Professional skateboarder and Sci-Fi Fantasy head honcho Jerry Hsu recently spoke to Monster Children about how things were going for his brand and his stand on what happened to his former board sponsor Enjoi.
Louie Barletta on Enjoi’s Demise: I Didn’t Want to See it Die at The Hands of The Corporation
The 41-year-old spoke about his time with Enjoi and how the company's unique culture and approach to skateboarding influenced his career.
Enjoi's independent spirit is reflected in its products and marketing campaigns. The company's decks feature playful graphics and designs, and its videos and advertisements are known for their humor and irreverence.
This approach has resonated with skateboarders around the world and helped Enjoi become one of the most respected companies in the skateboarding industry.
Hence, Hsu expressed his resentment as the corporation was controlling its creative spirit. "I think that it was definitely time for it to end. Enjoi lives in a place under these umbrella companies and it always has."
He continued. "When I was there, it always seemed like we were fighting the people who owned us. We were always trying to satirize their perspective about business and stuff like that. For Enjoi to finally succumb to the profit motive, it's sort of poetic, sort of tragic, but ultimately inevitable."
"I care about my friends who rode for Enjoi, and I care about the company's legacy, but I also know that trying to be creative under those circumstances is very, very difficult." He said. "It's probably a relief for Louie to not be there anymore."
"I remember when I'd try to voice my opinion or make a difference in some way when I was there, and I'd just be ignored." Hsu explained. "Being ignored by a company that you kind of helped build was very frustrating. That's kind of why I left."
He added. "I think Enjoi will continue to live. The brand has a valuable aesthetic that's totally sellable, and whoever owns it now will keep it alive. It's sad for me, it'll be like seeing my baby in a Walmart or whatever. But that's just skating. Like, who fucking cares?"