KKNEKKI goes outdoor with Erling Braut Haaland

When KKNEKKI launches Erling Braut Haaland’s own collection, it marks the brand’s biggest investment in Norway to date. Through an outdoor advertising campaign, the Norwegian hair tie brand aims to increase awareness, reach new audiences, and generate excitement around its collaboration with the football superstar.

Bon Dep AS, the company behind KKNEKKI, generates most of its revenue from international markets. With Erling Braut Haaland both as an ambassador and investor, the company saw a unique opportunity to place additional focus on its home market.

Hedda Engelhardt Davidsen, Marketing Manager at Bon Dep, says the goal is to strengthen the brand’s position in Norway.

– The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness of KKNEKKI in Norway and strengthen the brand’s position among Norwegian consumers. At the same time, we want to highlight the Haaland Collection and create engagement around a Norwegian brand and a partnership we are proud of, says Davidsen.

As a small marketing team, KKNEKKI has historically built the brand primarily through organic marketing. The Haaland collaboration therefore became a natural opportunity to test new channels.

– Through our partnership with Erling Haaland, we have the opportunity to reach a broader audience and introduce the brand to new target groups. That’s why we saw this as a natural opportunity to explore outdoor advertising, she says.

Becoming part of the national conversation

The response has been strong. Shortly after launch, traffic from Norwegian visitors to kknekki.com increased by 319 percent, and several Anton Sport stores have already reported sold-out products.

The campaign consists of both classic outdoor advertising placements and three creative special executions. At Aker Brygge, the public can receive a KKNEKKI hair tie “to cheer with” through an interactive Adshel unit, while two custom-built display windows at Nationaltheatret and Majorstuen showcase the Haaland Collection in the cityscape. These executions have generated significant engagement, both on the street and on social media, where consumers are asking about locations and product restocks.

The interest confirms that the campaign is tapping into a moment of exceptionally high public attention. With Erling Braut Haaland at the centre and growing interest in the FIFA World Cup, KKNEKKI wanted to be visible during a period when football captures attention far beyond the matches themselves.

According to the Attitudes to the FIFA World Cup 2026 study conducted by Bauer Media Outdoor UK, 64 percent of respondents feel that outdoor advertising linked to major sporting events makes brands feel like part of the national conversation. At the same time, 59 percent say they pay more attention to brands that connect themselves to such moments.

The campaign was developed in collaboration with Bauer Media Outdoor’s Key Account Manager Daniel Aagaard and the Create team.

– This is a great example of how outdoor advertising can help a brand become relevant during a moment that already engages a large share of the population. As interest in Haaland and the national team continues to grow, outdoor provides an opportunity to be present where people meet, move, and participate in the conversation, says Isabel Davis Brodtkorb, Senior Manager Create & Engage at Bauer Media Outdoor.

From personal choice to personal collection

The story behind the collaboration began long before the campaign. Before KKNEKKI and Erling Braut Haaland entered into a formal partnership, the hair tie was already a regular part of his daily life.

– I use KKNEKKI and invested in the company because I believe in the product, says Haaland.

– It didn’t start with a campaign. KKNEKKI was already a product Erling chose time and time again because it worked. That’s why it felt natural to develop a collection together, says Marikken Emilia Grønseth, Creative Director and Product Developer at KKNEKKI.

The result is a Limited Edition collection featuring eight handpicked KKNEKKI hair ties inspired by the clubs and teams that have shaped his football career.

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