Todo mundo usa? : o lugar do ambulante na construção do popular nas Havaianas

Abstract

This study investigates how the concept of "popular" is represented in Havaianas' advertising campaigns between the 1980s and 2020, focusing on the construction of the street vendor figure. The debate on the representation of the working-class population in advertising is not new but has gained new layers in the era of social media, which has amplified the voices of these communities while also challenging how their cultural expressions are commercially appropriated. The chosen approach, centered on the street vendor, highlights the ambiguities in the construction of "popular" within the brand’s discourse, revealing how Brazilian identity is used to reinforce—or not—its image. By analyzing Havaianas' discursive strategies, this research aims to understand how the brand shapes and disseminates the notion of the popular, questioning the authenticity of these representations and their role in fostering a cultural diversity that is truly fair and representative.