ME
NU
NU
With the help of Media Profile’s Work Away program, I was fortunate enough to go on a three-week trip across Portugal with my best friends. Visiting Portugal was an unforgettable experience for all of us. We landed on going to Lisbon, Porto and Lagos, spending a week in each city. I had never been to Portugal and it exceeded all of my expectations. Every city had a different feel, but two things remained the same no matter where we went: the people we met along the way were incredibly kind and welcoming, and the Pastel de Natas was always amazing. But most importantly, the views were nothing short of incredible.
Lisbon and Porto are home to remarkable architecture, lovely streets and gorgeous viewpoints (Miradouros) of the city landscapes. The Algarve region in the south boasts incredible beaches with iconic cliffs and rock formations. We visited Portugal during a perfect time because, in the Spring, the Jacaranda trees start to bloom. We saw beautiful, purple trees in each city we visited, and they remain one of my favourite parts of the trip.
I am very thankful for this Work Away experience as it taught me so much about myself, as well as the value of work-life balance. We worked from 2-10 p.m. each day and saw everything each city had to offer in the morning (including a mildly nerve-wracking bike tour throughout the many Lisbon hills). As remote work is becoming increasingly common, the value of flexibility throughout the workday is becoming more widely recognized. By acknowledging the nonlinear nature of workdays, organizations and employees can better manage their time, balance their responsibilities, and maintain a healthier work-life balance. While in-office experiences are so important (did I ever miss seeing my colleagues and using my monitor), hybrid working models are crucial to allow for unforgettable abroad experiences such as this one.
ADVERTISING ON LISBON’S TRAMS
.jpeg)
While on my international adventure, I continuously took note of how Portugal’s advertising varied from our own.
Tram 28 is one of Lisbon's most iconic and beloved tram routes, winding its way through the city's historic districts. Tram 28 is renowned for its scenic route through Lisbon's most popular neighbourhoods, including Barrio Alto, Graça, Alfama, Baixa, and Estrela. As a result, it is always packed with both tourists and locals. There were several times when we tried to hop on, but it was packed full.
I was a little bit surprised to notice advertising on the outside of all of the trams as we do with the streetcars in Toronto, as the Trams are historical by design in comparison, so it’s almost contradicting to look at. However, Out of Home (OOH) advertising needs to be situated in high-traffic areas. This ensures that it reaches a large number of people daily.
One of the most common advertisements we saw on the trams was for Coca-Cola. We can all agree that Coca-Cola has incredibly strong brand awareness, but OOH advertising remains a crucial component of comprehensive marketing strategies, offering unique benefits that other methods of advertising may not provide. Unlike other forms of media, these ads are constantly on display, providing continuous exposure to the target audience. However, this risks exhaustion from the consumer, as there are a high number of ads everywhere you go in most urban cities.
We saw a lot of different advertisements in the city for so many different brands. From the latest European fashion trends displayed on sleek billboards to colourful posters advertising local events and international festivals, the vibrant OOH advertising landscape in Lisbon was impossible to ignore. However, the Coca-Cola logo on the iconic yellow trams stood out among them all.
My friends and I all left Portugal with the vivid imagery of the trams in our minds (how can you not?), and more often than not, they had a Coca-Cola logo painted on the side, successfully blending tradition and contemporary life, which truly characterizes the wonderful city of Lisbon.