many resorts banned snowboarders from their slopes in the early 1980s, but single-plankers did not take no for an answer. And now snowboarders make up about 30 percent of the skiing population here in the East.

These Burton graphics are definitely newsmakers, and I am betting that was the mission behind their release. As a publicity stunt it's brilliant, since the media has been spreading the word about these shocking new snowboards for free (myself included here, I suppose). That beats any paid ad campaign any day. You know the adage, "there is no such thing as bad publicity."

I could argue, however, that there is such a thing as bad taste.

In a statement, Burton CEO Laurent Potdevin said, "Burton supports freedom of artistic expression. Snowboarding is a sport and a lifestyle where boundaries are pushed."

Speaking of pushing boundaries, last season Burton sponsored a "Poach" event with a cash purse of $20,000. The company encouraged snowboarders to ride at the four ski resorts that ban snowboards and submit their snowboard sneak video of Mad River Glen, Deer Valley, Alta and Taos. Taos has since lifted its ban.

So the company that brought surfing down a snowy hill on a single board to the masses now brings more chatter to the chairlift. The playboy-style "Love" series is inappropriate in a predominantly family sport. The Burton's Coalition Primo line depicts gruesome finger removal, although the most graphic aspect is on the base of the board so it shows only when you're showing off, grabbing air or resting your board on the rack when you go in for a sweet cup of hot cocoa.

Marketing these boards to impressionable teens, presumably Burton's target, is just bad form. Kids want to be cool, with their cool snowboards. Is it cool to promote lopping off fingers to make gestures like "peace" and "OK"?

Frankly, I can't picture parents racing out to buy one of these racy boards. As for the "mature" market share, I would think any adult would tire of looking at any of the four ladies all season long, and the finger gore would also get old quickly. So, who's going to buy these Burton boards? Well, perhaps you will have the chance to ask some snowboarder in the lift line when you witness one of these eye-popping planks this season.

Of course, my daughter's new twin tips show a shirtless guy graphic. Clearly, I was not paying full attention when that purchase was made. That's what I love about the sport of downhill skiing (and snowboarding). It's never dull; you always need to be on your feet, paying attention. You just never know what's coming down the hill next.

I hope to see you out on the slopes.

HEATHER BURKE, Maine Sunday Telegram, December 4, 2008


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