"[3] The resulting publicity generated the equivalent of several million dollars in advertising with thousands of stories and news reports broadcast across the globe.
[25] Traub added "USA" to "create a brand position that could clearly be associated with a lifestyle and state of mind rather than a song or place on the map.
"[4] During early November 2005, he used the Surf City USA trademark for the first time in advertising,[26] and printed on brochures, t-shirts[27] and sports bags.
[28] A brand new surfcityusa.com website was also launched in a "startlingly different manner," with the "Surf City" song briefly played on a visit to the homepage.
"[25] By the time trademarks were entered on the Supplemental Register in May 2006, press attention had skyrocketed due to interference from Santa Cruz.
[32] By April 2008, Traub signed six licensing deals for credit union services, sportswear, and merchandise including t-shirts and key chains.
[34] Publicity generated during the launch of the Surf City USA brand created the equivalent of several million dollars in free advertising support, with thousands of stories and news reports appearing across the globe.
[36] Former Huntington Beach Mayor Shirley Detloff, the Bureau's chairwoman at the time, noted, "We are officially Surf City USA because of Doug.
[3] The Mayor, Mike Rotkin, went on local television singing his own version of Jan and Dean's "Surf City" to protest.
[47] Almost a year later, legal counsel discovered a merchant in Santa Cruz selling t-shirts printed with Surf City USA.
[1] In follow up phone calls, the Noland's were asked to stop selling the offending shirts and to donate the profits they had made to charity.
"Justice shouldn’t depend on a race to the courthouse or ‘hometowning’ Huntington Beach before a hostile local jury," said attorney Rich Sybert.
[5] In April 2009, Surfer magazine proclaimed Santa Cruz the number one surf town considering "Best Places in the U.S. to Eat, Sleep, Work and Shred.
"[9] The article went on to note, "Huntington Beach may have won the right to the name in the California courts, but any surfer who's ever paddled out at Steamer Lane knows the judge got it wrong.
The irreverent and defiant response from Santa Cruz officials helped to give the Surf City USA brand public awareness and equity that normally would have taken years to cultivate.