Why Did Paris Hilton Drop Her Guard In Brazil?
The News:
To promote edgy Devassa blond beer (“devassa” means “naughty” in Portuguese), the brand convinced Paris Hilton to be videoed partying non-stop for three weeks in Brazil.
Daily Youtube uploads got an enthusiastic following, and the event was amplified by media coverage of her more unguarded moments.
Devassa went on to produce a sultry TV commercial, with Paris in a short black dress, sensually rubbing a can of Devassa beer on herself, delighting onlookers who watch through her apartment window.
Behind the News:
While Brazil is known for its overt display of postage-stamp size bikini’s beaches, Devassa’s portrayal of a non Brazilian blond who is not on a beach, while relatively tame, broke cultural codes – and a local law which forbids associating beer with sensuality.
Actually many Brazilian beer ads feature woman in bikini, but they are always set on the beach. Brazil’s secretariat for Women’s Affair said ‘It’s an ad that devalues women-in particular, blond women. The problem is not a lack of clothing, but its sensual nature.”
The controversial buzz plays nicely into the brand’s goal of establishing itself as the naughty anti-establishment beer.