To unite rivals, WhatsApp communicates without words

A Carnaval catastrophy unites a community as they privately support each other, even if they remain rivals in public. 

This long-form, insightful piece from AlmapBBDO shows a samba school that has their Carnaval  parade float destroyed by a fire just days before their biggest yearly celebration. The work done in the lead up to seeing the warehouse alight is evocative and memorable. A man races through the streets, steadycam fixed on his face. The fire rages; large statues and icons ablaze in the darkness, casting strange ghosts throughout the film.

In the aftermath, looking up, there’s a point where the ash in the air looks like birds flying. It’s stunningly beautiful and well-measured, the entire eight-minute video paced out in soft measurements, and the production at Iconoclast has done a stunning job throughout. There’s not a lot of talking, and it serves to emphasize the brand, as we don’t read the messages that pop up, just hear the familiar WhatsApp two-tone alert occasionally throughout the film. 

The implication of communication is important, but what’s more important, both in the film and in real life, is the action that happens afterward. The rivals come together to support each other and the community, working to rebuild the shed that had burned. It’s a touching moment, not dwelled on, but understood. Ian Ruschel has crafted a heartwarming story that is not sentimental. There are no hugs or tearful reunions. Carnaval just shows, with stark storytelling, what community looks like.