Samba Rock and
Guaraná Antarctica:
An Original Marketing Odyssey
Guaraná Antarctica, the leading Brazilian soda owned by AMBEV (part of the AB-Inbev conglomerate), faced a significant challenge. Despite it being a staple in Brazil’s culture and a love brand among Brazilians everywhere, it was virtually unknown in the US, where the Guaraná flavor was unfamiliar. In 2019, AMBEV chose Samba Rock as their US agency of record, effectively making us Guaraná Antarctica's international marketing department.
Campaign: "Dare to Try"
We launched Guaraná's US campaign by embracing its exotic origins. Our strategy highlighted the Guaraná berry from the Amazon Rainforest, intriguing consumers with its mystique. The campaign, based on the tagline "Dare to Try," targeted regions with significant Brazilian American populations, aiming to transcend niche branding.
We synchronized our efforts with local events, conducting samplings, and brand ambassador engagements. Simultaneously, we bolstered our efforts with digital out-of-home campaigns, street team activations, and supermarket samplings.
Strengthening Digital Footprint
In 2019, we established a robust digital presence with the launch of theoriginalguarana.com, Amazon storefront, and social media pages. Google Ads and Facebook Ads played a key role in building brand awareness. Influencer partnerships further extended our reach.
Innovations and Engagements
Guaraná Experience App: We developed an AR app offering a virtual Amazon Rainforest experience, with sweepstakes for a trip to Brazil, in collaboration with KAYAK.
Holiday Campaign: The "Guara-naughty or Guara-nice" campaign leveraged Amazon's wish list feature for innovative sweepstakes, significantly boosting Guaraná's Amazon ranking to #7 top-selling soda and #2 most wished soda in America.
Rebranding and Repositioning
In 2021, we shifted Guaraná Antarctica's tone to align with its Brazilian humor, adopting a witty, tongue-in-cheek style and updating its visual identity. The brand's association with Chloe Clem, the girl known for the “Side-Eyeing Chloe” meme, bolstered this move, enhancing brand recognition and engagement.
Strategic Partnerships and Achievements
Casa Brasil Sponsorship: As presenting sponsor at Miami Art Week's Casa Brasil, Guaraná gained extensive exposure, aligning with Brazilian art and culture.
MLS Partnership: We secured a deal with NYCFC, the only team in the MLS that wasn’t sponsored by either Coca-Cola or Pepsi. We were lucky enough that in the first year of this partnership, the NYCFC won the MLS championship, and we achieved significant brand exposure through in-stadium signage, social media content, sampling, and brand activations.
Sales and Social Media Growth
Product sales grew 40% year over year.
Guaraná ranked consistently among the top 10 sodas on Amazon.
Social media following tripled, with a 750% increase in content posting.
"The Perfect Match" Campaign
In 2022, we launched a campaign that drew parallels between Brazilian and American cultural favorites. The campaign highlighted the one thing that both cultures have in common: Guaraná Antarctica. The campaign came to life through social media animated videos and included a refreshed website and social media strategy.
Global Strategy
During the 4th quarter of 2022, Samba Rock received a huge task: to craft a new global strategy for Guaraná Antarctica. We delivered a complete brandbook in English, Spanish, and Portuguese that has been adopted by all the markets around the world.
Casa Brasil 2.0
Concluding the year 2022, Guaraná Antarctica reprised its role as the primary sponsor for Casa Brasil, an art exhibition coinciding with Art Week Miami and Art Basel Miami. To accentuate this collaboration, we developed a print advertisement showcasing an AI-generated artwork of a Guaraná can. This ad included a prompt box and the headline "Ce n’est pas d’origine?", a nod to René Magritte's renowned surrealist work, "The Treachery of Images." With this creative approach, we initiated a conversation on the legitimacy of AI-generated art as a form of true artistry, months before the subject was even trending.
Conclusion
Samba Rock's journey with Guaraná Antarctica exemplifies our commitment to transforming market challenges into opportunities for growth, innovation, and cultural integration. Our comprehensive approach, combining traditional marketing with digital innovations, has successfully established Guaraná Antarctica as a distinguished brand in the US market.
About Samba Rock
Samba Rock is a unique hybrid of marketing agency and brand accelerator, redefining the journey of market entry and growth for businesses venturing into the dynamic US market. Specializing in guiding international brands, revitalizing stagnated US businesses, and propelling post-Series A startups, we offer a unique blend of market research, branding strategies, and e-commerce solutions.
So far we have worked with brands such as Bauducco Foods (the world leader in Panettone cakes and America’s #1 wafer manufacturer), The Nature Conservancy (the #1 nature-focused NGO in the world), Conchita Foods (one of the largest Hispanic food brands in the US), Guaraná Antarctica (one of the 3 most memorable brands in Brazil, owned by AB-Inbev, world’s largest brewery), Cia Maritima (largest swimwear brand in Latin America), Saphirus (largest Argentinian brand of air fresheners), Carozzi (Chile’s leader in pasta and cookies), Tonnino (top gourmet tuna brand, from Costa Rica), Chrysal (global leader in plant food), Tramontina (leader in cookware in South America), among others.
With offices in the US and Brazil, and professionals spread across the globe, we leverage our expertise in cultural adaptation and strategic market planning to transform market challenges into opportunities for success, helping brands navigate and thrive in the competitive American landscape.