Young people are not the most enthusiastic voters. In Brazil, this is particularly so.

According to a recent survey of Instituto Locomotiva/Ideia Big Data, 94% of the Brazilian population does not think the country’s Congress represents them. This feeling is even stronger among the young audience, which is even less interested in politics. This year, approximately 23 million people between in the 16-24 years of age can vote and choose their representatives. They represent 15% of the total constituent pool in Brazil.

MTV and agency, Africa, worked out how to gain their interest in the politicians they would be voting for and make them realise that voting is the way to get the things they want them to provide.

The partners created Mr. Congressman, a virtual character created with IBM´s Watson, with whom people could converse. Mr. Congressman’s appearance is an amalgam of the 513 congressman in Brazil.  So is his voice. So are his opinions. His was made using artificial intelligence, which read and analysed four years’ worth, or thousands of, interviews, articles, news and Congress sessions that took place in the capital of the country.

By going to www.srdeputado.com.br, any young Brazilian can ask Mr. Congressman any question he or she wants and receive his opinion about main public issues of interest. There are hundreds of mapped themes with thousands of variations of answers. The platform allows any Brazilian constituent to find out if he or she is represented in Congress.

https://vimeo.com/274155712

“The first step to choose those who will represent us is to think about who these people are, what they actually do for the country and not only what they promise to accomplish,” explained Tiago Worcman, MTV’s brand manager in Latin America. We believe that such a provocative and innovative project such as this one proposes a new way to relate to politics.”

Credits: 

Agency: Africa

Chief Creative Officer: Sergio Gordilho

Creative Director: Sergio Gordilho

Head of Art: Bruno Valença

Copywriter: Tiago Abreu

Art Director: Linus Oura

Designer: Matteus Faria

Special Projects: Monique Lima, Juliana Mendonca, Fernanda Segura, Julia Newman & Isabela Levy

Technology & Digital Production: Nexo

Illustration & 3D: Romeu & Julieta Estudio

Art Buyers: Carmen Castillo & Natasha Latronico

Print Production: Carla Lustosa & Fernanda Badan

Illustrator: Fernanda Freitas Martinez (NORTE)

Client Services: Monique Lima, Juliana Mendonca, Fernanda Segura & Julia Newman

Broadcast Production: Rodrigo Ferrari & Patricia Melito

Production Company: Walk in & NotoriousFilms

Directors: Stefano Capuzzi Lapietra & Mauricio Nahas

Executive Producer: Fernando Machado

DOP: Stefano Capuzzi Lapietra

Editing: Cadu Silveira

Post-production: Instiga Filmes

Motion Designer: Daniel Almeida & Sussa

Sound Design: Antfood

Soundtrack: Lou Schmidt & Pedro Curvello