Light always gave importance and encouragement to sports practices in the company, starting with tennis, which it was a great supporter of. Many other sports, from the most elitist like golf, yachting, and baseball, to the more popular ones like basketball and football itself, found in the company a favorable environment for their practice. In addition to the foreign administrators and engineers, the Brazilian employees themselves organized into multiple associations and clubs that fostered such practices in Rio de Janeiro, since the first decade of the 20th century. It is worth mentioning that starting from the 1962 World Cup, the facilities of Hotel Paineiras (which belonged to Light from 1906 until 1970) were used for the concentration of the Brazilian national team, which continued until the 1974 World Cup. Botafogo, Vasco, and Fluminense also used those facilities, in the past. In 1958, when the Brazilian football national team won its first world championship, Light produced one of its famous display cases, in the company's headquarters building on Avenida Marechal Floriano, to salute "the undefeated champions." The replica of the Jules Rimet trophy was the highlight, and the shield of the old C.B.D. (Confederação Brasileira de Desportos, 1914-1979) served as the background, with its two crosses conferring dynamics to the small jewel, at the top of an extensive seven-position podium.
Image description: The image is a photograph of a commemorative display case. On the left side, there is a vertical panel with the text "COUPE JULES RIMET" and a World Cup symbol. In the center, there is a trophy on display, inscribed with "C.P.D." and the year "1958". On the right, there is another vertical panel with the year "1958". Above the trophy, there is a banner with the text "A LIGHT SAÚDA OS CAMPEÕES INVICTOS". The spatial arrangement is linear, with elements organized symmetrically.Vitrine no edifício da Light à avenida Marechal Floriano – [“A Light saúda os campeões invictos. VI Coupe Jules Rimet”]. 05/07/1958 – Gerson Rodrigues
Who doesn't remember, in times past, enduring a constant complaint in the family environment when we left a light on? Parents or guardians would say, “Turn off the light because I am not a partner of Light!” Because Light was a company with shares traded on the Stock Exchange that cared greatly for its shareholding policies. It published an annual, carefully printed, and widely distributed report. In the “Letter from the president to shareholders regarding the company's activities in 1970,” the year of the football three-peat won by the Brazilian national team, the content is one of great optimism regarding the results of the country's economy and the company. There were already more than three million consumers, global energy consumption was growing, and the system was expanding. “At the end of the year, the Company had more than 150,000 shareholders, of whom about 9,800 were its employees. [...] It is worth noting, in this sense, the semi-annual payment of dividends, established during the fiscal year.” The advertising campaigns were direct: “Be a partner of Light”; “See the Light bill with other eyes; shareholder eyes”; “Light has already sold 14 million shares in just 5 days to 26,000 Brazilians.” The president-director Antônio Gallotti, very well-integrated into the political context of the time, did not miss the opportunity to carry out an inventive marketing action: the delivery of ten thousand Light shares to each of the three-time champions. Following are some of the photographs that record the act of delivery to the players who played in the city of Rio de Janeiro, performed by former athletes who were employees of the company.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a group of people on a soccer field. On the left side, we see a soccer player wearing a striped shirt and white shorts. In front of him, two men in suits are clearly interacting with him. One of them is holding a piece of paper and appears to be explaining something. In the center, there is another man in a suit, also involved in the conversation. Behind him, a soccer player in a dark uniform is looking at the group. On the right, an older man wearing glasses and a suit is taking part in the interaction. In the background, we see part of a stadium with empty bleachers.Entrega de ações da Light ao lateral esquerdo Marco Antônio e ao goleiro Félix, do Fluminense, que se sagraram tri-campeões mundiais de futebol em 1970 – Agosto de 1970 – Fotógrafo não identificado.
Delivery of Light shares to the doctor Lídio Toledo and the technician Zagallo, three-time world football champions in 1970 - August 1970 - Unidentified photographer
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a group of people gathered in an outdoor location. In the foreground, a man in a black suit is pointing his finger at another man who is wearing a white shirt and black pants. In the background, several other people watch the scene, some with their arms crossed. There is a metal structure and vegetation in the background.