Robert Brink - Writer

The Instant Winner

January 6, 2006 | Skip To The Comments (0)

The Instant Winner
By Rob Brink
Industria September 2004

Industria was a skateboard trade publication from the people that bring you Kingpin Skateboard magazine. I did a small piece on The Instant Winner for them before the mag went out of business after the third issue. Hardly an epic run. Funny, I work with this guy now. The skateboard industry is weird like that.

Instant Winner is a new skateboard company out of New York City birthed by artist, designer and skateboarder Craig Metzger, who has been responsible for graphics, team development and marketing for some of today's biggest skateboarding companies, including Emerica, eS, etnies, RVCA, Nixon, and Nike.

According to Metzger, the main goal of Instant Winner is to focus on the things that make skateboarding great. From the illegal skate spots you build with your friends, to watching the latest video in your local shop, to the art and the creativity involved with the graphics and most of all that feeling of just pushing through the streets.

“I want something legit and something that I can be proud of—minus gimmicks and over the top marketing ploys,” says Metzger. “I was getting tired of going into shops that really had nothing to do with skateboarding and seeing the same product I would see in true skate shops. I want to bring back that special feeling by only offering my stuff to real skateboard shops and making the best product I can.”

“If all the real shops close and there's only four left in the world, then those are the four I want to be in,” says Metzger. “I didn't start the company to be rich, I started it cause I love skateboarding so much and it's done so much for me.”

Instant Winner's team consists of Billy Rohan, Scotty Moore, Brett Abramsky, Joey Seguna. Currently, Instant Winner produces decks and tee shirts, available in the USA, Canada, and in England through Holy Water Ltd distribution. A promo video is in the works and due out in October.

Craig Metzger's artwork can be seen at enginesystem.com. He has been published in magazines like Arkitip, Vice, Complex, Mass Appeal, XLR8R, Nylon and Lodown. He has also shown his work in Japan, USA, Canada and Europe.