Impressive Havaianas Brand Experience

Havaianas mean Hawaiian in Portuguese. Haiwaiana is a flip flop inspired by the Japanese Zori Flip-flop sandal in 1962. They were launched in Australia ten years ago and now also has been called the “best rubber sandal in the world”.

For Australia Day, Havaianas came up with a smart experiential campaign for their company: the Havaianas Thong Challenge. This one day lasting event will drag people to the beach for a day of fun in the surf. It’s about getting many people in giant inflatable Havaianas Thongs linked as a human chain, out on the water. Havaianas Thong Challenge attempts to break the world record for the ‘longest line of inflatable air beds in water’. Through this event Havaianas is raised funds for Starlight Children’s Foundation and the Surf Lifesaving Clubs.

So on Australia day thousands of Aussies are supporting there beach to flog their neighbouring states in the Havaianas Thong Challenge.

Is this just for fun and to raise funds? Yes, but this form of marketing is smart as well. Havaianaa has come up with a very smart move with this event on Australia Day.

Because this involves an event on Australia Day, it will makes people talk. Before the event took place, people talked about the brand via talking about the event and as word of mouth is still the most influential medium to purchase this is an invaluable approach to building the brand. Participants tell friends, family and even strangers their plans to participate via the internet and face to face. People who are planning on going there, take photos and videos of the event and upload them online. Havaiana will appear on blogs, profiles, guestbooks and web pages. It also will get big through the internet websites that presents “things to do on Australia Day”. So Havaiana will receive increased exposure via participants who just like the event and people who are busy with Australia Day.

During this event, especially because it is on Australia Day, a lot of pictures will be taken. Most people who joint this event are young and are familiar with Facebook, Twitter and many other online multimedia channels to discuss this marvellous event. Trough this there will be a lot off free advertising on the web about Havaiana, even when people don’t intent to.

As the event was a big success, people will immediately associate Havaiana with fun. This means that even people who don’t have a pair of those Flip-Flops yet, will buy them and talk about the brand after this experience. It’s not difficult to make this event a successful branding experience because this event includes a fundraising action that will increase good-will, a social game to motivate people and it is Australia Day, so no work but just fun!

The experience will live further as people keep on talking about it and the event is repeating itself once a year. Well done Havaiana!

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