NERVO and A Máquina are once again behind the brand experience at Sumol Summer Fest, which returns to Costa da Caparica for its 16th edition. This year, the agency and production company were responsible for developing and producing the physical experience of the new creative territory “Sumol. Sabe a muito.”, introducing festival-goers to the new Sumol ECLIPSE, a limited-edition flavour combining apple, mango and guava.

Inspired by the astronomical phenomenon that gives the new flavour its name, the experience created for the festival is built around the concept of alignment, extending across multiple moments and spaces throughout the venue and positioning Sumol ECLIPSE as the central element of this year’s narrative.

The experience begins even before festival-goers enter the venue, with the ECLIPSE Brigade challenging attendees to align themselves beneath a banner in exchange for moments of shade during the hottest hours of the day. The activation then extends to the camping area, where participants can customise fluorescent flags to mark their spaces, creating a visual environment that comes alive after dark.

“Historically, Sumol Summer Fest has always brought together Sun, Friends and Music, as reflected in much of its communication. Every year, the experience we create aims to align these three elements while adding a new layer of storytelling connected to the brand’s summer communication strategy. This year, Sumol ECLIPSE is the central piece, and everything we developed contributes to allowing people to express themselves and have fun within this concept,” explains Miguel Pires, Creative Partner at NERVO.

At the heart of the festival, the traditional main activation invites groups of three participants to enter orbit through an immersive experience. Equipped with ECLIPSE glasses, participants must navigate a pool of obstacles while blindfolded, align with one another and compete for prizes while discovering the new flavour.

The iconic Casa Sumol also returns to the festival with a refreshed visual identity inspired by the Portuguese spirit that defines the brand. This year, it also introduces a new ECLIPSE Zone, designed to reflect the landscape of Costa da Caparica and place each visitor at the centre of the experience.

One of the most memorable moments of this edition will take place on the Main Stage, with a performance by T-Rex, who becomes the first Portuguese artist to headline the festival, leading a special moment created around the Sumol ECLIPSE universe.

To help festival-goers recover after long nights of celebration, the Hangover Menu, developed in partnership with Telepizza, also makes its return.

The 2026 edition also brings together artists Gonçalo Mar and Pitanga once again, who this year are joined by Iriz World to create another Ganda Lata 4.0 mural. The artistic intervention concludes the “Sumóis ou Sumoles?” narrative, inviting festival-goers to participate and leave their signature on the artwork.

“This partnership has grown stronger year after year, with an increasingly aligned understanding between brand, agency and production. Sumol Summer Fest has a very distinctive identity, which requires consistency but also the ability to renew the experience every year without losing its essence. Our role is to ensure that balance: respecting the festival’s legacy, interpreting each edition’s creative territory and transforming it into a brand presence that is coherent, operationally robust and genuinely exciting for audiences,” adds Tiago Tarracha, Managing Partner at NERVO.