Billabong: the best Women's Marketing Campaign of the Year by SIMA | Photo: Billabong

Billabong, Vissla, and Slater Designs were the grand winners of the 14th Annual SIMA Awards, held in Silverado, California.

The event organized by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) awarded the best products, marketing campaigns, and brands of the year 2016. There was a total of 75 nominees distributed by 15 categories.

Billabong, the surf company founded in 1973 by Gordon Merchant, stole the show by winning all three women's divisions: "Marketing Campaign of the Year," "Apparel Brand of the Year," and "Swim Brand of the Year."

Vissla conquered two important awards in the men's field: "Apparel Brand of the Year," and "Boardshort of the Year."

Kelly Slater also has reasons to party hard. His surfboard line Slater Designs won two prestigious trophies: "Performance Shortboard of the Year," and "Breakout Brand of the Year."

The surf industry decided that the "Accessory Product of the Year," one of the most coveted awards of the year, was the smartwatch The Mission by Nixon.

The ceremony hosted by Greg "GT" Tomlinson and Rosy Hodge also honored two surf shops that have been open for business for more than 50 years. Wave Riding Vehicles (Virginia Beach, California) and Mitch's Surf Shop (La Jolla, California) won the 2017 SIMA Surf Shop Gold Wave Award.

2017 SIMA Awards | Winners

Accessory Product of the Year: The Mission Smartwatch by Nixon
Environmental Product of the Year: Patagonia Fall 16 – Yulex Wetsuits by Patagonia
Footwear Product of the Year: Reef Rover with Swellular Technology by Reef
Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year: SurfEars 2.0 by Creatures of Leisure
Wetsuit of the Year: Infiniti Comp TDC by Xcel Wetsuits
Performance Shortboard of the Year: SCI-FI by Slater Designs
Longboard of the Year: The Wingnut Noserider by Firewire
Alternative Surfboard Model of the Year: Bonzer Biscuit by Channel Islands Surfboards
Men's Marketing Campaign of the Year: "Volume 11: Hellbound In Clayoquot Sound" by The Roark Revival
Men's Apparel Brand of the Year: Vissla
Men's Boardshort of the Year: Vissla Upcycled Boardshorts by Vissla
Women's Marketing Campaign of the Year: "A Bikini Kinda Life" by Billabong Women's
Women's Apparel Brand of the Year: Billabong Women's
Women's Swim Brand of the Year: Billabong Women's
Breakout Brand of the Year: Slater Designs

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