In today’s world we hear so often about what we can do to help save the environment and protect mother nature, but have you ever considered what your favorite athlete or brand is doing with their platform to help with this? Sustainability in brand and athlete partnerships can sometimes be hard to get right and feel authentic, but when brands find the right athlete to work with who is incredibly passionate about their impact on the world, the most incredible partnerships are born.
Brisa Hennessy, from Costa Rica, is currently ranked the 5th best surfer in the world and competes in the World Surf League. Outside of surfing, Brisa has a love for cooking, education, community, and sustainability. These are all key ingredients in the cultivation of an organic partnership with Brisa, and what brands look at in order to engage the relatability level. Sustainability and being eco-friendly are two major core values for Brisa and are crucial reasons on what partnerships she currently has.
Brisa has multiple partnership deals with brands, including Vertra, Rip Curl, Nosotros Tequila and Pura Vida. Each partnership is so unique and the goals of each campaign are different. For example, Vertra is special to Brisa because of their initiative. Vertra is committed to delivering athlete inspired, planet friendly premium suncare and skincare products to keep outdoor athletes and adventurers protected while having fun in the sun. Not only does Vertra support her athletic career, but each and every brand holds a pure connection to Brisa’s core values. With this partnership Brisa is supporting the Vertra brand and helping raise awareness to the eco-friendly products they sell.
Another one of Brisa’s partners, Pura Vida, spends much time, energy, and focus on sustainability and ocean protection. This shared connection was brought to life and through this a partnership was born. Pura Vida was founded from a trip to Costa Rica where the founders fell in love with the laid-back culture and lifestyle. From then on, they set out to celebrate and spread the “pura vida” spirit globally through responsible, artisan-made products that inspire positivity and give back. “Pura vida”, translating to “pure life” in Spanish, is more than just a saying in Costa Rica - it’s about enjoying life’s little pleasures, slowing down and living life to the fullest. They have partnered with more than 200 charities around the world to donate over $4 million to causes you care about. Pura Vida is always striving to do more and is constantly on the lookout for charities that can benefit from help.
Pura Vida also took this initiative beyond partnering with athletes when they decided to team up with the World Surf League to be the presenting partner of the Rising Tides program. Rising Tides is a cornerstone of the league's values, providing young surfers access to the world's best surfers and a platform to explore and learn from their heroes and heroines about pursuing their dreams in and out of the water.
Pura Vida again teamed up with the World Surf League to bring the waves to you with the WSL Mixed Bracelet and Mini Braid Anklet. The upcoming WSL x Pura Vida bracelet ties back to WSL's We Are One Ocean campaign, which spotlights sustainability and ocean protection. Pura Vida and the WSL want to ensure the ocean is healthy for generations of surfers and aspiring athletes to come.
The World Surf League continues to be committed to protecting and conserving the global ocean through We Are One Ocean to preserve the future of our sport for generations to come. The WSL along with its non-profit partner WSL PURE, and SHISEIDO, are bringing this to life at each WSL Championship Tour event through community-led activations. They are working with a number of inspiring organizations to make an impact in spaces around coastal restoration and conservation, reducing plastics and climate change, which tie back to priorities outlined by the UN Decade on Restoration.
Companies are able to create key campaigns and activation points that truly make a difference by implementing these partnerships. Through the work of brands like Pura Vida, the WSL and good people like Brisa Hennessy, awareness is brought to issues like the ecosystem and positive changes occur.
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