GKay’s Farofa has dominated entertainment news and social media for the past few days. But for some critics, the event would have been a flop in its fifth edition. But the numbers point to a different reality.
Only Banca Digital, which aggregates 35 gossip profiles and reported on the party at the venue, had more than 300 million impressions (figures are provisional). Not counting the thousands of posts on the personal profiles of celebrities and stardom candidates who attended the threeday event.
Entertainment websites did not repeat last year’s Farofa audience phenomenon, but still the volume of clicks was significant, generating dozens of headlines and hundreds of thousands of views. In 2021, Gkay spent BRL 2.8 million to hold the party. This year the costs would have been around R$ 8 million.
The event was also broadcast on Multishow, where it even brought new subscribers to Globoplay, a surprise for Globo. One of the main reasons for going live was that GKay was well received by advertisers who want to be associated with a North East personality and appreciate the versatility of the event.
The criticism that only “B personalities” took part in the event is also not fair. First team stars like Pablo Vittar and Ivete Sangalo were there. Anitta was simply not there for health reasons. And many of the guests, although unknown to many people, collect thousands of followers on social networks.
competition with the cup
The fact that the party took place during the World Cup didn’t help. “You can’t collide with a topic that’s being talked about all over the world and which, on top of that, is probably the great passion of Brazilians,” commented marketer Paulo Cuenca on his Instagram profile. “Although Gkay had a great strategy to promote his event and made a good impact, the expectations were certainly much higher,” he added.
Expectation is a subjective metric. But advertisers were not surprised. “The event has many assets and it has audience space and media investment. It would be very difficult to win the cup and I think the advertisers that are there know that,” says an executive in the advertising industry. “It’s not perfect and you can question a lot of things, but not the relevance,” he adds.
Last year, GKay heard no from many brands and funded the party from its own resources. This year, in May, all sponsorships had already been sold. Advertisers such as Avon, Listerine, XP Investimentos, Latam and Vivara participated in this edition.
Amira Ayoub, Head of Marketing at Latam Brasil, told Meio e Mensagem that “the brand saw the promotion as a way to get closer to the Brazilian public, with a focus on Brazilian, diversity and inclusion”.
Leave the inclusion and enter the catch
Farofa was truly an inclusive and diverse event that brought freshness to the market. Aside from capturing popular imagination, the party’s original premise was to focus on influencers rather than traditional celebrities. The young saw themselves represented and the older ones were curious.
There was always cruising at the event. The darkroom has historically been one of the most debated topics. But for now, the event seems to exist to catch up and give attendees visibility (and that’s all). The controversy over Viih Tube’s successor as Farofa’s ‘Queen of Rummoos’ received less attention than comedian Tirulipa’s unfortunate attendance.
GKay’s friend Tirulipa was kicked out of the event for harassing female guests. Definitely a red flag for GKay and its sponsors.
“The event turned into such a riot, with so much whore****, that Tirulipa had no problem taking the girls’ bikinis,” says one influencer businesswoman.
Despite the commercial success and huge media attention, there is a feeling that this year’s event ends smaller than when it started.
The Desperation of Influencers
That influencers are shocked at their lack of common sense is nothing new. As I wrote in the column a few months ago, digital influencers haven’t lost track, they’re just desperate.
The increasing competition for attention with more and more influencers on the market, the decline in users on Instagram, as well as the growth of TikTok, which highlights anonymous videos and not necessarily those that have a lot of followers, help explain the desperation of those who attract attention on the internet want.
Now, Gkay’s challenge is not only to throw a party the sponsors don’t believe in, but also to control a mob desperate for attention. In a way, GKay faces the same dilemma as all major social networks: content moderation. If you limit too much what you can and cannot do, you lose the fun. If you don’t set clear boundaries, you’re in big trouble because someone is always going beyond what is acceptable.
Balenciaga and GKay need to review their strategy
GKay and influencers are not isolated cases. From Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram), which has been forced to lay off 13% of its employees, to brands that thrive on “getting attention” are all increasingly challenged as status culture gives way to purpose culture. There is a growing crisis in the attention industry.
Balenciaga has become a fashion phenomenon in recent years with bold designs and surprising marketing moves, but now the brand is facing one of the biggest crises in its history.
For weeks, the brand has apologized for two ad campaigns that upset its customers and even drew criticism from reality TV star Kim Kardashian, Balenciaga’s biggest ambassador. GKay was also critical of the campaign and the brand.
An ad campaign launched in midNovember featured children holding bags shaped like teddy bears and carrying what some said appeared to be bondage gear. Another ad, published a few days later, included a document related to a Supreme Court ruling against child pornography. Although the campaigns were different, online posts brought the two ads together and controversy skyrocketed.
the limits of fashion
Earlier this year, models from the brand walked the runway carrying bags designed to resemble garbage bags in a show inspired by refugees from the war in Ukraine and other conflicts. In another show, models in fetishstyle latex jumpsuits with baggy clothes appeared at the New York Stock Exchange.
Last year, Kim Kardashian also appeared on the red carpet wearing a skintight ensemble that completely covered her face. All actions were resounding successes on social media and helped the brand become one of the most profitable in the industry.
Balenciaga and Gkay discovered that crossing the line, even if you are not directly responsible but provide the stage and audience, can go from heaven to hell very quickly.
To make matters worse, Balenciaga and Gucci, another luxury brand also heavily associated with influencers, are quickly going out of style (at least for investors).
Both belong to the French conglomerate Kering. Kering’s shares have been among the worst performers in the luxury sector over the past two years and are now trading at a 25% discount to peers.
According to the WSJ, this reflects investors’ belief that Kering’s profits are more vulnerable as the company’s brands constantly change directors and have to launch new products every year that win over the public and attract attention in the media and social networks . The strategy is the opposite of its competitors LVMH, Hermès and Chanel.
Kering managed to rejuvenate outdated brands like Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Balenciaga. But the focus on trends rather than classic designs means the company goes through many creative directors and constant cycles of change in its collections.
Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Chanel are reluctant to introduce new products and shy away from controversy. Chanel has only changed creative directors twice in the last 40 years. Louis Vuitton, two in 25 years.
Gkay cried when invited to the Balenciaga show. She is a declared fan of the brand. Now the challenge for both of them is to review the strategies that have made them notorious but also allowed controversies to arise that have led them to flirt with failure.