Partnerships like Will Smith's with Nomad, Madonna's with Itaú and Bruno Mars' with Budweiser require more energy in negotiations and planning, but they add prestige that can go beyond territorial borders.
Will Smith speaking Portuguese with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) in a Nomad commercial. Madonna, in a luxurious setting, emphasizing that she is made of the future, just like Itaú's slogan. Sylvester Stallone talking to Marcos Mion directly from the iconic steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in another campaign for the same bank. Actor Leslie David Baker, famous for the series The Office, spending a few days in Brazil to produce a web series for Nubank.
These are some of the most recent scripts that put into practice something that is not new in Brazilian advertising, but that has attracted attention due to the frequency with which it has been used recently: the participation of international celebrities in major Brazilian advertising campaigns.
For decades, having the endorsement of a celebrity or prestigious canada whatsapp data public figure has been the preferred strategy for many brands around the world. And when that personality is known beyond the borders of that country or region, the weight and reach of that message are catapulted even further, often causing the campaign to reverberate internationally.
Despite being a Brazilian company, Nomad wanted to reinforce that its services are delivered internationally. That's why the company and its advertising agency, David, thought it would be a good strategy to count on a Hollywood talent to carry the brand's message forward.
“Celebrities with international projection help quickly materialize the global character of a brand,” points out Rogerio Chaves, executive creative director at David.
In Nomad’s case, however, this was only part of the solution. “There is another aspect that needs to be considered in communication: reaching out to the Brazilian public,” adds Fabricio Pretto, also the agency’s executive creative director.
From this perspective, the duo says that, even though the campaign script worked with different celebrities, Smith was chosen mainly for two reasons: being a face that a large part of Brazilians can identify with and having a deep connection with the country.
“In addition to having classic characters that are widely portrayed on broadcast television, both in series and films, Will has a history of visits and even surprise appearances in the country. In some ways, Will Smith is one of the most Brazilian Hollywood actors of all,” believes Chaves.
International celebrities: challenges and adaptation
While having an international personality in a campaign or advertising campaign gives a greater dimension to the message and gives the brand more status, on the other hand, achieving this feat is not easy. First, of course, it requires a greater financial investment.
Heloisa Pupim, co-COO of Africa Creative, the agency responsible for Itaú's campaign with Madonna, points out that the difference in currency alone makes hiring a foreign celebrity much more expensive for the advertiser. However, according to her, the biggest barrier to this type of partnership is cultural.
“If we are talking to international celebrities, we are dealing with cultural differences in terms of process, behavior and communication. Even though the negotiation, contract and approval process follows the same steps as for a Brazilian celebrity, it is done differently,” says the publicist.
The creative duo at David agrees that approaching someone of international stature is more challenging than partnering with a local personality, especially when this process is done internally, by the advertising agency, as was the case with Will Smith and David.
“It’s not just about reconciling time zones, but also going through a series of conversations with agents and intermediaries,” explains Pretto, highlighting that these processes, in these cases, can take months.
From a creative standpoint, there are also challenges to be overcome. The creative duo at David points out that it is not new to see advertisements featuring global celebrities, speaking to the Brazilian population. However, they believe that, in many cases, there is a lack of proximity, a stronger connection that makes the piece something made especially for Brazil and not an adapted global campaign.
On this point, Africa's co-COO says that the “Brazilian way” ends up being an advantage in the processes, as it allows for adaptations during production, which help the celebrity to connect better with the public.
“We always try to leave the production and script more free so that the celebrity brings their own tone, so that the campaign has a greater connection with them, has their touch”, says Heloísa.