Week Four BOC: Hawaiian Tropic

After 30 years of tradition, Hawaiian Tropic has retired their annual bikini competition. The brand used to hold a yearly Miss Hawaiian Tropic Pageant to find the new face for their product. “Ending the pageant underscores a shift that began when the personal care division of Energizer Holdings acquired Hawaiian Tropic in 2007.”

Instead of having a bikini competition, Hawaiian Tropic will chose “the new face of Hawaiian Tropic” for their brand. There was much shock amongst the public; it's hard to imaging ending a thirty year tradition! The brand is attempting to go a for a “neck up” approach to beauty.

“Bikini contests as a tactic just don’t resonate with our consumer and don’t fit with who the brand is now,” said Danielle Duncan, the brand manager for Hawaiian Tropic.

It is, however, understandable that the brand would want to steer away from a stereo type Hawaiian Tropic girl. Maybe Hawaiian Tropic hoping to show the public that beauty can come is all shapes and sizes. Even though the competitions are exciting and men love them, it just isn’t the image that Hawaiian Tropic wants anymore.

These days social media is ginormous. Almost everything is tied with social media in one way or another. Moving the contest to Facebook is saving time and money. Girls on Facebook are counting the days until the competition starts; there are many girls excited to be a part of the change.

“ I believe in Hawaiian Tropic, and it's new innovations to change the face of the company.” Says a comment on the Hawaiian Tropic Facebook page. It will be interesting to see the effects of the new change.