SÃO PAULO — I arrived late at the elegant house in the Vila Nova Conceição neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil; the event was about to start. A handful of journalists were already gathered around a table with coffee, tea, cookies and snacks at the back of the house. But the tension was palpable; those tasked with "selling" the product to the press knew that they were facing a significant challenge.

When questions poured in — accompanied by few answers — it became increasingly clear that the Brazilian launch of World was prompting far more questions than applause.