Episode
#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
1:55:46
Published: Thu Jan 31 2019
Description
“In life — from the simplest thing to the biggest thing — I want to be proud of what it is and stake my claim: ‘That’s mine and that’s how I do it.'” — Ken BlockKen Block (@kblock43 on IG and TW) is a co-founder of DC Shoes and a professional rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division.His rally career began in 2005, and he won Rookie of the Year that season in the Rally America Championship. Ken has accumulated five X Games medals and achieved global fame through his wildly successful viral series of Gymkhana videos. Gymkhana videos (including all associated edits) have racked up more than 500 million views, landing the franchise in Ad Age’s top-10 viral video charts.In January 2010, Block formed the Monster World Rally Team (later renamed to Hoonigan Racing Division) and signed with Ford to pursue his dreams of racing in the World Rally Championship and in doing so, became one of only four Americans to ever score points in the WRC.His latest project is The Gymkhana Files, which takes viewers behind the scenes of GYMKHANA TEN: The Ultimate Tire Slaying Tour, a video that, as of this writing, just went up and already has nearly 20M views. It’s all complete insanity.Please enjoy this interview with Ken Block!Click here for the show notes for this episode.This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, the go-to tool for B2B marketers and advertisers who want to drive brand awareness, generate leads, or build long-term relationships that result in real business impact.With a community of more than 575 million professionals, LinkedIn is gigantic, but it can be hyper-specific. You have access to a diverse group of people all searching for things they need to grow professionally, and four out of five users are decision-makers at their companies -- so you can build relationships that really matter and drive your business objectives forward. LinkedIn has the marketing tools to help you target your customers with precision, right down to job title, company name, industry, etc. Why spray and pray with your marketing dollars when you can be surgical? To redeem your free $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to LinkedIn.com/TFS!This podcast is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, "If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?" My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. As a listener of The Tim Ferriss Show, you'll get a free 20-count travel pack (valued at $79) with your first order at AthleticGreens.com/Tim.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please fill out the form at tim.blog/sponsor.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapters
"The "Jim Kana Files" is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the viral video franchise, Jim Kana, which has garnered over 500 million views.
00:00 - 06:06 (06:06)
Summary
"The "Jim Kana Files" is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the viral video franchise, Jim Kana, which has garnered over 500 million views. The episode is sponsored by LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, a tool for B2B marketers and advertisers to drive brand awareness, generate leads, or build long-term relationships."
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker recounts his interest in rally racing since childhood and his immersion in the world of American motorsports.
06:06 - 16:58 (10:51)
Summary
The speaker recounts his interest in rally racing since childhood and his immersion in the world of American motorsports. He attributes his love for dirt bikes in his teenage years to the sport's creativity, jumping, sliding, and racing around a track with various obstacles, all of which rally racing shares in common.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
A fitness expert shares his experience with training for real-world balance needs rather than just traditional weightlifting, highlighting the importance of trial and error in enhancing one's fitness routine.
16:58 - 24:23 (07:25)
Summary
A fitness expert shares his experience with training for real-world balance needs rather than just traditional weightlifting, highlighting the importance of trial and error in enhancing one's fitness routine.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
A woman shares that her understanding of business came from her parents, who taught her the importance of marketing budgets, advertising, sales, and business plans.
24:23 - 31:49 (07:26)
Summary
A woman shares that her understanding of business came from her parents, who taught her the importance of marketing budgets, advertising, sales, and business plans. She learned how to make a business plan and secured a loan from her parents to start her business.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
In this podcast episode, a former professional skateboarder talks about the importance of engaging with fans and maximizing the potential of social media and marketing.
31:50 - 44:20 (12:30)
Summary
In this podcast episode, a former professional skateboarder talks about the importance of engaging with fans and maximizing the potential of social media and marketing. He also shares the process of creating a brand name in the 90s and the challenges they faced with finding a unique name.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The co-founders of Supreme discuss the reality of big business hiring practices and the importance of setting high standards for marketing projects, products, and athletes.
44:21 - 57:43 (13:22)
Summary
The co-founders of Supreme discuss the reality of big business hiring practices and the importance of setting high standards for marketing projects, products, and athletes. Hiring the right people and managing expectations were key components in the success of the brand.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
A reflection on the rise of YouTube as the dominant platform for online video content and the appeal of showcasing urban decay in videos.
57:43 - 1:04:36 (06:52)
Summary
A reflection on the rise of YouTube as the dominant platform for online video content and the appeal of showcasing urban decay in videos.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The hosts discuss the process of shutting down a bridge for a movie or TV show shoot, including the impact on traffic and the potential for using unique locations like a former military base in San Francisco or the main strip in Dubai.
1:04:36 - 1:08:26 (03:49)
Summary
The hosts discuss the process of shutting down a bridge for a movie or TV show shoot, including the impact on traffic and the potential for using unique locations like a former military base in San Francisco or the main strip in Dubai.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
A filmmaker talks about the creative and collaborative process behind making a video featuring Travis Pastrana in San Francisco.
1:08:26 - 1:19:50 (11:24)
Summary
A filmmaker talks about the creative and collaborative process behind making a video featuring Travis Pastrana in San Francisco. Initially funded by DC, the project was a collaborative effort involving friendships, creativity, and hardworking people.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker acknowledges the importance of agents in the negotiation process of deals between athletes and companies.
1:19:50 - 1:31:04 (11:13)
Summary
The speaker acknowledges the importance of agents in the negotiation process of deals between athletes and companies. The expertise and understanding of value that agents possess can ensure that both parties receive adequate value in their partnership.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses how his outdoor activities such as downhill mountain biking keep him mentally sharp and how kickboxing benefits him the most in his racing.
1:31:04 - 1:36:57 (05:52)
Summary
The speaker discusses how his outdoor activities such as downhill mountain biking keep him mentally sharp and how kickboxing benefits him the most in his racing.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the challenges he faced while directing the growth of DC Shoes, including making tough decisions and dealing with product failures.
1:36:57 - 1:47:41 (10:44)
Summary
The speaker discusses the challenges he faced while directing the growth of DC Shoes, including making tough decisions and dealing with product failures. He emphasizes the importance of personal interactions in business dealings.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
This podcast episode talks about a unique documentary series where viewers get to see the end result of the two-year project and receive a prize at the end.
1:47:42 - 1:54:03 (06:21)
Summary
This podcast episode talks about a unique documentary series where viewers get to see the end result of the two-year project and receive a prize at the end. The host also mentions a weekly email he sends out with interesting and cool finds.
Episode#358: Ken Block — The Art of Marketing with a DC Shoes and Gymkhana Legend (500M+ views)
PodcastThe Tim Ferriss Show
LinkedIn provides marketing tools for businesses to specifically target their customers based on job title, company name, industry, and more.
1:54:03 - 1:55:38 (01:34)
Summary
LinkedIn provides marketing tools for businesses to specifically target their customers based on job title, company name, industry, and more. By building relationships through this platform, businesses can drive forward their objectives and have access to a diverse group of people with high lifetime value.