Many decades of “Carnival Country” have made the brands operating in the Brazilian market great experts in strategy, planning, communication and all kinds of actions for carnival revelry. From award-winning advertising campaigns to products developed for this time of year, there is a great deal of expectation to take advantage of the opportunities carnival offers in a wide variety of categories – both products and services.
But are brands prepared to connect with another Brazilian festival that has taken on such grandiose proportions as Carnival?
Yes, I’m talking about São João.
In recent years we’ve noticed the rise of São João as a great national catharsis. This is at a time when we are seeing the accentuation of a certain “crisis of Brazilianness”, which shows that the signs historically associated with our country are somewhat worn out (for a number of reasons, but that’s a topic for another post!).
Are we no longer the country of soccer? Are we no longer the country of carnival? Are we not so beachy and tropical anymore? So “blessed by God and beautiful by nature”?
So what do we put in place of these signs of Brazilianness that no longer seem to represent us so well? Or that they don’t take into account other aspects of being Brazilian? What other symbols, cultural aspects and festivities can represent us?
It is against this backdrop that São João has found space to show all its greatness. A cultural manifestation that connects with other aspects of our culture, which has been growing and will grow more and more.
Data from the Ministry of Tourism shows that the June festivities generated almost 3.5 billion for national destinations in 2022. By 2023, this figure was projected to reach 6 billion reais. In two of the country’s main June festivals alone, Caruaru (PE) and Campina Grande (PB), the revenue reached 1.1 billion euros.
The celebration, which was already huge and the most important festival in some regions of the country, has also become huge in places where it wasn’t so significant. It has ceased to be a niche or “regional” festival and has become stronger as an event that represents the whole of Brazil.
Which doesn’t mean that São João is the same all over the country… And that’s where the brands slip up.
Yes, you can jump, but you can’t put out a fire!
Every part of Brazil has its own way of experiencing São João. The traditions, the typical foods, the aesthetics, the sociability… Everything varies from place to place and you can’t homogenize the festival. Much less to connect with São João following the formula of other commemorative dates.
The Rio brand Farm, for example, was heavily criticized by consumers for reusing carnival looks and launching them with a June theme. Farm ended up receiving a resounding response from consumers: “Those born for carnival will never be São João”.
The only way to really connect with the June audience and avoid putting out fires like this is to dedicate yourself to the task of getting to know Brazil in depth.
What are the most striking features of June festivals in southern Brazil? How have cultural changes affected and modified the dynamics of São João in the Northeast? What can we learn from the northern way of celebrating the date?
And, above all, what are the opportunities to increase your brand’s Cultural Relevance by encouraging the growth of this very Brazilian festival?!
What’s more, we need to think about how brands can dance along to this June dance, without predating or destroying the party itself. The camarotization of São João in the Northeast, for example, is a discussion that requires a careful analysis that doesn’t take the lead away from those who actually throw the party. This video by researcher GG Albuquerque is a good starting point for thinking about the issue.
The fact is that by deciding to invest in São João as a brand platform, companies also have a responsibility to take care of people, without cannibalizing a cultural manifestation that is still so genuine.
These are some of the many reflections that we make here at Inesplorato and that guide us in understanding the dynamics of São João in Brazil. But there is a whole universe of issues to think about, which are particular to each category of business.
Has your brand thought about and is it already planning actions for ‘Brazil, the country of São João’?
