Outlandish Taps Brazil Market as Santa Monica Retail Lab Goes Global
The Brazilian Social Commerce Explosion
Brazil is emerging as a hotspot for social commerce, where live, shoppable content is rapidly transforming how consumers discover and purchase products. The upcoming launch of TikTok Shop in Latin America’s largest economy isn’t just a platform rollout—it represents a shift in consumer behavior, blending entertainment and commerce into one seamless experience.
For Outlandish, the company behind the immersive Santa Monica retail lab on Third Street Promenade, this is a strategic opportunity. Brazil’s tech-savvy youth, high mobile penetration, and appetite for real-time interaction create fertile ground for live shopping to thrive. As William August, Founder and CEO of Outlandish, notes, the demand is palpable: Brazilian consumers view entertainment and commerce as inseparable. Entering now positions Outlandish to shape the future of retail in the region.
Forging a Powerhouse Partnership
Global expansion is never simple. Outlandish’s entry into Brazil is anchored by a partnership with MindgruveMacarta, a performance marketing and data-tech firm with deep regional expertise. This collaboration goes beyond traditional vendor relationships, providing:
- Hyper-localized content production
- Influencer activations tailored to cultural context
- Full operational support: logistics, fulfillment, and regulatory compliance
Carlos Corona, Chief Growth Officer at MindgruveMacarta, emphasizes that success hinges on understanding commerce, culture, and content. This ensures campaigns resonate locally rather than relying on translated or imported strategies.
TikTok Shop: The Launchpad
At the center of this expansion is the TikTok Shop platform, enabling seamless, in-feed purchases within engaging content. Outlandish and MindgruveMacarta offer an end-to-end solution: from live stream production to last-mile delivery and post-purchase support.
Brazilian consumers expect frictionless experiences, and any disconnect between live engagement and checkout can undermine results. By mastering TikTok’s unique tools and audience behaviors, this partnership ensures viewers convert to buyers without disrupting the immersive entertainment experience.
Beyond Translation: The Art of Localization
Effective localization goes far beyond language. Brazilian audiences respond to nuanced humor, cultural references, and local payment methods like Pix and boleto. Outlandish’s strategy leverages real-time feedback, analyzing comments, DMs, and KPIs to refine messaging continuously.
This agile approach prevents the pitfalls many brands face when treating Brazil as a copy-paste market, ensuring campaigns are culturally relevant and commercially effective.
Blueprints from Mexico and Santa Monica
Outlandish’s Brazilian expansion builds on lessons from prior successes:
- Mexico Launch: The collaboration produced the country’s most successful TikTok live shopping event to date, offering a repeatable playbook for Latin America.
- Santa Monica Lab: The flagship retail studio served as a testing ground for immersive experiences, providing real-time insights into audience behavior, brand engagement, and sales conversion.
Brazil is the next major implementation site in a global network of live shopping studios, scaling experiential commerce worldwide.
Navigating Brazil’s Unique Complexities
Many global brands stumble in Brazil due to bureaucratic, fiscal, and logistical challenges. Outlandish and MindgruveMacarta address these proactively:
- Structuring for tax efficiency (ICMS)
- Building omnichannel logistics with local warehousing
- Ensuring full regulatory compliance from day one
By tackling these barriers upfront, the partnership creates resilient and sustainable operations, allowing brands to scale confidently without operational disruption.
The Global Live Shopping Frontier
Outlandish’s Brazil expansion reflects a broader vision: a borderless retail ecosystem combining global scale with local expertise. The company demonstrates that future commerce is not about choosing between digital or physical, global or local—it’s about orchestrating adaptable ecosystems where every touchpoint enhances the customer experience.
From a studio in Santa Monica to a live stream in São Paulo, Outlandish proves that immersive, culturally aware, and data-driven retail experiences can succeed anywhere in the world. This global-first, local-smart approach is setting the standard for the next generation of social commerce.