Part 1: How I (almost) got tricked into wearing Chacos

I am a midwest girl, born and raised. When I moved down south to attend the greatest school in the country (the University of Georgia), I knew I was due for a culture shock. I prepared myself for the "y'alls" and the fried chicken. I prepared myself for the country music that would surely blast from the back of pick up trucks. I even prepared myself for the madness commonly referred to as SEC football. There was one thing, however, that no one warned me about.

Chacos.

Coincidentally, the first time I was introduced to Chacos was the first time I met my roommate. My initial reaction to the foreign disaster on her feet: "Is she serious? She can't be serious. Oh my gosh. She is shamelessly, completely serious."

I hid my immediate panic and made peace with the fact that I would be teaching this girl a thing or two about style. Not an emergency.

Shortly after, the situation changed. I met my other two roommates. Then took notice of half of the UGA student population. They were ALL wearing Chacos. Red alert.

I gave an honest 110% effort to understand what in the world these people were thinking. (This is what marketers must do, after all.) However, I could not get past the idea of spitting out $100 for a pair of clunky foot embarrassments. Despite my roommates' testimonies of comfort, durability, and trendiness, (TRENDINESS?) I took a vow to never mention or touch a Chaco.

Or so I thought. Last week, I spotted something a little out of the ordinary. Large promotional tents, fake trees, corn hole, and (most exciting of all) food trucks were randomly plopped next to the Waffle House parking lot.

I was certainly not about to miss out on all the commotion. I approached the "Free Wrist Wrap" tent without the slightest clue what a 'wrist wrap' was, but knowing it was free and I probably needed one. As an outdoorsy looking lace was tied around my wrist, I realized what I had stumbled into: one big Chaco party.
Despite my deep distaste for Chacos, I had to hand it to their promotional department and marketing campaign. The fun, laid- back atmosphere was created to spread the word of their "Fit for Adventure Tour 2014." I learned that the tour reaches all across the country, from Colorado to Texas to Virginia. The brand brings adventurous spirit to selected cities by hosting music festivals, outdoor appreciation festivals, and even football tailgating! Who doesn't like music and football?

From the Athens "preview event," I watched a mix of clips of intense mountain climbing and kayaking intertwined with the real Adventure Tour. I became engaged with the company's message and method of spreading it. The tour allows "adventurers" to blog about their experience and share images with the #chacotour tag. After I walked around the preview event and got a good feel for the campaign, I spotted a sign in the main tent.

"Get Fit. Make a Difference. Get Swag." Well that all sounds great! Obtain a six pack while saving the world and getting perks left and right...basically. The catch? Try on a pair of Chacos.

I thought about the proposition for a split second. After all, $2 would be donated to Big City Mountaineers for every try! However, I came back to my senses quickly when I took a closer look to the actual Chacos. (Who were these mountaineers anyways?)

This Chaco situation I found myself in raises a critical question for all companies. Which is more important: the product or the marketing?