Portugal Ceramics, a promotional brand

Portugal Ceramics is a brand created to promote Portuguese Ceramics sub-sectors

Portugal Faz Bem was in conversation with its strategists, Laura Moreira and João Gilsanz Magalhães who, proud of their creative work, kindly agreed to participate in the Interview, that we transcribe. We wanted to know more about the behind-the-scenes of this brand, and they told us everything.

Photo credits: (C) Isola – photos by Gabriele Correddu – Will Shoot People for Food™

Probably while you read this interview, the Portugal Ceramics team will be present at the conference AIA Conference in Architecture 2023, in San Francisco (USA). At this event the architecture industry, engineering and construction will meet to define and design their contribution to the construction of the future and Portugal Ceramics will be participating and contributing to the construction of a better and more sustainable world, with Portuguese Ceramics.

What is Portugal Ceramics, who founded it and when?

Portugal Ceramics is a promotional brand created by APICER – Portuguese Association of Ceramic and Crystal Industry, and its associates, with the aim of promoting sub- Utility and Decorative Ceramics sectors, and Ceramics for Floors and Coatings in international markets.

This brand, which was born within the scope of the INTERCER project – Promotion of the Internationalization of Portuguese Ceramics – aims to increase the notoriety of Portuguese ceramics and define a new positioning that is relevant to the different actors involved (architects, interior designers, decorators, retailers, end users, etc.), authentic and differentiating.

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PORTUGAL CERAMICS

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PORTUGAL CERAMCS

In order to achieve this purpose, Portugal Ceramics, has promoted activations that have contributed to deepening knowledge, from international markets, the unique character of Portuguese companies and the value of the solutions they design and produce. Portugal Ceramics presents Portuguese ceramic brands, underlining its innovative and authentic character through a signature – the Art of Possibility – which reflects the capacity demonstrated by Portuguese companies, and its professionals, to transform ideas into tangible solutions.

The brand was recently awarded at the prestigious German Design Awards a category ofExcellent Communication’.

What space in the Portuguese market does Portugal Ceramics occupy?? And internationally?

As mentioned in the answer to the previous question, the Portugal Ceramics brand's main purpose is the international promotion of Portuguese ceramics..

How many brands does Portugal Ceramics represent and what is the aggregation criteria?

To score Portugal Ceramics, represents Portuguese ceramics, as a sector. Even though the initiative came from APICER, and its associated companies, all brand promotion activities covered by the INTERCER project (supported by a SIAC – Collective Action Support System) have a universalist character – i.e., the enjoyment of the benefits resulting from activities arising from INTERCER must be accessible to all companies regardless of whether they are members of APICER.

What is your common denominator?

When we talk about Portuguese ceramics, we talk about a universe of companies, very diverse. Right away, We have the different sub-sectors, and within each of them we have companies with different strategies, with different products, that are present in different markets through different distribution channels. Finding common ground in such a heterogeneous sector ended up being the central exercise in defining this brand's strategy.

Indeed, the big challenge was, precisely, with the definition of a positioning that was true, authentic and differentiating. Historically, Portuguese ceramics, is associated with quality. However, quality is no longer a distinguishing factor, It is a mandatory requirement to compete. I.e, There really was no concrete idea, in terms of positioning, that would help Portuguese companies to stand out, with truth, other international competitors. Unfortunately, Portuguese companies (not only in this sector) often face the idea that was associated with Portugal of best deal, which immediately leads to pressure on the price.

During the strategy definition phase, we focused on creating a brand that was true and represented the essence of Portuguese ceramics companies..
We endlessly searched for answers to the following questions:

What makes Portuguese ceramics unique? What are the specificities that Portuguese ceramics should make known to the world? Why someone should choose Portuguese pottery over pottery from another origin? Why Portugal should be valued?

“Quality is no longer a distinguishing factor, It is a mandatory requirement to compete.”

We concluded that the common denominator was based on the resolute nature with which Portuguese companies face the challenges posed by their customers. A character formed by legacy, know- how, craftsmanship, creativity, design and innovation. E, above all, something unique that speaks through every piece of pottery we create. An obsessive desire to deliver what, often, in the eyes of others, seems almost impossible. The unparalleled desire to deliver what customers need and want. The desire to discover an answer to a specific problem, to find a solution where other competitors see none. Our unique attitude to delivering special requests, meet demanding specifications, or made to measure. Deliver the exceptional, every day. And so, the positioning we defined focused on the idea of masters of possibility.

How do they characterize the Portuguese ceramics market, taking into account its quality and innovation?

The quality of Portuguese ceramics is recognized by the market and Portuguese companies have invested in innovation, not just the product, as well as the process. The demands associated with the sustainability of the planet, and society, they are, obviously, posing enormous challenges to companies. Even so, we want to believe that this is, not just the right way, as well as, could be, not future, a differentiating competitive factor that helps combat the effects of social and environmental dumping that they face, so unfairly, by other international competitors, particularly Asians.

What is the uniqueness of Portuguese ceramics in a global context??

We refer the answer to one of the previous answers and to the position that was defined. Still, we want to emphasize that we must, again, take into account the heterogeneity of the sector to answer the question. Portugal is, for example, the largest producer of utility stoneware dinnerware in Europe and the second largest in the world. This position is based on our innovative capacity, no design, in quality and, also, at the service level. The biggest players do sector, who began their journey as suppliers of retail chains (i.e., produced for own brands) are now, also, and with great success paving the way with its manufacturer brands. This investment, by these Portuguese companies, has been crucial, to affirm the authority and notoriety of Portuguese ceramics.

Creating this brand, and the initiatives that have been implemented, are fundamental to the notoriety and authority of Portuguese companies in the ceramics sector. This initiative presents companies together, highlighting their complementarity and diversity, positive, do sector.

A Portugal Ceramics has shared that it will be present at the Milan Fair. What strategy do they use to stand out from other presentations??

At the time of our response, Portugal Ceramics was present at Milan Design Week (and simultaneously at the BAU in Munich). We are currently at Berlin Design Week. The choice to attend these two events was essentially justified by our strong conviction that companies, and brands, Portuguese companies have to be seen as more than a “production center”. It is extremely important to assert our competence in the design aspect. Elevating objects that anyone can have at home to the status of a work of art was the way found to display pieces that, in their conception, intersect with our legacy, our culture, contemporary design, the traditions, traditional know-how and technology. The objective was clearly to place the design and quality of Portuguese utilitarian and decorative ceramics on two prestigious international stages..

What is the impact of this fair in the business of the brands that are represented?

Portugal Ceramics is essentially working on notoriety. The different activations that the brand has promoted always have this purpose. There is no transactional logic.

Portugal Faz Bem is a new portal

Any initiative that makes a positive contribution to the dynamism of Portuguese companies is a good initiative. In Portugal, as in other countries, there are products with excellent quality, both at the design level and at the manufacturing level. But communication, namely through the creation and management of brands, is a variable that can define the company's greater or lesser capacity to prosper in the market and provide more value.

You strategists