Havaianas Contest: Be a Happy Sole & See Brazil!

What is it about us Filipinos that make us one of the happiest people in the world?

In study after study, it has been found that it is not wealth that makes people happy. In fact, many of the unhappiest people live in First World countries and surrounded by abundance. According to the New Economics Foundation, an independent global think tank, Filipinos are the happiest souls in Asia and 14th worldwide. This new record makes the Philippines the only Asian country to be ranked in the survey’s top 20 – with more developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom ranking 114 and 74, respectively.

New research by Richard Davidson, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin found that humans have more control over their happiness than previously believed. 79% of Filipinos polled said they were happy with their family, religion, friends, love life and health. Surprisingly, even those in the D income bracket were also found to be part of the happy crowd despite their lack of material wealth.

These results seem to confirm a growing theory that happiness is really not found from external factors but felt from within one’s self.

In line with these happy findings, Havaianas decided to launch its Happy Soles campaign. Its flip-flops have stood witness to a significant part of many Filipinos’ happy moments — in the beach, the mall, family gatherings, vacations, and many more. What better way to celebrate happiness then than to give a Filipino and 3 friends the chance to travel to Brazil via its “Happy Soles Will Travel to Brazil” creative competition.

Brazil??? Yes, yes, yes! The land of samba and Mardi Gras and places like this —

Here are the mechanics.

Prize at Stake

One winner and 3 friends will be flown, on an all-expense-paid retreat, complete with travel must-haves from Havaianas, Sony, David and Goliath, and Aloha Board Sports. The group of friends will get to experience the cool climate of cosmopolitan Sao Paulo and the endless summer of Rio de Janeiro in quirky clothes from David and Goliath, and stylish resort wear from Aloha Board Sports. Not only will they stay in chic, boutique hotels and dine at world-class restaurants, the four friends will also visit Oscar Freire Street, home to Brazil’s fanciest boutiques, where they will enjoy a shopping spree at the Havaianas Concept Store. A visit to Daslu, a super luxurious shopping mecca is also on the agenda. In Corcovado Mountain, they will get to see the Brazilian icon, Christ the Redeemer, and record the priceless memory with their Sony CyberShot cameras. They will also experience everything from the football madness at Morumbi and Maracana to the breath-taking tropical landscape of Jardim Botanico, a UNESCO site, and the laid-back beach culture of different world-renowned beaches like Copacabana. The winner will also be able to share these memories with ease, with a new Sony HandyCam camcorder and Sony Vaio laptop, and even a new Sony Walkman mp3 player to bring home the sound of Samba.

How to Enter

Answer the question “If anything was possible, what would you do to make the world happy for a day?” as creatively as possible.

Havaianas will have roving video booths traveling to different key malls nationwide where you can record your entry. Or you can make your own 1-minute video and email it to happysoles@havaianasphilippines.com or upload it on the campaign website: www.havaianasphilippines.com/happysoles . Here’s a sample:

Contest Period

Deadline for submission of entries is May 2, 2010 (Sunday) at exactly 10 PM.

More contest details can be found HERE.

Turn those creative juices on now and send in your happy video! You may be  saying “Obrigado” (thank you in Brazilian) sooner than you think!

//