The film shows real-life couples going through the divorce process. Husbands and wives gave interviews about the reasons their marriage came to an end, and all of them authorized us to film the moment when they signed their divorce papers. But we had a secret arrangement with the women: we’d make them look absolutely gorgeous for the occasion. We showed the husbands’ reactions upon reencountering their future ex-wives and finding them not only beautiful, but much more confident.

The campaign opens with a mini-documentary, interviewing real couples who are in the midst of getting a divorce. Both the men and the women authorized us to film the moment when they signed their divorce papers. But we had a secret arrangement with the women: we’d make them look absolutely gorgeous for the occasion. The mini-doc was shown online and on cable and basic cable in Brazil. During a second stage, the campaign used social media, print ads and billboards to keep influencing women to not feel like failures in the wake of a separation.

“The Beautiful Ex” became the most viral phenomenon in the brand’s history, with over 20 million views in Brazil alone (Facebook + YouTube). Over 90% of comments were positive. Women flooded social media with the hashtag #acreditenabeleza (which means #believeinbeauty). The discussion about the way women see divorce in Brazil made a big splash across the media, from the internet to major television networks, magazines, and print newspapers.