Forum Algarve is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, marking the occasion with a refreshed brand identity aimed at strengthening its connection with the local community.
The new identity includes a revamped communication strategy and updated logo.
To celebrate its silver jubilee, a pre-anniversary event bringing together partners, shop owners and staff was held on March 12 at the AP Eva Senses hotel in Faro.
“It makes sense to celebrate with everyone who has helped write and continues to write this story,” said general director Sérgio Santos, who has led Forum Algarve since 2014 but has been linked to the project since the start of his career, when he joined as a marketing intern.
The anniversary also marks the beginning of a new phase for the brand. The updated visual identity and logo aim to modernise the centre’s image while keeping it closely connected to the people who visit it. The new slogan, “Forum Algarve, So Forum, So Good”, reflects that approach.
“We want to humanise this campaign and show what makes us most proud: our relationships with people,” Santos explained.
To highlight that connection, the campaign features well-known faces from across the region, including figures from sport, culture, education and local associations. Among them are surfers Manuel Mestre and José Mestre from the Clube de Surf, Farense footballers André Candeias and Rafael Teixeira, and representatives from organisations such as the Wallride Skate School, the Motoclube de Faro and the Portuguese League Against Cancer.
Throughout its anniversary year, the centre plans to continue hosting events and experiences that have become part of its regular programme. Among the upcoming initiatives is a Paw Patrol-themed children’s event during Easter, featuring meet-and-greet sessions aimed at families.
Several new shops are also expected to open. These include a premium store combining the Vista Alegre and Bordalo Pinheiro brands, as well as the croissanterie “O Melhor Croissant da Minha Rua”. The shopping centre also recently welcomed the opening of CEX, a store specialising in the buying and selling of second-hand technology products.
Due to make its return is the “Orange Weekends” campaign, which rewards shoppers with vouchers for local activities and experiences – such as surfing, paddleboarding, canoeing, horse riding and discounts on services – for every €30 spent during the last weekend of each month.
Looking back over his years as director, Santos said the most challenging period was the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as an unusual incident when a tornado hit the shopping centre. “But these were challenges we overcame and, fortunately, without major damage,” he said.
Among the positive highlights, he pointed to events such as the centre’s Christmas ice rink, reforestation initiatives in the Serra do Caldeirão and Serra de Monchique following wildfires and hosting the Cristiano Ronaldo Museum – an exhibition he described as unique for a shopping centre.
“Forum Algarve is not just a shopping centre,” Santos said. “It has become a meeting point for different generations, a place where people gather, stroll, shop and celebrate life. That is part of our DNA.”
Meanwhile, an exhibition of photographs and graphic materials highlighting key moments in the centre’s history is also on display on the ground floor until March 26.
