Ad Of The Month

Vivo

Brazil: Vivo

4.0

The Covid-19 pandemic has restricted the way ads are produced and forced brands to come up with creative solutions – animation, videocall ads, user-generated footage, and more. But it’s not too surprising that some brands are yearning for the old-school big-event ad – especially when it comes to tie-ins with sporting events.

For its ad “Talento”, Telecoms giant Vivo has got around the problem by cleverly stitching together footage of tennis superstar Rafael Nadal and Duda, a young woman footballer – so it looks like the two of them are sharing a court at Roland Garros. Duda plays a girl who is coached in tennis and ends up as a ball girl – but her real passion is futsal and she delights Nadal with her tricks and skills.

It’s a clever move for Vivo as it hits several bases at once. Timed for the French Open, which Vivo holds broadcasting rights to in Brazil, it also coincided with the run-up to this year’s Copa America, where Brazil are defending their title. So the blend of tennis and football works particularly well, and the technical wizardry is well hidden – you’d never know this wasn’t filmed with a real crowd. With Brazil hit hard by this phase of the Covid pandemic, the last thing people want to see is another ad reminding them of it, so like the sport itself, this is a fine bit of escapism.

The ad also fits within Vivo’s recent activity promoting women’s sport and gender equality – and in particular the national women’s football team. Vivo’s association with As Canarinhas dates back to 2005 and the brand is always looking for ways to encourage more female participation in sports. While Brazil was the first Latin American country to officially recognise its women’s team, the sport has often struggled to find funding and support. With its story of a girl raised to play tennis but instead turning to football – the country’s national passion – “Talento” is almost guaranteed a rousing reaction.

That’s exactly what it gets in Test Your Ad, with a strong 4.0-Star score and a strong short-term Spike response, too. The emotional journey in the ad is particularly striking too, with a huge surge of happiness and surprise when Duda starts ball-juggling on the tennis court. Having secured an appearance by Nadal, it’s a bold decision to have him and his sport upstaged in their own ad, but for Vivo, the emotional payoff is worth it.

View the full in-depth ad report.