Sol de Janeiro's Clever Campaign Event — GVSU PRSSA – Grand Valley State University Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

In a world where markets are oversaturated with products in every category, sometimes, as consumers, all we need is a little nudge to choose one product over the other. What better way than with free samples? What about a killer photo op? And maybe… an overall interactive and immersive experience?

I mean come on, let’s be honest with ourselves, we all LOVE free stuff. There is something so alluring about the idea of getting something for free. Free samples are a common strategy for brands to reach potential customers. The idea is to give them a taste, so (hopefully) they’ll want more. This is one of the strategies that Sol de Janeiro used in their holiday season PR event.

Sol de Janeiro’s Origin Story

Sol de Janeiro was founded in 2015 in New York as a personal care brand with a range of products including anything from skincare to perfume. From the appearance of Sol de Janiero’s social media, website, and advertising strategy, their target market is Millennial and Gen Z women. They describe themselves as a brand that aims to “create products that bring together the lush, natural diversity of Brazil and clinically proven technologies to deliver results. Good for the world around us - and always good for your skin, your hair, and your SOL.”

In recent years Sol de Janeiro has achieved massive success within the United States. Upon L’Occitane acquiring a majority stake in the business in 2021, they shifted their goals to become globally recognized. This is where Sol de Janeiro’s holiday season PR event comes into play.

Anna versus a Giant Advent Calendar

In December of 2023, I was visiting my sister who lives in Florida. We were visiting Disney Springs on a rainy day, and as I walked up to the main entrance, I noticed something bright in the distance. I strolled up to the long line leading up to the bright mass and asked someone what the line was for. To my surprise, the woman said that Sol de Janeiro had set up a massive interactive advent calendar, and everyone was allowed to get in line and receive a free sample. I hopped in line and excitedly awaited my fate at the hands of the giant advent calendar.

In the queue, there was a perfume testing station and a few photo ops. When I arrived at the front of the line a cheerful employee explained how the calendar worked. I would step up to a large screen and it would randomly generate a number, then I would open the corresponding door. I did just that and received a full size of one of their most popular products: their Bum Bum Cream. Meanwhile, my mom received a full bag of sample-size products including body oil, leave-in conditioner, and lip balm.

Upon exiting the giant advent calendar, there was a station where a calligrapher decorated personalized gift tags and wrapped Sol de Janeiro products in beautiful paper. Across from that, there was a station with custom bracelets and a sign pointing participants to the nearby Sephora for a gift with the purchase of a Sol de Janeiro product.

Strategy = Success

This ingenious PR event, despite the rainy weather, drew quite a crowd. During my time at Disney Springs, there was consistently a long line of customers waiting for their turn with the giant advent calendar. The Sephora inside of Disney Springs was packed to the brim with people who had their hands full of Sol de Janeiro products, leaving the shelves bare and Sol de Janeiro’s PR event successful.

This campaign was successful for a myriad of reasons. We have already discussed the fact that people like free stuff, photo ops, and immersive experiences. But, the pure genius of this event isn’t any of those things, it is the strategic location and timing of the event. Sol de Janeiro could have chosen any big city to host this event in, like New York (by their headquarters) or even Los Angeles.

What was special about hosting the event in Disney Springs during the holiday season was the incredibly diverse and frivolous client base. People travel from all over the world to visit Disney (especially during the holiday season), and when staying on Disney property, Disney Springs is just a bus ride away. This leads thousands of potential customers who are willing to spend money on holiday presents directly into the lion’s den. Sol de Janeiro truly harnessed the power of the holiday season and Disney Springs to reach a wider audience. This genius campaign was innovative, eye-catching, and persuasive. I mean, it worked on me…

About Anna Lindeboom

Anna is a senior pursuing a combined degree in Advertising and Public relations with an emphasis in Advertising while also receiving her Master's Degree in Communications. This is Anna's first semester being involved with GrandPR, she currently works in the Office of the President as the Student Assistant for Presidential Communications, which allows her to be in the room where it happens. She has other professional experience with social media management, customer service, and corporate communications. She has interned for Campus Ministries for two years and leads the worship band. After graduation, she hopes to find a career in PR for influential brands or individuals.