Volkswagen Uses AI to Reunite Brazilian Singer Elis Regina with Her Daughter in Unprecedented Duet
The campaign by AlmapBBDO which used artificial intelligence to reunited Elis Regina, one of the greatest Brazilian singers of all time, with her daughter Maria Rita, a modern-day icon with eight Grammys to her name, four decades after Elis’s untimely death, has already become a watershed in the history of Volkswagen do Brasil and of Brazilian advertising. Shortly after it went live, it became a Twitter trending topic for over 24 hours. On digital platforms, including the brand’s social media and influencers’ posts, it reached over 50 million organic views. It also ranked 1st in Google Trends searches, 1st in YouTube’s trending videos, and got 99% positive comments on the brand’s social media.
The reunion meant that Maria Rita, who lost her mother when she was just four years old, was able to sing a moving duet alongside her mother with the help of technology. In the two-minute film, Maria Rita is at the wheel of the 100% electric version of the Kombi, when a car pulls alongside her on the same highway: it’s Elis, driving the classic Volkswagen model.
Volkswagen’s 70th anniversary campaign in Brazil also connects to the brand’s announcement that the icon is on its way home: the Kombi is back! Ten years after the brand ceased production of the model that won Brazilians’ hearts, it’s coming back in an electric version, the ID. Buzz, which will be released in Brazil as a limited run of 70 units, as a nod to the brand’s 70th anniversary. The product’s triumphant return serves as a sign of the consolidation of Volkswagen’s global electrification strategy in Brazil.
To illustrate this moment, the mother-and-daughter reunion is intermingled with memories of classic Brazilian Volkswagen models, including the Gol, the Fusca, the Brasília, and the SP2, which are now making way for the 100% electric ID.Buzz and ID.4; the brand’s SUVs, which have top marks for safety: the T-Cross, Nivus, and Taos; its pick-ups; the Virtus, which is the newest sedan on the market; and the Polo. The decision to bring together two renowned artists, alongside a montage of Volkswagen do Brasil’s hits from across the decades, was designed to rekindle memories and pay tribute to the generations that have shaped the country’s history.
A Reunion through Artificial Intelligence
Created by AlmapBBDO and produced by Boiler Filmes, directed by Dulcidio Caldeira, the film relied on artificial intelligence trained specifically on recognition of Elis Regina’s face, unlike IA projects that use pre-trained technology using generic databases. The agency and the production company then teamed up with Flow Effects, a post-production company with expertise in special effects. For days, the AI was trained on a battery of different technologies, combining scenes of the stunt double with footage and stills of the singer to arrive at a ground breaking and breath taking result.
The voice behind classics such as 'Águas de Março' and 'O Bêbado e a Equilibrista,' Elis Regina became a musical legend, not only in Brazil, but worldwide. This tribute, 41 years after her death, was understandably moving for countless Brazilians. For her daughter, Maria Rita, the project was a chance to make a dream come true. Since she was only a little girl when her mother passed away, this was the first time that they were able to perform a song together.
“This film represents so much for everyone involved. It’s about Volkswagen’s story with Brazil, it’s the story of Elis Regina and Maria Rita, which was cut off far too soon, and, for us at AlmapBBDO, it’s about a story that spans over 60 years, which is the time we’ve been working with the brand here in Brazil. The campaign puts sophisticated technology in the service of an extremely human goal: to touch people’s hearts. We’ve taken a ground breaking duet out of the realm of imagination and made it absolutely real, for the two minutes the film lasts,” says Marco 'Pernil' Giannelli, AlmapBBDO’s CCO.
