The Brief
Jack O’Neill, surfer, ocean lover, boating enthusiast, wetsuit pioneer, balloonist, and founder of the iconic worldwide surf company O’Neill, passed away on 2nd June 2017 at the age of 94. In response to the thousands of thoughts, prayers, sympathy, remembrances, stories and pictures shared since the passing, O’Neill invited everyone to join a paddle out in celebration of Jack O’Neill’s life & adventures.
Hayley Newnham PR was asked to make a call out to the global surf community to honour Jack O’Neill for his contribution to surfing and organise the memorial paddle out in England.
The Concept
Organised by Hayley Newnham PR, the life of legendary waterman Jack O’Neill was honoured spectacularly with a paddle out of over 240 surfers at Great Western Beach in Newquay, Cornwall. With no greater way to honour a man whose life was led by the ocean, the floating memorial was a chance for surfers across the UK to pay their respects and remember the man who “just wanted to surf longer.” Those wishing to pay their respects were guided out past the breaking waves by O’Neill team athlete and 11-time European Longboard Champion Ben Skinner.
Surfers joined hands and came together in a circle sharing words of remembrance, with floating floral tributes marking the life of a surfing legend. The impressive ring of surfboards drifting on the horizon attracted crowds of spectators who lined the headland and beach below. The moving display symbolised the life of a fellow surfer whose sheer passion changed the face of surfing forever. After paying their respects, surfers paddled back to the shore yet some remained in the water catching waves in memory of Jack.
From event activation to media relations, Hayley Newnham PR was also tasked with the global PR communicating the worldwide memorial paddle outs and reaching out to the international surf community.
The Results
From Santa Cruz to Cornwall, O’Neill honoured the legacy of Jack O’Neill with numerous paddle outs worldwide simultaneously on Sunday 9th July 2017 (11AM Pacific – 7PM UK). Honouree paddle outs were scheduled in France, Netherlands, Belgium, England, Scotland, Canada, USA, Australia and South Africa.
Featuring across international and national media channels, news stories spanned TV, radio, print and digital. UK coverage included BBC Spotlight, BBC Radio Cornwall, Pirate FM, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Express, Daily Mail, Western Morning News, Cornish Guardian, Newquay Voice, West Briton, Plymouth Herald, Carve, Wavelength, Surfgirl, MSW, The Inertia and Mpora.
