How Brazil’s Hip-Hop stars are changing marketing in the music industry

This year, Lacoste in Morumbi Shopping Mall changed its store’s name to Lala. This might come as a surprise to anyone outside of Brazil, but here, it was widely recognized as an intriguing strategic movement tied to the evolution of marketing in the music industry, driven by a very active and creative hip-hop movement.

Lala is how Lacoste started being referred to in songs across different hip-hop styles, from trap to funk, as an endearing and intimate slang. Now, this nickname has been fully embraced as part of the brand’s communication strategy.

The history of Lacoste’s relationship with Brazilian consumers goes way back. Although it is part of a broader movement involving many luxury brands, Lacoste has become the most talked-about case study in brand relationships due to its unique popularity within hip-hop music. Other brands, such as Oakley, Juliette, Adidas, and Kenner, have also experienced significant ties to hip-hop. However, in some cases, these relationships unfolded with fewer public controversies.

This article will explore key moments in Lacoste’s history with Brazilian hip-hop, offering insights into societal changes over the past decade and demonstrating how marketing strategies that fail to understand consumers can harm a brand, especially in a diverse market like Brazil.

Traces of Hip-Hop and Big Brands’ Origins

Around 2014, a phenomenon emerged in Brazil’s favelas: teenagers organized gatherings in shopping malls called “rolezinhos.” Groups would gather in food courts to chat, walk around window-shopping, listen to music, and socialize in large numbers. In São Paulo’s oppressive heat, enjoying air-conditioned malls with friends became a way to relax, flirt, and have fun.

However, these gatherings sparked outrage from store owners, mall staff, and wealthier patrons, who viewed them as a disruption to the mall’s exclusive environment. Many teenagers were detained, interrogated, or even taken to police stations. Organizers defended the rolezinhos as a “scream for leisure.”

During this time, Funk Ostentação gained prominence. Unlike earlier funk styles, which often discussed social and racial issues alongside playful themes, this new wave celebrated wealth, luxury brands, jewelry, and women. Some funkeiros organized rolezinhos themselves when São Paulo attempted to ban funk parties, turning malls into makeshift stages where they signed autographs and posed for photos.

Critics accused Funk Ostentação of promoting empty consumerism, but the genre reflected a newfound consumer power among Brazil’s lower classes, who were eager to occupy spaces historically denied to them. Luxury brands were initially resistant to being associated with lower-class audiences and sought ways to dissociate themselves.

What they failed to see was that C-class youth now had more purchasing power than classes A, B, and D combined. These consumers funnel their income directly into luxury brands like Lacoste, which Funk Ostentação promoted for free through its lyrics and music videos. The message was clear: “We want to be part of this.” In Brazil’s deeply segregated society, rolezinhos and Funk Ostentação fueled a public debate about the right to access expensive goods.

Lacoste Case Study – Did They Learn?

Fast forward to 2020: Kyan’s “Tropa da Lacoste” reached over 10 million views on YouTube. 

By 2021, MD Chefe’s “Rei Lacoste” became one of the most streamed songs that July, amassing 91 million views. Despite the growing association between Lacoste and hip-hop, the brand had yet to recognize the opportunity before them.

Their “Crocodiles Play Collective” campaign in August 2021 faced heavy criticism. While it aimed to champion diversity, the campaign included only one Black model and lacked partnerships with prominent hip-hop artists who had been promoting the brand for years without compensation.

From 2016 onwards, Lacoste was frequently mentioned in songs as a status symbol. For five years, hip-hop artists praised the brand, but Lacoste failed to embrace its role in Brazilian pop culture.

When the brand eventually invited Kyan to collaborate on its strategy of marketing in the music industry, he declined, citing disrespect for offering payment in clothing vouchers. As Kyan noted, he could buy clothes if he wanted, but associating his image with the brand was publicity and deserved appropriate compensation. 

A similar scenario unfolded with MD Chefe, who initially refused Lacoste’s offer but later negotiated fair payment to star in the “Twisting the Legacy with Reinvented Classics” campaign. The result was a viral success, with millions of likes and overwhelmingly positive feedback from consumers.

In 2022, Lacoste launched the “People Make Icons” campaign featuring Trap artists Kayblack and Mc Caverinha, whose music often reflects the challenges of Brazil’s periphery. The campaign marked a turning point in Lacoste’s relationship with Brazilian hip-hop, signaling a deeper understanding of its cultural relevance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz7lFNrUNVI

By May 2023, celebrating its 90th anniversary, Lacoste rebranded several stores as “Lala” and launched the pop-up “Casa Lalá,” hosting MCs and DJs for live performances and cultural discussions. They also named MC Hariel as a brand ambassador. Hariel recorded the track “Croco 90” alongside MC Luanna, MC Kelvinho, and MC Neguinho do Kaxeta, solidifying Lacoste’s connection to the hip-hop community.

What we learned

Brazil’s cultural landscape has shifted dramatically over the past decade. The rolezinhos and Funk Ostentação, once met with resistance, have influenced broader societal acceptance of hip-hop and its derivatives, such as Trap music. Luxury brands, which initially shied away from these movements, have learned to embrace them as valuable allies.

Still, Lacoste’s journey reveals missed opportunities. The brand could have embraced the cultural movement earlier, strengthening its bond with consumers and establishing itself as a pioneer. Instead, its hesitation and slow response limited its impact.

Strategic boldness, cultural understanding, and respect for consumers and their spokespeople are essential to an effective strategy of marketing in the music industry. Knowing who already loves your brand can turn them into your greatest advocates, making your communication efforts significantly easier—and more impactful.