Episode 186: SPLASH! - A Look into the Australian Pool Culture and Their Priorities with David and Luke
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Episode Summary
Today, we speak with David and Luke of the Australia-based SPLASH!, the leading magazine for the Australian swimming pool and spa industry. They are also the co-hosts of the SPLASH! podcast.
SPLASH! magazine is packed with independent, detailed editorial including the latest industry news, case studies, and features on a broad range of issues relevant to the residential and commercial pool and spa market.
With an audited circulation of more than 5,700 industry members, SPLASH! reaches all major professionals in the pool industry including pool builders, service technicians, retailers, contractors, designers, schools and universities, and more.
SPLASH! also organizes the SPLASH! Trade Show on the Gold Coast.
Listen in as Luke and David talk all things Australia and how the nation’s pool culture and industry differ from that of the U.S. They speak in particular of how climate affects usage, the importance placed on function over form, and the accessibility of pools to different socio-economic groups.
Finally, they discuss differences in how pools are maintained in either country, including Australia’s preference for salt chlorination, frequency of use of variable speed pumps, more infrequent service schedules in Australia.
Topics Discussed
00:48 - An introduction to Luke and David
12:50 - About SPLASH!
17:12 - What trade professionals can learn from the magazine and podcast
25:30 - The Australian culture and climate
33:28 - Pools and spas in the Australian market
37:25 - Why does function come before form in Australian pools
44:42 - How Australia has stayed on top of innovation in the pool and spa industry
50:48 - Accessibility of pools in Australia
54:25 - Why Australia has embraced salt chlorination more than the U.S.
1:13:31 - Other differences between the U.S. and Australian pool industries
1:15:30 - OEM vs Distribution model
Key Quotes From Episode
We need to rise as an industry. We need to be better and we need to know more than the average punter who owns a pool or a spa in the backyard. ~Luke
We want beautiful, and the form matters; but, it has to have function. It has to be able to create a place for us to swim, to engage, to connect, to actually enjoy and cool off from the summer heat and humidity. Those two things go hand in hand. ~David