merit
OBEY THE BEAT
We crashed Brazil’s musical event of the century and elevated an unknown brand to headliner status.
When Rise New York was asked to re-introduce Alok’s signature audio brand WAAW, we knew it had to be more than a campaign, it had to be a cultural moment. We turned to The Concert of the Century (https://tinyurl.com/concertofthecentury) at Copacabana Beach, a concert that would bring millions at a venue that has hosted music legends like The Rolling Stones, Madonna, and Paul McCartney.
To garnish the impact WAAW was looking for, the brand needed more than to be a presence–it wanted to own the moment. The challenge was that official sponsorship was already taken. Instead of sponsorship or clever advertising, we orchestrated a live broadcast on Brazil’s leading TV network, ensuring WAAW was front and center for millions.
We then mobilized influencers across social media and invaded every medium possible—from digital displays and TV to experiential activations and OOH placements—with a country-wide paid and organic campaign.
With over 30 million Instagram followers, Alok Achkar Peres Petrillo (known as “Alok” by his fans), is more than a cultural force behind the Brazilian electronic scene—he’s a globally recognized DJ icon.
When Alok launched his signature brand WAAW in 2022, despite the initial fanfare and retailer interest, the brand experienced disappointing sales. WAAW turned to Rise New York & Partners to not just relaunch the brand, but to restore faith among retail giants like Amazon and Mercado Libre.
To re-ignite the WAAW brand, we needed more than a campaign. Like Alok himself, we needed a cultural moment. And we found it in the biggest event of Alok’s career: The Concert of the Century at Copacabana Beach—an event that attracted millions. The challenge was that direct sponsorship was already taken, and we knew that solely relying on media to create buzz around the concert wouldn't achieve the same level of exposure and engagement the brand was seeking.
Since we couldn’t officially sponsor the event, we decided to take over everything else, turning a party we weren’t even invited to into an all-out brand act, both on and off the stage.
We didn’t just show up big to the concert — we hijacked it! Transforming a $1 million media budget into a cultural takeover that put WAAW at the center of Brazil’s biggest night beyond an official sponsor presence.
We secured prime visibility through the official live broadcast on Brazil’s leading TV network. During the broadcast, the hosts wore the same headphones Alok was rocking on stage, and we gave viewers a chance to snag their own with a 30% discount.
We also unleashed an influencer blitzkrieg across social media, mobilized a country-wide paid and organic campaign, and invaded every medium possible—from digital displays and TV to experiential activations and out-of-home placements.
As a result, brand visibility increased by 500%, reached 2 million new audiences, and drove 300% more sales.
Best of all, retailers are back in the game and selling Alok’s products like hotcakes!
Alok is a prominent music icon in Brazil. He was nominated "Best DJ in Brazil" by House Mag in 2014 and 2015 and ultimately among the top 5 in the world by DJ Mag magazine (lnicolasconsulting@gmail.com) in 2023. Alok is also an accredited musician and record producer. His electronic upbeat music has earned him over 5 billion streams and over 30 million monthly users on both Spotify and Instagram. His latest album, The Future is Ancestral, released in 2024 in collaboration with Indigenous tribes from different regions of Brazil. The album mixes with indigenous songs, some of which have been sung for centuries by Brazilian tribes, with Alok’s modern sound.
