BRANDING: What it is, and why you should be doing it

My dad always told me, “you can sell anyone a turd if you polish it enough”.

That’s branding. No matter the product, brand, or person, if you market it just right – you’ll sell it.

In the business of racing, a great brand and image is almost as important as the racing itself. If you’re the best racer on the line, but no one remembers your name, and you show up looking like three other people on the line – how are they going to remember who you are?

When I started racing in 2012, I made the brand Jet Girls Racing – which has grown to be one of the most recognized brands in the personal watercraft industry. I had sponsors lined up before I ever won a big race, all because of my image.

Your image should encompass your entire program, from your watercraft, to your race gear, your pit, and even your social media. Even if you aren’t a pro, you can still look pro.

So, let me break it down for you in 5 tips:

Let’s start with the gear. It’s important not only to look good, but to stand out. If everyone in the sport is doing blue this season, change things up with some green. Try to coordinate a look with your gear – my go to has been orange from day one. No matter what part of my kit you look at, you’ll spot a pop of orange.

Having your nickname and race number printed on your vest or wetsuit is another way to set yourself a part from the rest of the competition. Unlike motocross, this is not required in personal watercraft racing, and gives you a chance to stand out.

Quakysense sells vests with custom screen printing on them (check mine out!), and print shops like LG1 Designs can do it to a vest of your choice.

While you may rarely get the chance to wear one – having some team pit shirts is always a plus. Even matching team t-shirts can help you stand out on the podium or at the rider’s meeting. You can take it an extra step like Riva Racing rider Brian Baldwin and go for a full theme – Captain America style, and match up the graphics too.

Once your kit is lit, get your ski matched up. Coordinating with a graphics company like LG1 Designs, Exotic Graphics or IPD Graphics for a custom kit can help you stand out. Companies like LG1 and Exotic will do a full-blown custom kit for a little extra cash, while LG1 will get you some colorful kits much like a lot of the ones you’ll see on the starting line.

It’s always good to snoop around the Internet a bit and see what other racers are doing. Not to copy them, but to make sure you stand out. The last thing you want is someone confusing you with the guy on the track who sucks, just because your graphics look similar.

When customizing your ski, it’s easiest to start with the primary color in your gear, and design a graphics package around it.

At this year's event, RIVA Racing has set up our best trade booth ever, boasting a full line up of our aftermarket racing parts, our new 2019 Yamaha & Sea-Doo Custom Builds, plenty of fresh apparel, and a hands on display of the watercraft industry's #1 tuning device, the MaptunerX. RIVA Parts Technicians will be standing by in our tent for any watercraft or parts questions so feel free to swing by!

At this year's event, RIVA Racing has set up our best trade booth ever, boasting a full line up of our aftermarket racing parts, our new 2019 Yamaha & Sea-Doo Custom Builds, plenty of fresh apparel, and a hands on display of the watercraft industry's #1 tuning device, the MaptunerX. RIVA Parts Technicians will be standing by in our tent for any watercraft or parts questions so feel free to swing by!

At this year's event, RIVA Racing has set up our best trade booth ever, boasting a full line up of our aftermarket racing parts, our new 2019 Yamaha & Sea-Doo Custom Builds, plenty of fresh apparel, and a hands on display of the watercraft industry's #1 tuning device, the MaptunerX. RIVA Parts Technicians will be standing by in our tent for any watercraft or parts questions so feel free to swing by!