XCOM

About the project

XCOM by Atrevia has been part of the CarnaUOL project since its very first edition, leading the entire publicity strategy, managing press relations, and coordinating the organic invitation of influencers. Over the years, this solid partnership has helped establish CarnaUOL as one of the largest and most relevant pre-Carnival events in Brazil, expanding its visibility and prestige with every new edition. 

CarnaUOL debuted in 2014 with the theme of street carnival blocks. In 2015, the main attractions were Jorge Ben Jor in São Paulo and Arlindo Cruz in Rio de Janeiro. In 2016, the event officially evolved into a large-scale music festival, gathering around 12,000 attendees at Urban Stage in São Paulo, with headline performances by Ivete Sangalo and Banda Eva. In Rio, a more intimate party format welcomed 4,000 guests and featured singer Ludmilla. 

In 2017, the festival grew significantly, attracting over 20,000 people in São Paulo across two days of celebration with a mix of national and international artists such as Anitta, Durval Lellis, Matheus & Kauan, Banda Eva, and Alok. That same year, CarnaUOL debuted in Rio’s iconic Sapucaí with one of the most coveted Carnival VIP lounges. 

In 2018, musical diversity marked the edition at Estádio do Canindé, which drew more than 35,000 revelers. In Rio, CarnaUOL partnered with the renowned Camarote Nº1 to deliver a premium experience. In 2019, over 40,000 attendees gathered at Arena CarnaUOL, across from the Anhembi Sambadrome, for shows by Maiara & Maraisa, Ludmilla, and Alok. The Rio edition once again joined forces with Camarote Nº1. 

The seventh edition, in 2020, featured stars such as Claudia Leitte, Simone & Simaria, Iza, Luísa Sonza, and Banda Eva, now in a new venue — São Paulo’s traditional Jockey Club. In Rio, CarnaUOL Nº1 continued to deliver one of the top Carnival experiences across three unforgettable nights. That same year, CarnaUOL officially positioned itself as Brazil’s largest Carnival festival and the country’s biggest content, media, and events platform, with the three most recent São Paulo editions completely sold out. 

After a pandemic hiatus, the festival made a powerful comeback in 2023 for its eighth edition — this time hosted at Allianz Parque for the first time, welcoming 21,000 attendees and marking a new chapter of the event. In 2024, CarnaUOL returned to Allianz Parque stronger than ever. Its ninth edition gathered 28,000 fans and a star-studded lineup including Joelma, Maiara & Maraisa, Gloria Groove, Daniela Mercury, Monobloco, Banda Eva, and DJ Bárbara Labres. The festival also introduced two new audience areas: Front Stage, with excellent stage views and branded activations, and the Arena Open Itaipava 100% Malte, which offered a prime location and full open bar service. 

In 2025, São Paulo hosted the 10th edition of CarnaUOL, which was crowned the most pop carnival in the universe. For the first time, the festival brought together both national and international acts in a single edition, attracting 35,000 people. Featuring a diverse musical blend of pop, axé, sertanejo, pagode, and electronic music, the event closed with a historic moment — the long-awaited first performance by pop diva Christina Aguilera in São Paulo, creating an unforgettable experience for fans. 

Challenges

CarnaUOL has solidified its status as Brazil’s leading Carnival project in content, media, and live entertainment, blending high-quality performances with robust communication strategies. As the festival continues to grow and evolve each year, our main challenge has been to reinforce and expand this leadership positioning. 

In recent years, our efforts have focused on increasing the festival’s visibility in Tier 1 media outlets, securing qualified and organic coverage, and generating consistent engagement across press and social media before, during, and after the event. These actions aim to enhance brand prestige, desirability, and audience awareness in an increasingly competitive landscape. 

Solution

In each edition, XCOM developed a 360° strategic PR plan with efforts focused on multiple fronts, including: 

  • Distribution of press releases, features, and briefs to targeted mailing lists covering entertainment, culture, concerts, lifestyle, and event guides in São Paulo; 
  • Dissemination of press materials highlighting sponsors and brand activations, sent to communications, advertising, and marketing media outlets; 
  • Engagement initiatives with São Paulo radio stations for CarnaUOL ticket giveaways; 
  • Press kits and activations with partnered influencers; 
  • Press credentialing and in-person support for media coverage; 
  • Real-time distribution of press notes and images during the festival. 

Results

The festival grows each yearand so do our results! 
In the 2025 edition, we achieved impressive milestones: 

More than

502,5 MI

million total media impressions

1209

media stories published

107

journalists attended on-site

Around

313 mi

million people reached on social media

Given the presence of international attractions in this edition, we implemented a more selective and editorially driven press accreditation process, ensuring alignment with the festival’s positioning and media impact goals. 

Evolution in recent years

Published reports

2023: 727
2024: 859
2025: 1209

Impacted persons

2023: 228M
2024: 251M
2025: 502.5M

Financial return

2023: 135M
2024: 332M
2025: 317M

Journalists attended on-site

2023: 296
2024: 107
2025: 107

*This drop was due to greater criteria in selecting vehicles to cover the event, prioritizing tier 1 vehicles.