Vincent Martella, Brazilian Hype, and the “Cordial Man”
By wearing the t-shirt “Eu sou famoso no Brasil”, Vincent Martella not only expressed his affection for the country but also ignited a sense of connection among his Brazilian fans.
Following all the hype surrounding his action, other celebrities joined in, such as Andrew McFarlane, who posted a selfie wearing a t-shirt saying “Eu amo meus fãs brasileiros” and saw a significant increase in followers on his profile. Even Will Smith posted a photo of himself with his siblings and mother to celebrate Siblings Day, featuring a Brazilian song, which went viral on social media.
We can view this phenomenon in light of the concept of the “cordial man” introduced by sociologist, Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, which describes a peculiar characteristic of Brazilian society where social relations are marked by a strong sense of intimacy, informality, and emotion, rather than the coldness of formality.
The gesture of these celebrities was interpreted as an embrace of this cordial culture of the country, which generated an enthusiastic response from Brazilian fan bases, creating hype that led to increased engagement on their profiles.
They are already part of the popular imagination in the country, making it easy for them to gather these interactions. But how can non-famous individuals achieve the same hype from Brazilian fans?
The key step is to learn more about the culture of the country beyond the obvious attractions like samba, carnival, and football (soccer). Brazil is not just a vast tropical forest; it boasts a rich cultural heritage, not to mention regional nuances.
There’s something for everyone here. For those interested in art history, there’s Brazilian modernism, which contributed to the concept of “anthropophagic movement” aiming to consume foreign influences, digest them, and manifest them authentically, still impacting Brazilian society today. For science enthusiasts, there’s the project of eVTOLs, popularly known as “flying cars,” produced by the national company Embraer, a pioneer in aerospace engineering.
Aside from interactions with the people themselves, Brazilians have a penchant for humor, so don’t shy away from jokes; instead, embrace them. Show curiosity about the presented concepts; be informal. Demonstrate your openness to be absorbed by this cordial culture.
Many foreigners have shown an interest in Brazilian culture and gained popularity here. The German comedian Leah Maria Jahn, the French comedian Paul Cabannes, and the American English teacher Daniel Spencer are just a few examples.
Besides being Brazilian, I am also a Brazilianist, and I’ll take this opportunity to talk more about Brazil, and our culture. Stay tuned for the next article!
