The Challenge
To celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024, Itaú Unibanco created landmark moments that sparked national conversations. In May, the brand brought Madonna to Brazil for a historic free concert on Copacabana Beach, drawing 1.6 million people and igniting a dialogue on the value of time. Three months later, Itaú focused on the value of women, staging a live performance of Simone de Beauvoir’s Letters with actress Fernanda Montenegro at São Paulo’s Ibirapuera Park. In a country where half the population has never been to the theater, Itaú’s performance broke a Guinness World Record, with 15,000 attendees and millions in organic reach. Choosing silence over noise, and presence over platforms, Itaú sparked a cultural milestone.
The Solution
The concept was executed with radical simplicity. A stage in Ibirapuera Park — Latin America’s most visited cultural space — was chosen not just for visibility, but for symbolism: a public venue, open and accessible, in a country where nearly half the population has never been to the theater. The setting reflected the heart of the idea — that feminist thought should belong to everyone. Fernanda Montenegro performed with no set design, no special effects — just a desk, a glass of water, and her voice. This minimalism was intentional: it placed full focus on the power of words. The performance was amplified across Itaú’s digital and social channels, supported by earned media and PR, reaching 24 million people online. The scale matched the ambition. What could have been a niche cultural act became a mass conversation — not despite the simplicity, but because of it.
