“Read to a child” and “Busca da Mãe”: storytelling and social marketing as incentives for reading

Abstract

The “Read to a Child” campaign the Itaú Social Foundation promotes exemplifies social marketing, employing storytelling strategies to foster childhood literacy. This study evaluates this project (initiated in 2010) and the campaign based on the perspective of social marketing, emphasizing its dedication to a cause benefiting society: the promotion of children’s reading and education. Within this framework, the analysis focuses on the film “Busca da Mãe,” released in October 2019 and produced by DPZT, Saigon Filmes, and Satélite Áudio. Its narrative revolves around the story of a mother, a waste picker, striving for improved living conditions for her family. Thus, she begins collecting discarded books in a landfill, bringing them home for her children to read. The storytelling technique guides the script as the film narrates a genuine story, transforming it into an experience that positive changes from its initial situation. This study introduces the project of the Foundation and scrutinizes the film, contemplating its audiovisual construction. It aims to evoke emotions, engage viewers, and underscore the significance of education as a fundamental and transformative societal cornerstone, showcasing the commitment from Itaú Foundation to this cause.