There are reasons aplenty to explain Dilma Rousseff's triumph in the Brazilian presidential elections last week. There's her standing as the anointed heir of the ever-popular Luiz Inacio 'Lula' da Silva, endorsements from artists and intellectuals (including US filmmaker Oliver Stone and Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer) far and wide, her life story (she was tortured and jailed by the country's military dictatorship in the early 1970s), or even the cosmetic surgery she had to enhance her image. But one major factor in her victory was her campaign's TV advertisements.
Rivalling professionally produced films in their quality, these videos helped in consolidating her image and message, and will certainly become textbook cases for political publicists for years to come.
Shown on Brazilian television from August to October, these 10-minute films (which can still be viewed on YouTube) are varied in their content.
While some are straightforward affairs outlining Rousseff's life through talking heads (from family and friends to her political colleagues during her spell as energy minister and then da Silva's chief of staff), there are also pieces which place the 62-year-old (below) in different parts of the country, while she elaborates on her proposed policy initiatives (youtube.com/watch?v=8vFJWPIb0zA).
Lavishly shot and deftly edited, these films succeeded in shaping Rousseff as a candidate with an eye for development for all corners and aspects of her country - a much-needed boost, given the fact that she had never stood for office before.
While the pieces' whirling imagery of a prosperous, joyous Brazil easily stirred the electorate's hearts, the ones which hit home most were probably those featuring Rousseff and da Silva together, as they met to talk about their shared vision.
