Marcelo Adnet was the center of attention during the 2024 carnival when he attended Camarote MAR, while his ex-wife, Patrícia Cardoso, shone brightly in the same environment, leaving aside any trace of sadness. Meanwhile, Luiza Brunet and the ex-BBB Nizam surprised everyone by reconciling in the box during the champions’ parade. Behind these guests, and many others, is Priscila Coellen , a public relations person who has stood out for more than a decade at the biggest national and international events. In addition to the acclaimed box at the Rio carnival, Priscila has already organized lists for The Town, Rock In Rio, UFC, Olympics and several other renowned events.
For Patrícia Cardoso to feel at ease in the same space where her then husband was involved in a complicated situation the previous morning, Priscila’s skill and flexibility were necessary. And the result was a success. The actress, now Marcelo Adnet’s ex-wife, enjoyed the other four days of parades at Camarote Mar, which has become one of the celebrities’ favorites in the 2024 carnival.
Priscila’s first step is to always be up to date with the latest news, using social media as a fundamental tool. Next, as public relations highlights, the most important step is to understand the profile of the event to ensure consistency with guests. In addition to the glamor of trendy events, Priscila highlights the importance of being fully committed to your work. For her, one of the secrets to success is to be completely dedicated. Identifying the profile of each guest and not making a mistake on the list requires transcending the barrier of work and being, above all, a good friend. In fact, Priscila considers this aspect to be one of her biggest differentiators: the pleasure in welcoming and treating each guest well, recognizing the uniqueness of each one.
Graduated in Physical Education and former judo athlete, Priscila stands out for bringing together the country’s greatest athletes in the Mar box during the last carnivals, including names like Leo Moura, Leo Pereira, Flavia Saraiva, Rebeca Andrade, Lorraine dos Santos and many others . Her passion for sport led her to take her first steps in the profession in sporting events, with a 10-year career behind the scenes at the Olympics and World Cups. On Board Festival, Lollapalooza 2024, Circuito Sertanejo, Rock In Rio Lisboa 2024 and even the Olympic Games are among the upcoming events where Priscila will be organizing lists later this year.
How did you start your career in event PR and what motivated you to pursue this field?
It was all very natural and even a little unplanned. I come from the management and organization of sporting events and one fine day a friend asked me to help organize the production and guest list of a party in Rio because he thinks the organization of sporting events is impeccable. The result was pleasing, other people invited me to work and here I am as a PR person and super happy .
Dealing with delicate situations, such as the presence of Patrícia Cardoso in the same space where her ex-husband was the night before amid controversy, requires a lot of skill. How do you maintain discretion and ensure the comfort of your guests in situations like this?
I am friends with all my guests and my basic rule is not to interfere in people’s personal lives. When we have an environment where guests’ only concern is having fun, everything becomes lighter, easier and more welcoming.
You mentioned that you don’t seek the spotlight, but your work ended up putting you in the spotlight. How do you balance this exposure with the discretion necessary to serve your clients?
I’m not famous and I don’t want to be. I am a service provider and the highlight must be for the contractor and guests, the spotlight I seek is the recognition of whoever hires me and whoever I invite.
Regarding selecting guests for events, you mentioned that there is no perfect list, but there are important criteria to consider. What are these criteria and how do you apply them in practice?
The first phase is a very detailed evaluation of the “product” and definition of goals that need to be achieved with that action. After this mapping, I look for guests with an organic identification with the event, and I try to mix a little from each tribe so that in the end we have a very diverse list of happy people. The big secret is to welcome guests as if they were in my home and with a beautiful smile.
How do you use social media to stay up to date with current trends and topics, and how does this influence the selection of guests for your events?
When I wake up, the first thing I do is go to all social networks and main portals to find out what is being talked about. What are the trends, the viral hits, the controversies, the most played songs and especially everything new that appears. The internet is very dynamic, not keeping up with this mountain of information is a big mistake. I live connected and during Carnival I end up charging my cell phones up to 4 times a day.
You highlighted the importance of identifying the event profile when selecting guests. How do you do this identification and ensure that guests truly identify with the event?
As I end up becoming friends with my guests, I kind of already know what each one likes, but social media helps me a lot. On Instagram, for example, I can discover a lot about each guest’s style and moment.
You mentioned that you are not a fan of the cancellation policy. How do you deal with delicate situations involving public figures and seek to promote harmonious coexistence at events?
We need to judge less and welcome more. My focus is to promote moments of joy and relaxation for my guests, and my mission is to make everyone forget about problems and differences and always keep the glass half full
What have been the most challenging moments throughout your career in event PR, and how did you overcome them?
Look, the pandemic was a challenging and resilient moment. There were almost three of them working 20% of what they were used to, and receiving many requests for help and employment from employees who drive the events market. I think I came out of this much more aware of my privileges and with a more caring outlook towards others.
In addition to the glamor of events, how do you take care of your well-being and balance the intense pace of work with the necessary rest?
In the last six months I have had the help of Dr. Fabiano Felix and for the first time in the last 8 years I did not finish the Carnival marathon while ill. I changed my diet, started monitoring my exams better and replacing what was missing or needed to be improved. As I also have a degree in Physical Education, I reduced the intensity and time of my training so I don’t stop exercising and sleep a little more.
What are your perspectives for the future of the events industry following the challenges faced during the pandemic, and how do you plan to adapt to possible changes?
The events sector was severely affected by the pandemic, as we were the first to stop and the last to fully resume our activities. With the revocation of PERSE (Special Program for the Resumption of the Events Sector) which helped a lot in this resumption, we have a very difficult scenario ahead.
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