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WhatsApp “Carnaval” 2020

WhatsApp “Carnaval” (2020) is a WhatsApp commercial directed by Ian Ruschel for AlmapBBDO, produced by Iconoclast. It won 6 awards, including El Ojo de Iberoamérica 2020 Gold Producción Audiovisual – PA10 – Dirección de actores.

Two rival samba school leaders, initially arguing, unite their communities through WhatsApp after a devastating fire threatens their carnival dreams, proving that connection can overcome adversity.

Video: WhatsApp on YouTube

Shot by shot

  1. Two men, one in a blue and yellow shirt and another in an orange and white shirt, are arguing intensely in a crowded outdoor setting.© WhatsApp0:00
  2. A dark-skinned man with a beard and short curly hair, wearing an orange and white shirt and a silver chain, shouts at someone off-camera in an outdoor setting.© WhatsApp0:01
  3. A diverse group of people, including a man with a grey beard and a woman with curly hair, are singing and dancing at an outdoor carnival.© WhatsApp0:02
  4. A man with a beard and an orange shirt looks around, surrounded by other people in a lively outdoor setting.© WhatsApp0:07
  5. A person's hands are seen in medium closeup, holding a smartphone with the WhatsApp app open, scrolling through contacts in a dimly lit interior.© WhatsApp0:10
  6. A man with a beard and an orange and white shirt looks down at his phone while sitting at a table with food.© WhatsApp0:16
  7. A news report on a TV screen shows an aerial view of a large fire burning intensely in a city at night.© WhatsApp0:19
  8. A man stands silhouetted against a massive fire, with a police car partially visible on the left and a carnival float on the right, at night.© WhatsApp0:21
  9. A man stands in a smoky, dimly lit warehouse, looking at his phone, surrounded by large, partially destroyed carnival floats and other people.© WhatsApp0:36
  10. A man with a beard and wet hair looks up with a sad expression, illuminated by blue light in a dark, blurry background.© WhatsApp0:39
  11. A man with a grey beard and wet face looks up with a slight smile, illuminated by blue light in a dark, blurry background.© WhatsApp0:44
  12. A man with a beard and a green shirt smiles with tears in his eyes, looking down in a dimly lit, blurry environment.© WhatsApp0:51

Stills © WhatsApp. Made by AlmapBBDO, Iconoclast and Ian Ruschel.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

WhatsApp unites rival samba schools after a fire, saving Carnival.

Tagline: “Rivais em público. Amigos no privado.”

rivals unitecommunity spiritovercoming adversitypower of communicationcarnival celebrationphoenix from the ashes

The cut

Length
56 s
Shots
33
Average shot
1.7 s

What creatives use WhatsApp “Carnaval” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of WhatsApp “Carnaval”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    Two men, one in a blue and yellow shirt and another in an orange and white shirt, are arguing intensely in a crowded outdoor setting.© WhatsAppA dark-skinned man with a beard and short curly hair, wearing an orange and white shirt and a silver chain, shouts at someone off-camera in an outdoor setting.© WhatsAppA diverse group of people, including a man with a grey beard and a woman with curly hair, are singing and dancing at an outdoor carnival.© WhatsAppA man with a beard and an orange shirt looks around, surrounded by other people in a lively outdoor setting.© WhatsApp
    Frames from WhatsApp “Carnaval”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of WhatsApp “Carnaval” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    Two men, one in a blue and yellow shirt and another in an orange and white shirt, are arguing intensely in a crowded outdoor setting.© WhatsAppA dark-skinned man with a beard and short curly hair, wearing an orange and white shirt and a silver chain, shouts at someone off-camera in an outdoor setting.© WhatsAppA diverse group of people, including a man with a grey beard and a woman with curly hair, are singing and dancing at an outdoor carnival.© WhatsAppA man with a beard and an orange shirt looks around, surrounded by other people in a lively outdoor setting.© WhatsAppA person's hands are seen in medium closeup, holding a smartphone with the WhatsApp app open, scrolling through contacts in a dimly lit interior.© WhatsAppA man with a beard and an orange and white shirt looks down at his phone while sitting at a table with food.© WhatsApp
    Length: 56 s · Shots: 33 · Average shot: 1.7 s

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a community spirit

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    WhatsApp “Carnaval” is built on a community spirit. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Flybuys “Give a Flybuys”© FlybuysCadbury “Mum's Birthday”© CadburyJust Eat “Every Neighbour Got Their Flava”© Just EatRF-SISU “Swedish Sport Confederation”© RF-SISU
    Flybuys · Cadbury · Just Eat · RF-SISU

More commercials by Ian Ruschel

More from AlmapBBDO

  • Kombi Volkswagen "Los últimos deseos de la kombi" (2014) commercial still© Kombi VolkswagenKombi Volkswagen “Los últimos deseos de la kombi” 2014Dir. Fernando Grostein De Andrade · AlmapBBDOEl Ojo de Iberoamérica Grand Prix 2014
  • Pedigree "CARAMELO" (2026) commercial still© PedigreePedigree “CARAMELO” 2026Dir. Paulo Gonçalves · AlmapBBDOANDY Awards Gold 2026
  • Getty Images "Endless Stories" (2019) commercial still© Getty ImagesGetty Images “Endless Stories” 2019AlmapBBDOANDY Awards Gold 2019
  • Varejo "Misturados" (2016) commercial still© VarejoVarejo “Misturados” 2016Dir. Rodrigo Saavedra · AlmapBBDOEl Ojo de Iberoamérica Gold 2016
  • Instituto Igarapé "War on Drugo" (2015) commercial still© Instituto IgarapéInstituto Igarapé “War on Drugo” 2015AlmapBBDOCannes Lions Gold 2015
  • Volkswagen Spacefox "Dog-Fish" (2009) commercial still© Volkswagen SpacefoxVolkswagen Spacefox “Dog-Fish” 2009Dir. Armando Bo · AlmapBBDOCannes Lions Gold 2009

Award-winning tech commercials

Questions

Who directed the WhatsApp “Carnaval” commercial?

Ian Ruschel directed it, produced by Iconoclast, for the agency AlmapBBDO.

Which agency made WhatsApp “Carnaval”?

AlmapBBDO created it for WhatsApp (2020).

What awards did WhatsApp “Carnaval” win?

6 awards, including El Ojo de Iberoamérica 2020 Gold Producción Audiovisual – PA10 – Dirección de actores, El Ojo de Iberoamérica 2020 Gold Producción Audiovisual – PA11 – Fotografía y Dirección de Arte, El Ojo de Iberoamérica 2020 Gold Producción Audiovisual – PA13 – Edición y Efectos visuales and El Ojo de Iberoamérica 2020 Silver Film – FL9 – Medios, entretenimientos, recreación y turismo.

What is the tagline of WhatsApp “Carnaval”?

“Rivais em público. Amigos no privado.”

Sources for the credits and awards

elojodeiberoamerica.comelojodeiberoamerica.com