Yoki Rejuvenates its Brand with a Carnival Hit from Brazilian Singer Lexa
In order to get closer and closer to a young audience, Yoki – a packaged foods company with a 30-year history in Brazil – will release a ‘Carnival hit’ with a funk rhythm, created based on the sound of popcorn popping in the microwave. The brand will also sponsor singer Lexa’s Carnival block, that will include the single in its live pre-Carnival performances in São Paulo. By investing in an activation during one of the largest cultural events in the country, the company strengthens its democratic essence and the emotional ties with its consumers.
As microwave popcorn is one of the most popular snacks in Yoki’s portfolio of more than 300 products, it was chosen to represent the brand during the event. After that, the first step was to challenge KondZilla, one of the largest music production companies in Brazil, to create a funk song with a rhythm that would use elements of the ritual of preparing the snack, like the sound of the microwave, and of the popcorn popping. The second challenge was choosing the voice that would perform the song and, notably, create an immediate bond with the brand’s target audience. Recognised for her prominence in the Brazilian pop and funk music scene, singer Lexa not only gave the tone for the launch, but also led the music clip, interpreting several iconic characters during the recordings.
“With this activation, we aim to strengthen even more our relationship with the young crowd, by providing a unique experience and showing that funk, Carnival and Yoki microwave popcorn are tastier together. To that end, we brought together famous players in the music scene who talk directly to these consumers, like KondZilla and Lexa,” says Manuel Garabato, LATAM marketing director at General Mills.
Developed by FCB Brasil, the action is part of the campaign ‘Tastier Together,’ that encourages Brazilians to bring Yoki products into various moments of their lives. In addition to releasing the music clip and sponsoring Lexa’s block during São Paulo’s pre-Carnival, the strategy will include diversified initiatives on social media, activations with influencers, and distribution of samples of Yoki popcorn during the party.
“The idea came from the mouth-watering sound of the popcorn popping. It’s a beat with a rhythm that could be made into a funk beat. And so the idea grew and became something much greater, inserting Yoki in the Carnival context, with a single, a music video and a Carnival block, and bringing in partners like Lexa and KondZilla. The result i as tasty and democratic as the popcorn. It has everything to be a huge hit,” comments Fábio Simões, ECD at FCB Brasil.
In the beat of popcorn: the release of the song is scheduled for February 1st, in Kondzilla’s official YouTube channel. Besides inspiring the rhythm of the song, the Yoki popcorn will also be present in several moments of the music clip, showing that it is a versatile option in people’s everyday lives. In a scenario that is reminiscent of a very tropical Brazilian show, Lexa will interpret iconic artists, like Carmen Miranda, Marilyn Monroe and Beyoncé. The concept is to bring together Yoki popcorn with funk, and famous and iconic women performers.
“Like KondZilla, one of the largest producing companies and record labels in today's music industry, Lexa is considered one of the most relevant women in the music scene. So having her in our cast, in partnership with Ferrati Entretenimento, is extremely important and gratifying, especially in such a special project that involves Yoki and Kondzilla. This is sure to be another hit by our 'sapequinha' and a perfect match between two brands that are so relevant and important in Brazil,” says Konrad Dantas, a.k.a. ‘Kond’, partner and founder of KondZilla.
Taking the Carnaval block to the streets: the ‘Sapequinha Block’ lead by Lexa will perform on February 16 at Barra Funda (Marques de São Vicente,230), in São Paulo. During the show, expected to attract over 500 thousand people, the Yoki Carnival hit will be performed live for the first time. “Having a Carnival block in São Paulo is a dream come true for me. I’m from Rio, but my husband is from São Paulo and I live here. Having a brand such as Yoki as a partner that is investing in this project is a recognition of the fact that I am living the best phase of my career, and I want to achieve even more. My relationship with the brand comes from my childhood, and I never imagined that some day we would be partners,” confirms the artist.
