Xodus unveils ‘Garden of Paradise’ costumes in first-ever digital launch

Kickstarting the upcoming carnival season, Xodus Carnival debuted its first ever digital band launch on Wednesday unveiling an inclusive showcase that replaced the usual physical costume presentation. The launch featured a captivating, four-minute video highlighting its ‘Utopia: Garden of Paradise’ themed costumes.

Sporting colourful feathers and flowers, glistening diamonds and intricate designs, the costumes consist of nine sections: Anolia, Bloom, Mariposa, Talon, Venom, Wet, Dragon Fruit, Sol and Ivy, each depicting variants of a lush tropical garden, bringing the theme to life.

Kandi King, head of marketing at Xodus Carnival, was very impressed with how well the launch translated within the online community.

“Overall, the impressions of our first ever digital band launch were super positive! It really took off across all platforms, especially on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). People were buzzing with excitement, praising the costumes, the impressive cinematography, and how cohesive everything felt. Viewers were especially thrilled about the variety of options in this year’s costumes, with many highlighting the innovative designs and creative direction. All of this really fostered a sense of community engagement and built anticipation for the upcoming carnival season!” King said.

Within minutes of the short movie going live, the band garnered an overwhelming number of engagement, which the team anticipated will increase as the days progress.

“The viewership numbers for the launch were astronomical! We had over 50,000 viewers within the first two hours, and that number has continued to rise since then. The excitement didn’t stop there however, as on the night of the launch, the video was shared over 1,500 times, which really helped amplify the reach and engagement. It’s amazing to see how many people are still interacting with the content and we expect those numbers to keep climbing as more viewers discover it. Conversion rates (pre-registrations and costumes purchases) have also far surpassed our expectations so far,” she added.

King remains grounded on the fact that the more things and times evolve, organisations must also evolve to ascertain relevance within the demographic. She resolves that, “In today’s digital world, we’re really seeing a shift toward content that’s more interactive and shareable. Things like influencer collaborations, user-generated content, and live streaming events are becoming super important. We’re also leaning into data driven strategies to connect with audiences around the globe and not just locally. It’s all about making sure our marketing truly reflects the diverse community of carnival lovers everywhere!”

Prior to the launch on Wednesday evening, Xodus Carnival opened pre-registrations on its website, allowing revellers to receive credits on their costumes.

Xodus is also bringing back the Remedy for soca fans feeling carnival withdrawals as the event returns to the National Stadium Ring Road on November 8.