This year’s AD2 Sports Marketing night was a great success, and featured one of surfing’s greatest legends, Peter “PT” Townend (Australia), who shared tales from his illustrious career as a professional surfer and wisdom from his 25-plus years in action sports marketing. PT played a major role in the birth of professional surfing and was crowned surfing’s first ever world champion in 1976.

Over the last three decades, PT has been in the foreground of virtually every evolution of the surf industry and is largely responsible for the growth and success of major brands and associations like Rusty, SIMA, Primedia’s Action sports Group (Surfing, Bodyboarding and Volleyball Magazines), USA Surf Team, USA Skateboarding, as well as many others, and is the founder and CEO of The ActivEmpire, and a mentor to fellow entrepreneurs with Connect SI in San Diego.

PT spoke before a packed crowd of AD2 members, non-members and fans at the Tilted Kilt in downtown San Diego and delivered a presentation that followed his life from early beginnings as one of the original “Coolie Kids” (A reference to his home town in Coolangata, Australia) to present, and was an insight into the world of action sports and the growth of what is now today a multi billion dollar industry.

PT’s message included the importance of networking and “connecting the dots.” As his slideshow progressed, he pointed out he his career grew as a result of his associations with many of his peers and subsequently the action sports and surfing industries as a whole. Many of PT’s contemporaries featured in his presentation now make up a “who’s who” of today’s action sports industry.

One thing PT is known best for in business is branding, and he pointed out the importance of staying true to a business’ core. His example was that of Quiksilver, who started out with nothing but surf trunks, and even now after all of these years of expansion into all things action sports, still make the best surf trunks in the business.

PT also emphasized the importance of twitter and other digital resources as being essential to the growth and strategy of any business in today’s marketplace. Thanks to all who came our for the event!