Portugal: BAR

In the face of a recession big enough to knock the stuffing out of Christmas turkey, the busy boys behind BAR aren’t complaining. Isobel Roberts joins them for Happy Hour.

If we were completely honest, any agency that states ‘Every Hour is Happy Hour’ would get our vote. But luckily for our livers as much as our integrity, Lisbon newcomer BAR is much more than just a good-time joint. In fact, this young upstart is bringing a breath of fresh air and optimism to the Portuguese ad scene by indulging in a shot of classic Madison Avenue go-getter spirit, updated for the 21st century.

“We feel that, in the past few years, business has become disenchanted and grim and there’s nothing better than a BAR to raise one’s spirits,” says co-founder José Bomtempo on the shop’s branding. “We wanted our agency to be a meeting point, one that would encompass all brands and advertising tendencies. We want it to be a fun and inspiring place, one that is informal and welcoming, where the clients have a direct relationship with the business owners and feel at home. Only a BAR manages to do all that.”

And, as luck – or perhaps fate – would have it, BAR also happens to be the initials of the three partners’ surnames; José Bomtempo, Diogo Anahory and Miguel Ralha. Successful alumni of Portugal’s top agency networks, the trio met while at McCann Erickson, where Bomtempo and Anahory were chief creative officers and Ralha the CEO. But they wanted a new adventure so started working independently in May 2009, before officially opening up the shutters of BAR in October 2010.

Moulding their creation to fit the evolution of the ad industry, the founders of BAR describe the shop as a creative agency rather than just an advertising one: “What we do is produce content for brands,” elaborates Anahory. “We are, therefore, in an awareness championship. In this sense, our competition is television programs, songs that play on the radio, and even the daily news published on the web. It’s a hard fight to win the attention of consumers. If our ideas weren’t to have a certain entertainment appeal to them, they would already be dead from the get-go.”

Like any self-respecting barman, the folk at BAR count being good listeners as a key quality – and working out clients’ problems is at the core of their offering. Creating and championing a good idea comes next, which they then explore and execute in whichever medium suits it best.

Strong in advertising, design and digital, projects so far include a print and TV campaign for Sagres beer, an interactive digital experience for Audi, and a branding and web project for high-end property development Twenty Two. “We know that the task at hand is difficult,” adds in Ralha, “and we’ll have to do a lot with very little: we belong to a generation that has inherited the slimmest budgets since the 50s, but in reality, it couldn’t be a better moment to start fresh.”

As a Portugal-based outfit, BAR is, of course, not immune or naïve to the financial crisis besetting the nation; instead they believe their small set-up gives them the agility to adapt. But their size doesn’t stop them from thinking big either and they have international ambitions.

But perhaps the most refreshing aspect of BAR, besides the non-stop happy hour, of course, is that you won’t hear a single soul bemoaning the crisis. “At BAR, no one talks about a crisis,” says Anahory. “The agency was born of our enthusiasm and that is what makes all the difference. In a time when most are commiserating, here is an agency committed to proving that there is no crisis that trumps effort, happiness, and goodwill.” We’ll drink to that.