On consumption, censorship, beer, and celebrity: Building the meaning for the Devassa brand

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the assumptions of the advertising activity by presenting and analyzing the Devassa Bem Loura beer launch campaign in Brazil. The case represents a transition from traditional advertising, practiced since the beginning of the last century through paid insertions into the media, using an invasive model of persuasion, to current advertising, which seeks to engage consumers on multiple media platforms, no longer by imposing sales arguments, but, rather, by invitation and the consenting participation of Internet users in promoting the brand. The article discusses the assumptions of the advertising activity in this transition scenario and presents the creative, visual, and verbal elements that now constitute the brand's signs of identity and personality.