Causing Action with "Fazer com que"
To express that something "makes" or "causes" something else to happen, use the phrase fazer com que.
Because one action is influencing or forcing another to occur, the verb following fazer com que must be in the subjunctive mood. If the causing action is in the present tense (faz com que), the following verb is in the present subjunctive.
| The reach of the advertising makes the client buy the product. | O alcance da publicidade faz com que o cliente compre o produto. |
| Marketing makes the advertisement more attractive. | O marketing faz com que o anúncio seja mais atraente. |
Past Causation
If the cause happened in the past, use the past tense fez com que. Because the main action is in the past, the resulting action must shift into the imperfect subjunctive mood.
| The influencer made the slogan go viral. | O influenciador fez com que o slogan se tornasse viral. |
| The new slogan made the reach huge. | O novo slogan fez com que o alcance fosse enorme. |
| The sponsorship of that event made the campaign a success. | O patrocínio daquele evento fez com que a campanha fosse um sucesso. |
Persuasion and Action
Sometimes, instead of causing a direct result, a campaign simply tries to convince the audience. When using the verb persuadir (to persuade), you do not need a subjunctive clause. Instead, follow it with the preposition a and an infinitive verb to state the intended action.
| The advertisement tried to persuade the public to buy the product. | O anúncio tentou persuadir o público a comprar o produto. |