Hawaiian Tropic
Product type | Sunscreen |
---|---|
Owner | Playtex Marketing Corp. |
Country | America |
Introduced | 1969 |
Registered as a trademark in | U.S., Canada |
Website | hawaiiantropic.com |
Hawaiian Tropic is an American brand of suntan lotion sold around the world, but more widely available in the United States.
The company was founded by Ron Rice in 1969. With a $500 loan from his father, he mixed the first batch in a metal trash can and bottled it from his home garage in Murray, Kentucky. After rapid success, he became the largest private manufacturer of sun care products in the United States until being acquired in May 2007 by Playtex Products, Inc. When combined with Playtex's other brand of sun care, Banana Boat, Playtex is the largest manufacturer of sun care products in the Western Hemisphere. Shortly after purchasing Hawaiian Tropic, Playtex Products was purchased by Energizer Holdings Inc. in a deal valued at $1.9 billion.[1]
Bikini contests
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Hawaiian_Tropic_Russian_Tea_Room_jeh.jpg/220px-Hawaiian_Tropic_Russian_Tea_Room_jeh.jpg)
The company sponsored bikini competitions to seek women to serve as spokesmodels for their products. Many winners appeared later in advertising campaigns, swimwear, erotic magazines, and lingerie catalogs.
In late 2006, a company opened a theme restaurant called Hawaiian Tropic Zone in New York City near Times Square, advertised as the "Hottest Place on Earth" and using the Hawaiian Tropic Zone name under license. The restaurant featured waitresses in bikinis designed by Nicole Miller and a menu by chef David Burke. Later that year, four former employees sued the restaurant, alleging chronic groping by managers and a rape.[2] Restaurateur Dennis Riese and nightclub owner Adam Hock have ownership interests in the restaurant. The restaurant closed in mid-2010.
In May 2008, the Hawaiian Tropic Brand celebrated the 25th annual Miss Hawaiian Tropic International model search finals at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Since late 2008, the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International model search has ceased to exist in the United States where the former state directors have transitioned to Swimsuit USA, which is now the official successor.
Miss Hawaiian Tropic International
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/MaryeveDufault2011DaytonaARCA.jpg/220px-MaryeveDufault2011DaytonaARCA.jpg)
Year | Winner | Origin | Country |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Cecilia Hörberg | ![]() |
Sweden |
1985 | Karen Frances McGrillen | ![]() |
Ireland |
1986 | Yvonne Balliache | ![]() |
Venezuela |
1987 | Monica Lange | ![]() |
Canada |
1988 | Varinia Govea | ![]() |
Uruguay |
1989 | Jennifer Lynn Campbell | ![]() |
USA |
1990 | Sandi Da Silva | ![]() |
USA |
1991 | Scarlett Chorvat | ![]() |
USA |
1992 | Monica Buck | ![]() |
USA |
1993 | Jennifer Blair | ![]() |
USA |
1994 | Tracy Wood | ![]() |
Canada |
1995 | Krista Frazier | ![]() |
USA |
1996 | Cheryl Depew | ![]() |
USA |
1997 | Renee Slaughter | ![]() |
USA |
1998 | Jennifer England | ![]() |
USA |
1999 | Charlotte Arlt | ![]() |
USA |
2000 | Maryeve Dufault | ![]() |
Canada |
2001 | Erika Johnson | ![]() |
Sweden |
2002 | Shawn Cox | ![]() |
USA |
2003 | Erica Reams | ![]() |
Turks & Caicos |
2004 | Ashley Smith | ![]() |
USA |
2005 | Charmain Espinosa | ![]() |
Panama |
2006 | Kristen Achee | ![]() |
USA |
2007 | Anna Naroznaja | ![]() |
Estonia |
2008 | Debbie O'Toole | ![]() |
UK |
2010 | Amanda Hinchcliffe | ![]() |
Australia |
Notable former Miss Hawaiian Tropic winners
Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA
- Rebecca DiPietro 2005: Former WWE backstage interviewer on ECW and Playboy model; finalist in Hawaiian Tropic International 2005 pageant [3]
- Shana Hiatt 1995: Hostess for the World Poker Tour and Playboy model
- Ashley Massaro 2002: Former WWE Diva and Playboy cover girl
- Crista Nicole 2001: Playboy Playmate of the Month for May 2001
- Brooke Richards 1998: Playboy Playmate of the Month for December 1999
- Suzanne Stokes 1999: Playboy Playmate of the Month for February 2000
Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada
- Lisa Kessous Canadian National Winner, 2000: International Swimsuit Model, Actress and Philanthropist
- Ashley Massaro 2004: Former WWE Diva and Playboy cover girl
- Maryse Ouellet 2003: Former WWE Diva and Playboy model
- Crystal Geoffré 2005
Miss Hawaiian Tropic International
- Cecilia Hörberg 1984: Top 10 at Miss World 1988, representing Sweden.
- Jennifer Campbell 1989: actress and model.
- XiXi Yang Miss China 2008: international spokesmodel, U.S. media personality/TV host; appeared in MTV, VH1, and NBC.
Hawaiian Tropic Teen Miss
- Casey Reinhardt 2003: former castmember of the second season of Laguna Beach and frequent beauty pageant contestant
Other contestants and winners
- Gia Allemand: reality television contestant and actress who also appeared in Maxim[citation needed]
- Anna Anka, (née Åberg) Sweden, Top 10 1993: model, actress, author. Married to the musician Paul Anka[citation needed]
- Marea Lambert-Barker Australia: actress, TV host, radio announcer, model[citation needed]
- XiXi Yang: international spokesmodel, American media personality, TV host, appeared in MTV, VH1 and NBC[citation needed]
- Brooke Adams, former ECW performer[citation needed]
- Martina Andrews, Miss Hooters International 2004[citation needed]
- Michelle Banzer: Miss Kentucky USA 2007
- Laura Morgan Porter: Miss Tennessee Hawaiian Tropic 2006, 2003 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover finalist, one of the three official NASCAR Pit Crew girls from 2009–2011[citation needed]
- Jillian Beyor: Playboy Cyber Girl, Cyber Girl of Month May 2007, Cyber Girl of Week January 1, 2007, and Coed of Month October 2006[citation needed]
- Barbara Blank: 2005 model; WWE diva under the ring name Kelly Kelly[4]
- Angel Boris: actress and Playboy Playmate of the Month for July 1996[citation needed]
- Jennifer Cole: actress and model
- Louise Glover: former Playboy Special Editions "Model of the Year"[citation needed]
- Sandra Hubby: Playboy Playmate of the Month for March 2004[citation needed]
- Dalene Kurtis: Playboy Playmate of the Month for September 2001 and one of People magazine's 50 most beautiful people in 2004[citation needed]
- Sung Hi Lee: actress and very popular Playboy Special Editions model, featured in Playboy magazine's "Girls of Hawaiian Tropic" issue in 1995 and the companion video[citation needed]
- Rochelle Loewen: former WWE diva and Playboy model; made cameo appearances on The Girls Next Door[citation needed]
- Tilsa Lozano: Miss Playboy TV Latinoamerica & Iberia 2008, Playboy TV actress[citation needed]
- Cassandra Lynn: Playboy Playmate of the Month for February 2006[citation needed]
- Holly Madison: Playboy model and Hugh Hefner's former #1 girlfriend[citation needed]
- Yael Markovich: Miss International Israel 2012 and Miss Supranational Israel[citation needed]
- Kalin Olson: Playboy Playmate of the Month for August 1997[citation needed]
- Jocelyn Oxlade: model, singer, host, FHM Babe (Philippines); turned down a Playboy magazine offer worth $25,000 due to some personal reasons.[citation needed]
- Kirsten Price: nude model, contestant of the reality program My Bare Lady, porn star
- Tiffany Selby: model and member of the USA National Bikini Team[citation needed]
- Tiffany Taylor: Playboy Playmate of the Month for November 1998[citation needed]
- Jennifer Thomas: Washington's finalist in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA competition in 2000;[5] professional wrestler[citation needed]
- Jamie Westenhiser: Playboy Playmate of the Month for May 2005[citation needed]
References
- ^ Forbes Energizer buys Platex
- ^ Fox News Women sue for sexual harassment
- ^ "2005 Miss Hawaiian Tropic press release". Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved March 22, 2007.
- ^ "Bikini Models of Hawaiian Tropic > Barbie Blank". Retrieved April 7, 2007.
- ^ "Jennifer Thomas' official website".
External links
- Official website
- Hawaiian Tropic Pageant Coverage Video Archive
- Hawaiian Tropic Zone restaurant
- Hawaiian Tropic Zone Official New Years Eve party in Time Square New York City New Years with Hawaiian Tropic Zone
- Hawaiian Tropic Zone review in New York Magazine