Brazil is experiencing a phenomenal economic growth. Akatu, an NGO for conscientious consumption, wanted to alert about the impact of what we buy. Our challenge was to do this when all that Brazilians care about is buying and buying. So we created the ultimate consumption extravagance: A pretence
real estate venture built ON the beach sand itself. What if to live on the beach you had to make it disappear?
To make people believe that the building was for real, we built real sales stands, with sales people, 3D models, plans, folders, we ran ads, created the venture's website, we even had an airplane banner. And we also had hidden cameras. We taped consumers' reaction. More than 60% wanted to buy it! Our challenge was to make the whole country know about it. And stop, think and debate about our cause.
Our concept was so strong that Rede Globo, Brazil's largest TV station, embraced it. We made the experiment all over Brazil, taping consumers' reaction. This became a two part story that opened Globo's main news show two Sundays in a row. Prime time TV for free. More than 130 million people were
reached. Over US$ 9 million worth of media.