Key Moments:
- Superbet introduced its new brand direction in Brazil, centering on emotion and experience rather than transactional messaging.
- The campaign began with out-of-home ads on February 7 and expanded to multiple channels, featuring Nicole Bahls and Cafu as interactive brand ambassadors.
- Superbet achieved GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ recognition for the Superbateria samba drum ensemble, uniting 1,243 percussionists during Carnival festivities.
Superbet’s Strategic Shift in Brazil
Superbet has distanced itself from the conventional approach of the betting sector, instead embracing an emotionally-charged narrative as part of its brand platform in Brazil. The initiative marks its first major campaign connected to its sponsorship of Rio Carnival 2026, centered on the concept: “Superbet. You feel it when it’s super.” The focus is to build brand positioning through culture, emotion, and shared experiences, rather than strictly transactional messages.
Experiential Campaign Rollout and Brand Ambassadors
The campaign took off on February 7 with out-of-home placements and broadened by February 9 to open TV, digital channels, and proprietary content. At the forefront are Nicole Bahls and Cafu, embodying the “King and Queen” who serve as both creators and interactive faces of the campaign. This creative approach aims to restore audience centrality through strategies that foster participation and interactivity, especially with Carnival as a central theme.
Patrícia Prates, Superbet Marketing Director, stated: “We are going to give protagonism back to the audience through a creative media strategy that promotes interactivity. The first phase of this project has Carnival as its grand stage”. She added, “Being super is feeling the thrill of a challenge and the vibration of these moments. That’s what Superbet builds and is what we bring with our new brand platform: experiences that turn into real sensations”.
Innovative, Multi-Channel Storytelling
This new narrative unfolds across diverse media, starting with a two-part film. Bahls and Cafu, positioned at opposite ends of the Superbet VIP lounge at Sapucaí, vie to reach a serving tray with the last shrimp canapé, turning it into a playful challenge. The evolving story has been fragmented intentionally over digital and broadcast channels to drive audience engagement via social competitions such as #TeamCafu and #TeamNicole. The outcome was revealed in a follow-up film on February 14, and a combined version aired across TV and digital platforms from February 18 through February 28.
One executive noted, “We are building a long-term, legitimate, and responsible strategy, with visibility that makes the brand differentiate itself in such a competitive category and places us among the major sponsors of the Brazilian entertainment and cultural scene.”
Carnival Integration and Record-Breaking Partnerships
Superbet’s activation at Rio Carnival 2026 spans more than advertising by leveraging an integrated, cross-platform approach that unifies culture, technology, media, and entertainment. In January, Superbet and LIESA collaborated to create the Superbateria, which GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ officially recognized as the largest samba drum ensemble. This event brought together 1,243 percussionists from special group samba schools, led by renowned masters and featuring Neguinho da Beija-Flor performing classic samba anthems.
Throughout Carnival week, Bahls and Cafu mobilized their audiences through team-building interactive content. On February 17, during Globo’s broadcast, a special live segment featured Milton Cunha and Bahls customizing Carnival costumes for one minute, with winners determined via social network voting.
Engaging the Public with Interactive OOH and Urban Installations
Superbet extended engagement to city streets in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo with interactive out-of-home media and playful urban installations. Revelers were encouraged to join in “games” prompted by playful instructions such as “Rainbow Game. Put glitter on someone in the bloco”, as well as other interactions like “Gogó Game”, “Pharaoh Game”, “Pepper Game”, and “Lost Game.”
The creative vision was led by GUT São Paulo. Rainor Marinho, Executive Creative Director, said: “This dynamic takes media beyond volume, into a methodology where media, creativity, strategy, and data meet and work together”. The films, produced by Saigon and directed by the duo Dois (Pedro Pereira and João Dornelas), reinforce Superbet’s commitment to becoming a prominent entertainment brand within Brazil’s cultural calendar. The campaign thus transforms Carnival from a sponsorship opportunity into a living, participatory manifestation of the Superbet brand.
| Date | Activation | Details |
|---|---|---|
| February 7 | OOH Launch | Out-of-home media initiated in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo |
| February 9 | Media Expansion | Activation across open TV, digital, and branded content |
| February 14 | The Result Film | Outcome of the brand challenge revealed |
| February 17 | Live Broadcast Segment | Carnival costume customization contest aired on Globo |
| February 18-28 | Full Film Broadcast | Combined story and challenge outcome broadcast on TV/digital |
- Author
Daniel Williams
