billabong cut to lowest rating at four brokers, page-6

Superficially, on a birth, life and death of a brand, you summation, ZAP, is correct. Although, using this analogy the write of the Billabong brand is incorrect.

I work in the fashion industry with brands over 50 years old. I am also a surfer and skier for 40 years.

True, there can be the initial cycle, as you have described, but the really good brands transcend that cycle.

Billabong has never been an "it", or "cool" brand, say like Diesel, or Miss Sixty. What it is though, is a generational brand, where both fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, want to wear the cloths. It is very, very well regarded in the industry, and by consumers bother here and overseas.

Brands do not have the longevity and market depth that Billabong has, because it was perceived to be "cool".

You may as well write off Nike while you're at it.

Cheers, Skip