Carnival is, without any doubt, the biggest national festival in Brazil. From the Friday before Ash Wednesday, the entire nation unites in one big street party for five consecutive days. Over 46 million national and international visitors are mobilized to party across the country.
The 2023 edition of the event marked the return to normality for Carnival revelers after two years of cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic. The expectations were high, especially regarding the attendance of celebrities and football players. The latter usually are in the midst of important championships in that period need to be mindful of their physical health. With that in mind, Brahma, one of the most traditional sponsors of Carnival and football, decided to combine these two national passions.
The campaign created an experience-led activation that encouraged interaction between Brahma beer and its consumers. A Foamy Medical Department (Foamy MD) was designed to welcome football players and take care of their physical well-being in the middle of Carnival. The space was built in a premium location and offered a physiotherapy gym, cryotherapy tub, ice bag, compression boot with can holder, and healing spray that resembled beer foam. With a satirical concept, the state-of-the-art medical department served as a party venue and chilling space for professional football players in the middle of Carnival. The richness of details and direct correlations with actual medical departments had the intention to spark media and social media interest.
The satirical concept of a state-of-the-art medical department in the middle of Carnival appealed to the target audience of football fans and carnival-goers, resulting in people posting videos pretending to be injured while playing football to get in. These videos were shared on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, creating a viral effect that amplified the campaign's reach, and placing the conversation as a trending topic. The experience helped Brahma stand out from the competition, becoming the top brand during carnival, with an 850% earned media increase from the previous year, and a brand recall 2x bigger than the second brand. Complementary metrics are the 27.3 earned impressions and 312 million in impact. Overall, the campaign achieved its goal of connecting Brahma beer with Brazil's biggest cultural traits.