If you don't surf, don't start

Via 5Ones comes some news on the new campaign from Lost:

The basic premise of the ad is to portray the typical modern anti-surfer with the “If You Don’t Surf, Don’t Start” headline sitting below. Out of all the characters used by Lost, and I do mean characters, the cliche ultimate fighter looking fella was by far the topper (the Abercrombie & Fitch dude isn’t far behind). It’s the perfect answer to the infiltration of certain tough-guy brands advertising in our favorite surf magazines.

My take
There are two things that stick out for me on this campaign, one specific and one general.

1. This is a great reminder that lifestyle brands are not necessarily inclusive or welcoming. In fact, they can be downright hostile. The core will love it, but obviously you risk scaring away the more lucrative mainstream audience who might be interested in your brand. There's no right or wrong answer, just something to consider as you create your message.
2. More specifically, it's interesting to see that, while there is increasing crossover between MMA and action sports, there's plenty of tension. I don't read a ton of surf mags so I'm not sure what brand they're referring to, but I'm guessing it's either Tapout or Affliction. What's particularly interesting is that core MMA fans almost universally despise both of those brands, yet they're obviously both doing well at the moment. Without the approval of either core MMA fans or crossover audiences like surfers, though, they could be headed for trouble in the next year or two.