Rutopia: Phase 1 – Building Cultural Footing in Surf Sustainability
20% follower growth + 43% view increase in 30 days
In February 2025, Rutopia partnered with Stage 2 Studios to establish a stronger foothold in the surf-lifestyle niche. Starting with 986 followers, the focus was on attracting an audience that not only engaged, but also embodied the brand’s values in sustainability and surf culture.
Our Approach: Cultivating Conscious Consumer Growth
1. Cultural & Niche Mapping
Mapped the surf–sustainability crossover space to pinpoint where Rutopia could stand with credibility.
- Identified subcultures, conversation hubs, and cause-driven movements
- Analysed competitors to find underrepresented positions in the market
- Located tastemakers, micro-influencers, and grassroots leaders shaping the culture
2. Audience Profiling & Tastemaker Identification
Profiled lifestyle surfers/skateboarders and influencers to refine targeting.
- Segmented them into primary personas for focused engagement
- Flagged “high-impact connectors” with potential for organic amplification
3. Content Calibration for Organic Reach
Directed content strategy to maximize shareability within the community.
- Researched and compiled examples of high-performing content in the surf–sustainability niche
- Provided Rutopia with a tailored reference library, highlighting what worked, why it worked, and how to adapt it
- Client implemented this by creating their own versions, maintaining brand authenticity while aligning with proven formats
- Prioritised visual quality and lifestyle storytelling over fleeting trends
- Optimised post cadence for both discovery and engagement
4. Manual Engagement Methodology
Executed personalized interactions to cut through noise.
- Thoughtful, conversation-starting comments
- Story interactions tied to mutual values
- Direct outreach to connect with high-fit audience members
5. Cultural Integration
Positioned Rutopia as an authentic voice in the space.
- Mirrored community tone while keeping the brand’s unique identity
- Participated in non-promotional cultural touchpoints
- Amplified environmental causes aligned with Rutopia’s mission
Execution Highlights
- Main insight: In surf culture, trends take a back seat — the community values quality footage and authentic lifestyle highlights above all else. This shifted our content strategy to focus on well-crafted visuals and organic moments over short-lived viral hooks.
- Identified cross-engagement opportunities by tracking users active in both surf culture and climate activism communities.
- Built early relationships with key micro-influencers in surf sustainability, setting the stage for future collaborations.
The Results (Feb–May 2025)
Followers: 986 → 1,186 (+20%) in 30 days
Monthly views: ~14K → 20K (+43%)
Engagement quality above niche average
Established brand positioning within the lifestyle surf/skate movement
Created a cultural foundation to scale in Phase 2 without losing authenticity
Why It Matters
By blending niche intelligence, psychological engagement tactics, and cultural integration, Rutopia’s audience growth in Phase 1 was intentional and sustainable. This early foundation positioned the brand to grow further while staying true to its values and community roots.
The Winning Reel
The curated ad that drove Phase 2’s success worked because it focused strictly on surf culture, selling the lifestyle to viewers rather than forcing products into the frame. Its authenticity came from careful guidance, niche understanding, and staying true to the culture.
At the core, the surf community values high-quality action footage with skilled surfers while products remain secondary. The winning video embraced this principle. After the initial post showed high traction with more views, stronger engagement, and more likes than previous content (as planned), it was identified as the ideal candidate for amplification. Once performance data confirmed its momentum, budget was allocated to boost the post, further amplifying reach.
This reinforced the strategy: create content rooted in cultural authenticity, validate through organic activity, and then strategically invest in amplification to convert visibility into lasting community growth.
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