Cachaça is the national drink of Brazil and the main component of a caipirinha cocktail. Sagatiba is a particularly smooth version that represents the modern, emergent nation that is Brazil today. The campaign had to reflect the country’s spontaneous and vibrant style, without resorting to the hackneyed old clichés it’s been famous for. So, no Carmen Mirandas. No Rio Carnivals. Instead, we homed in on one of its cultural icons – Christ the Redeemer. And we modernised him, dragging him from his static position overlooking Rio, and transforming him into a contemporary and rather cool figure.

Sagatiba launched using contagion marketing, quietly introducing the brand into quality London bars. A live bar was created in one of Selfridges windows for its Brasil 40°; promotion. Then the city’s top barmen were mailed, inviting them to a day of cocktail mixing. With them on board, they could then target London’s coolest bar-goers. Graffiti images of Christ the Redeemer then appeared in the contagion areas, along with flyposters featuring the image and the personalised name of each bar stocking Sagatiba. The campaign culminated in designer magazines with several press executions and 48 sheet posters in cool bar locales.