Through an I Love Rio‘s partnership with RioTur, Rio’s municipal institution for tourism, the renowned Samba School GRES Portela and the Bondinho do Pão de Açúcar, the totem is accessible to anyone on the way up to the Sugar Loaf, the iconic mountain and must-see spot for all who travel to Rio.
As of June 19th, a #ILOVERIO sculpture has been on display on the Morro da Urca, the landmark mountain and passage that connects to the world–famous Sugar Loaf.
The official inauguration of the sculpture saw Rio de Janeiro’s municipal band perform “Cidade Maravilhosa,” Rio’s official anthem, alongside dancers and musicians from the Portela Samba School.
Born out of an idea of Riccardo Giovanni, founder of I Love Rio, the #ILOVERIO totem will stay on the Morro da Urca through August – later it will be placed in other well-known locations throughout Rio de Janeiro.
“The new totem is going viral and becoming a treasured photo opp, both for residents and visitors alike,” states Mr. Giovanni. “When we first mounted the sculpture, I had to stand in line to get close to it.”
“Visitors photograph Rio de Janeiro in many ways, but when the pictures get posted on social media, the message is often lost in the shuffle, as people just skim through the feeds and do not read the captions. With this sculpture, anyone can take a picture of the message itself and be next to it, on it, or even in it!” concludes Mr. Giovanni.
Designed to reach far beyond tourism, I Love Rio embodies love, pride and the cultural identity of a city and presents them as they intertwine into one another. It took hold by turning the symbol into a brand available to local businesses aiming at new markets and distribution channels.
Once featured on the monument of Christ the Redeemer, I Love Rio’s unique marketing strategy combines the world’s largest portal for a city, information in many languages, books, exclusive images and multi-level brand franchising.
Over the years, the work resulted into international recognition and several awards, including the prestigious Tiradentes Medal (Medalha Tiradentes).
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