Billabong Attack 2013

Turning the clock back to 2013 brings up amazing memories of one of the most intense events I was ever a part of: the Billabong Attack. This wasn’t just another snowboard contest; it was the biggest in Japan that year, centred around a single, massive 25-meter straight jump. The scale was intimidating, attracting Japan’s best riders alongside international pros, all vying for what was then the country’s largest prize purse at $10,000 USD. The scene was set for intense action and some next-level snowboarding.

My primary role was to craft the event’s entire brand identity and online presence. For this event, the creative inspiration was an “Attack from outer space.” We developed a space-age, tech-inspired branding with an intergalactic feel that touched everything – from the main logo to the on-site signage, website & digital content, and videos. The black and blue colour palette was a strategic choice, designed to align with and showcase Billabong’s upcoming snow jacket and pants range, which was revealed for the first time at the event.

The reality of producing an event like this, however, goes far beyond the initial design work. Much like the Billabong Pro Tahara surf event, the on-the-ground intensity was intense. For the duration of the contest, “home” was a temporary hut on top of a mountain, shared with the international Billabong film crew and with limited access to the outside world. The days were long, very cold, and very tiring.

My role was multifaceted. While I wasn’t involved in a live webcast this time, I worked closely with the film crew creating content for global distribution. I was designing, building, and managing the website in both English and Japanese, shooting event photography, pushing out unique content daily to keep social platforms lit up, and liaising with sponsors on-site. We were completely immersed, living and breathing the event from pre-dawn starts to late-night finishes.

Looking back, the feeling that stands out is a powerful mix of pride, exhaustion, and a lot of nostalgia. The greatest takeaway was seeing the final result, my branding and the incredible content from the film crew – being shared across Billabong’s global regions and reaching such a large audience. Knowing that it was all produced under such extreme conditions made the amazing feedback we received feel all the more worthwhile. It was a seriously tough experience, but without a doubt, a really fun and memorable event to have helped produce.