Bayer Leverkusen in Rio: A sky-to-sand strategy to win brazilian hearts

Strategic Objective: Building an Emotional Bridge Between Germany and Brazil

As part of the Bundesliga’s international growth strategy, Brazil a true stronghold of global football represents far more than just a commercial market. It is a cultural and emotional opportunity unlike any other. Bayer Leverkusen, one of the league’s standout clubs, set out to establish a meaningful, lasting presence in this vibrant football nation, one that is bold, authentic, and deeply respectful of local identity.

To meet this goal, Samba Digital designed and delivered a multi-format campaign in Rio de Janeiro, the symbolic capital of both football and Brazilian lifestyle. The ambition was clear: to create memorable, high-impact experiences in public spaces exactly where Brazilians live their football passion and forge a real emotional connection between two football cultures.

Leverkusen Takes Flight: High Impact, High Altitude

A Giant Aerial Banner Over Rio
To kick off the campaign, Samba Digital quite literally took things to the skies. Over the course of a busy weekend, an airplane flew along Rio’s iconic coastline for four hours, pulling a 30-meter-long Bayer Leverkusen banner, visible from the city’s most popular beaches.

From Barra da Tijuca to Leme, beachgoers looked up, phones came out, and the club’s name etched itself into the visual memory of over a million people. This unexpected and unconventional format instantly caught attention and sparked organic social media buzz, with real-time reactions, photos, and stories shared across platforms.

Key Results:

• • • Over 1,000,000 people reached in just 4 hours
    • Hundreds of spontaneous shares across social media
    • A Bundesliga first in Brazil’s skies, using a format rarely  if ever  seen in football marketing

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  Une publication partagée par Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball)

A Sand Sculpture to Ground the Brand in Local Culture

A Giant Jersey Carved into the Sands of Rio

After taking over the skies, Samba Digital set out to win hearts on the ground. In collaboration with Flamengo, a true icon of Rio’s football scene, Bayer Leverkusen unveiled a monumental sand sculpture of the club’s jersey, right in the middle of one of Rio’s most iconic beaches.

Crafted by local sand artists over the course of four days, the installation drew more than 10,000 visitors, from curious onlookers to football fans, all eager to witness this symbolic fusion of German football identity and Brazilian beach culture.

A High-Impact, Emotion-Driven Activation

• Creative ownership from end to end concept, logistics, and execution fully led by Samba Digital

• 10,000+ in-person interactions during the 4-day installation

• Overwhelmingly positive public response, praised as “unique,” “respectful,” and “creative”

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  Une publication partagée par Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball)

Two Formats, One Ambition: To Spark Wonder and Win Hearts

Though different in execution, one soaring through the skies, the other grounded in sand both activations shared a singular goal: to create genuine emotional impact. By stepping directly into the everyday lives of Brazilians  unfiltered, unscripted Bayer Leverkusen, with the support of Samba Digital, embedded itself into local culture with humility, creativity, and boldness.

Far from traditional advertising, this project relied on direct experience, spontaneous interaction, and strong visual storytelling to turn a marketing initiative into a true cultural exchange.

From visibility to emotional connection

With this two-part activation in Rio, Bayer Leverkusen did more than just show up, the club spoke the local language, on local ground, in a way that resonated deeply. Samba Digital transformed a commercial objective into a sensory, culturally rooted experience, setting a bold new standard for Bundesliga’s presence in Latin America.

A campaign that left no one indifferent and a reminder that in football, it’s always the emotions that win.