VALISERA | FIRST BRASSIERE | 1987
The First Bra / VALISERA "FIRST BRASSIERE"
Brazil, 1987. The title says it all: "FIRST BRASSIERE." An ad that captures the exact moment a girl becomes a woman touches something universal, no matter the era or the country.
The problem
In 1986, lingerie brand Valisera was acquired by Rosset, one of Brazil's largest textile groups, and faced the challenge of making the brand feel young again. The job of bringing it back to life fell to Washington Olivetto, creative director at the agency W/GGK.
The insight
Olivetto had a strong fascination with "firsts." The moment the idea struck him—a girl and her first bra—he handed it off to copywriters Camila Franco and José Ferraz with just that single idea. 24 hours later, the script the two of them had written matched the picture in his head exactly.
The idea
A girl comes back to her room and finds a pink box sitting on her bed. She opens it to find a single, pure white bra inside. Right there, she puts it on—that's the whole, quiet story. It starred Patricia Luchesi and was directed by Júlio Xavier. The line "Nobody forgets their first Valisera" became a catchphrase that spread far beyond the ad itself.
What happened
It won GOLD.
Afterthought
I couldn't track down more details about how it was made or how the campaign unfolded, but the title alone tells you exactly what the brand cared about. Putting on your first bra is a moment that's a little embarrassing for everyone, but also quietly proud. The brand really looked closely at that delicate moment. Across the years, that gentle way of seeing is the one thing that still clearly remains.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 1987
