A beloved Brazilian soap opera set against the backdrop of cocoa cultivation, Renascer usually opens with lush scenes shot on a plantation in southern Bahia, showing people working the land in harmony with nature. Earlier this season, viewers settling in to watch their show were faced with altogether different images: logging, landfills, forest fires, plastic trash washing up on a shore, smog, parched earth...
Later in the episode, the telenovela cuts to actress Eli Ferreira speaking directly to the camera, explaining why Renascer's opening credits had switched from gorgeous to grim. "Real life isn't a soap opera. This is a warning to take better care of the environment." She continues, "We need to act together, and we need to act now," before directing viewers to Para Quem Doar, a social crowdfunding platform run by TV Globo. Sponsored by skincare and cosmetics brand O Boticário, this is the first time the network has ever changed a show's opening.
📺 🫣 Soap operas are all about escaping into drama and romance. By replacing Renascer's familiar opening with scenes of destruction, O Boticário disrupted that sense of carefree downtime. It forced viewers to confront the stark realities of environmental degradation — a calculated effort to leverage the massive reach of a popular telenovela to raise awareness about the urgent need for action.
By directly addressing the audience through a well-known character, the show also blurred the lines between fiction and reality, making the environmental crisis feel both immediate and personal. Other brands: how can you bridge the gap between entertainment and advocacy? Where could you deliver a visual jolt that serves as a call to action?
