TheFork started a new campaign in Portugal focused on a common problem: the difficulty of booking restaurants the old way — dealing with unanswered calls, slow confirmations, and unnecessary extra steps that make no sense in today’s world.
Susana Castro, the marketing director, said the goal is simple: to make the app the best convenience tool available. The campaign does not only focus on features; it prioritizes ensuring that reservations are quick and easy, providing a smooth experience from searching for a place to arrival. The message? Choosing a restaurant should be easy, fun, and satisfying.
The strategy goes beyond awareness, aiming to make the brand the first thought when people plan to eat out, encouraging users to make more use of the app, and reinforcing the brand's position in Portugal.
There is also a strong B2B angle. TheFork wants to continue helping partner restaurants, bringing in more customers and maximizing available occupancy — a balance seen as important for the long-term growth of the restaurant ecosystem.
Ricardo Pereira as brand ambassador
The campaign features actor Ricardo Pereira because he is trusted by people, has a good connection with the audience, and can appeal to people of all ages. His job is to make the brand feel more like a real person and show how people make daily choices when eating. Pereira hopes the campaign will encourage people to abandon their usual habits and discover the delicious food that Portugal has to offer.
Media and partners
The campaign is aired on television so that as many people as possible see it and keep coming back. It was created by McCann, produced by Trix, and the media planning was done by Dentsu.
Innovation and plans for the future
TheFork continues to invest in the use of AI to offer better suggestions and facilitate navigation for users. People in Portugal have been using the service a lot, appreciating how easy it is to use, the honest reviews, and the discovery of new restaurants.
Portugal will continue to receive constant investments as a key market. This includes growing the partner network, introducing new features and projects, such as the TheFork Awards, which have already had two local editions.
The long-term goal is to grow in a way that is good for the future while keeping up with changing eating habits — and to make reserving a table as simple as deciding what to eat.
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