Tony Alva - Pass the Bucket on Off the Wall TV by Vans.
I watched this video a while back on Vimeo and really wanted to post it up for a number of reasons. Primarily it is being a big fan of Alva and the skate culture to which he was so integral - more than most his attitude and outlook form some the core values of this now global subculture. From a marketing perspective, the other reason to write this post, which rooted in the above, is this is the latest part of a really interesting journey Tony Alva and the Vans brand have been on since the 1980’s.
I’m not going to go the history of the Alva, the Zephyr Skate Team, and the visionary Craig Stecyk III in too much detail - for that you should watch Stacey Peralta’s awesome Dogtown and Z-Boys. But in short, and because it’s so interesting, Stecyk was an artist living in the area who helped create the look and world of Alva and the rest of the Zephyr skate team - think long hair, skinny jeans, navy Zehpyr T, and Vans Vulcanized! Stecyk was an artist but he helped define, refine and package the Z-Boy look for the world to enjoy - whether that was his intention or not - and the world is a better place for it.
However what’s interesting in this video is how long this relationship between Vans and Alva has been going and what form it’s current incarnation is. Alva, who has struggled with addiction amongst other things that young fame brought, is clearly in a reflective state of life and looking to give back, rediscover and promote the core values of what he enjoyed most in those early days - exploring yourself, your city, and your friends through the art and attitude of skateboarding. The relationship with Vans and the platform they offer to reach today’s disadvantaged and vulnerable youth is a great way to tell this latest part of the story, and amplify what matters most to him as an individual and the values at the heart of the brand.
