The best brand takeovers at Bondi Icebergs: Ranked 16-1

Bondi Icebergs has been the location of some of the most memorable brand takeovers in Australia. From a Barbie Dreamhouse to a giant sink, Icebergs has been it all. to We've curated the definitive ranking of these impressive activations, spotlighting global brands that redefined experiential marketing at this Australian landmark. See our definitive ranking below from worst to best.

16. R U OK

If we were ranking this list based on best organisations to have activated at Icebergs this would be the best, by far. But, unfortunately, their takeover of Bondi Icebergs was underwhelming. To be fair, that’s not really important if this message was seen by passers by and were prompted to ask the question.

15. Sunglass Hut

Sunglass Hut ran a promotion titled Electrify Bondi. Unfortunately it was a windy day making it hard to read.

14. Volvo

Nothing particularly memorable here and it fails to give Bondi visitors the one thing they really want - the perfect shot for Instagram.

13. Havianas

Havianas celebrated Mardi Gras with an Icebergs takeover. Whilst this was promoting an incredible event with an important message the huge logo made this LGBTQIA+ celebration look more like an unapologetic ad. We wonder if they gave any thought to giving their charity partner Minus 18 the hero logo placement?

12. Bottega Veneta

Another ad at the bottom of the pool.

11. Snapchat

Produced by Snapchat this was designed to raise awareness of the plight of the Great Barrier Reef. We think it could have been much more impactful if they hadn’t slapped their logo right in the middle of it.

10. Santa Vittoria

By far the best image to have graced Icebergs pool. This Aquabumps instant classic made a big splash when Bondi awoke to see it plastered on everyone’s favourite pool. Sure, no one really knew which brand it was promoting but that doesn’t matter, the takeover itself was memorable.

9. Biossance

What’s the one thing you don’t want to see when you’re at Bondi? That’s right, sharks. Even still, this was a good effort from Biossance. It certainly caught your attention!

8. Netflix

This promotion for Netflix’s Tidelands wins big points for creativity. It was one of the better examples of a brand developing their promotion to suit the environment, using the whirlpool to great effect.

7. American Express

The OG. The team at Amex were the first to transform Bondi Icebergs into an advertising canvas using imagery that sat on the bottom of the pool. It’s not the most creative use of Icebergs but every brand that has followed has taken Amex’s great idea and had the opportunity to build on it. Bonus points for having local traders set up a market for the day giving everyone there an opportunity to ‘Shop Small’.

6. Finish

We love this. One of the first brands to properly activate around the pool, not just in it, and it brought a smile to the face of anyone who walked by.

5. Adidas

A tennis court by Adidas and charity partner Parley was an unexpected, eye catching use of the pool. No doubt there were some keen eyes watching the surf report in the days leading up to this one.

4. Sydney Fashion Week

How do you secure editorial space on the front page of every newspaper in the country? Take fashion week to Bondi Icebergs. The images that come from catwalk shows held at the pool are striking and unforgettable.

3. Hennessy

Two of the coolest brands in the world, Hennessy and the NBA came together to create the most scenic basketball court in the world. Envious eyes were cast to Bondi with everyone asking the same question; ‘how do I get to play there’. For many, this is number one on the list and there’s no doubt, there’s a strong case for it.

2. Barbie Movie

We love what the team behind the Barbie Movie did with this takeover. Unlike most brands, the team focussed their effort making the space around the pool the hero and it paid dividends. If this doesn’t evoke childhood memories of the Barbie Dreamhouse we don’t know what will.

1. Jim Beam

We’re not sure if the negroni sipping clientele at Icebergs Dining Room & Bar even know what Jim Beam is (Jim who?) but you have to give credit for this incredible takeover, complete with 500 fake ice cubes and 2 million litres of water in the Icebergs esky. This was one of, it not the earliest activation at Icebergs and we don’t think it has been topped. Interestingly, starting with Amex, every activation since has been primarily made up of an image on the pool floor. We suspect the disruption caused by a 4-day setup by the Jim Beam crew was not well received by locals. Nevertheless, this is a winner in our eyes.