There’s a storytelling framework that’s been around for thousands of years. You’ve seen it play out in every good film, every great novel, every campfire story that had you lying in your tent wondering why TF the parental figure in your life told you that right before bedtime.
It’s called the hero’s journey.
And while I don’t want to be harsh, the truth is that most surf brands are absolutely butchering it.
What is the hero’s journey?
Here’s the short version.
A regular person is going about their life. Something disrupts it. They’re called to face a challenge they’re not sure they can handle. They find a guide who helps them. They go through the hard stuff. And they come out the other side transformed.
That’s it.
That’s the whole template.
Joseph Campbell (no relation… I think) wrote about it in the 1940s. Hollywood has been recycling it ever since. And whether you realise it or not, it’s the same structure that sits underneath every piece of marketing that actually moves people, even surf flicks and clips (like this belter).
The problem is, most surf brands cast themselves as the hero.
Here’s what that looks like in practice
Here’s what I see surf camps, surfboard shapers and surf apparel brands do. And you know what? I’m going to put my hand up here and say I’ve been guilty of it too. Regardless, here’s what it looks like:
- “We’ve been shaping boards since 1987…”
- “Our camp is located in one of the most pristine surf zones in the world…”
- “We offer the ultimate surf experience for riders of all levels…”
Do you notice what I’m talkin’ about?
It’s all about the brand. The history. The credentials. The setup.
And sure, that stuff matters. But it’s the wrong place to start. Because when someone lands on your site or opens your email, they’re not thinking about you. They’re thinking about themselves. Their frustration. Their goal. The thing they really want.
They’re the hero of their own story. And if your copy doesn’t acknowledge that immediately… well… you’ve already lost them.
The shift that changes everything
Here’s what happens when you flip the script.
Instead of leading with who you are, you lead with who they are. Instead of talking about your experience, you talk about their experience. Instead of describing your product, you describe the transformation they’re going to feel.
The brand doesn’t disappear. You just move it into a different role.
You become the guide. Think Gandalf, not Frodo. Yoda, not Luke. You’re the wise, trusted figure who shows up at exactly the right moment with exactly the right tools. You’re the man. The girl. The person who facilitates a positive change in a person’s life. Powerful!
Your customer is still the one paddling out. Still the one dropping into the wave. Still the one who has to do the work. But you’re the reason they were ready for it.
That’s a much more potent position to write from, no?
So what does this actually look like in surf copy?
Let’s take a surf camp as an example.
The old version:
“Our surf camp in [location] offers world-class instruction, a warm community atmosphere and unforgettable waves for beginners and intermediates.”
The new version:
“You’ve been surfing for a couple of years and you’re stuck. You can get to your feet but it’s still not clicking. You know the feeling is in there somewhere… you just can’t find it consistently. That’s exactly what we built this camp for.”
See what I did there?
Same camp. Same offer. Completely different effect.
The second version makes your reader feel seen. And when people feel seen, they lean in.
You can apply the same thinking to a wetsuit brand. A surf coaching program. A board shaper. A retreat in Bali. The framework is the same every time.
Who is your customer before they find you? What are they struggling with? What do they want that they haven’t been able to get yet?
Start there.
The four questions to ask before you write anything
If you want to restructure your copy around the customer as hero, you need to answer these four things first.
- Where are they now? Not geographically. Emotionally. What does their surfing life look like before they find you? Are they frustrated? Stagnant? Intimidated? Craving something they can’t quite name?
- What do they actually want? Not the surface-level thing. The deeper thing underneath it. They don’t just want surf lessons. They want to feel like a real surfer. They don’t just want a board. They want confidence in the water
- What’s been getting in the way? Fear, self-doubt, lack of time, wrong equipment, bad advice from a mate who surfs way better than them… understanding the obstacle makes your solution feel relevant
- What does life look like on the other side? This is the transformation. Describe it specifically and vividly. The moment they paddle into a wave and just… know. The trip where everything finally clicked. The feeling of walking up the beach after a session and genuinely not wanting it to end
Answer those four questions and your copy basically writes itself.
The mistake brands make when they try this
They switch from “we’re amazing” to “you’re amazing”… and think that’s enough.
It’s not.
Flattery isn’t the same as empathy. Telling someone they’re a passionate surfer who deserves the best experience doesn’t mean anything unless it’s grounded in specific, real understanding of who they are.
The goal isn’t to butter them up. The goal is to make them feel understood.
There’s a difference. And readers can feel it.
Where to start today
Pick one page on your website. Just one. Maybe one that’s got heaps of red flags. Probably your homepage or your main sales page.
Read through it and honestly ask yourself: who is this actually about?
If the first paragraph starts with “we” or your brand name… rewrite it. Lead with your customer’s situation instead. Their frustration, their goal, their moment of arrival.
Then position what you do as the bridge between where they are and where they want to be.
That’s the hero’s journey. And once you start seeing your copy through that lens, you’ll never write it the same way again.