Porta 4
Consistent storytelling across digital and dining experiences
Redefining Portuguese cuisine in an intimate setting
Porta 4 is a small, intimate restaurant in Porto, offering a reinterpretation of Portuguese cuisine. The menu balances heritage and creativity, with half the flavors rooted in traditional Portuguese cooking and the other half inspired by contemporary culinary ideas.
The restaurant is designed for presence and connection. Guests can see the kitchen in action, enjoy a curated wine selection from local producers, and experience a warm, personalized service. Every detail reflects care for the craft of gastronomy.
In 2023, Porta 4 transitioned from a casual tapas bar into a full-service restaurant. Snacks were replaced by an evening menu focused on refined, inventive Portuguese cuisine.
This transformation created a gap between audience expectations and the new reality. Customers still associated the brand with casual bar dining, while the restaurant experience had become more intentional and sophisticated.
The challenge was twofold: communicate the new positioning clearly and reach an audience aligned with this elevated dining experience.
01
Align the restaurant's positioning and messaging across all channels
02
Attract new audiences, both locals and tourists
03
Increase brand visibility and recognition in Porto
Clarifying the brand experience and expanding awareness
The first step was to define and communicate Porta 4's essence: a unique, intimate visit focused on quality food, seasonal ingredients, and locally sourced wines.
Instagram and Facebook were chosen as the primary channels for storytelling, as they best conveyed both the visual and experiential aspects of the restaurant.
We conducted a market and competitor analysis to ensure our approach was grounded in context. From this, we developed a content strategy with clear goals:
- Consistently communicate the brand’s positioning
- Keep the menu updated and visible online
- Highlight dishes and the dining experience through photography
- Showcase the intimacy of the space and service
To bring Porta 4's positioning and strategy to life online, we structured content around four key pillars:
Menu highlights
Sharing dishes from the menu to create anticipation and connect social media with the in-person experience. Menus were kept up-to-date to reflect seasonal ingredients and ensure accuracy.
Experience and space
Highlighting the intimate nature of the restaurant, the open kitchen, and the personalized service. Guests can see the chef at work, making the visit both immersive and unique.
Customer feedback
Featuring testimonials and reviews sourced from Google My Business and TripAdvisor to build trust and credibility, reducing perceived risk for new visitors, and reinforcing the quality of the experience.
Brand updates
Announcing seasonal menus, group dinners, lunch openings, or other operational changes. This pillar kept the audience informed and reinforced the restaurant's relevance and responsiveness.
Each month, we built a comprehensive content calendar using the visual assets provided by the client, ensuring that every piece of content reflected Porta 4’s brand identity and storytelling goals. Posts were carefully designed to align with the restaurant's visual language in a consistent and engaging way.
Hashtags were selected strategically to increase discoverability and to reach audiences most likely to resonate with the restaurant's intimate and culinary-focused positioning.
Performance was reviewed at the start of each month, with metrics on engagement, reach, and audience growth guiding refinements to the upcoming content plan. This iterative process allowed us to continuously optimise the strategy, respond to audience preferences, and ensure that every post contributed to building a cohesive brand presence, and a stronger community online.
01
Instagram followers increased by 60%, expanding the restaurant’s reach to new audiences
02
Engagement on Instagram grew by 143%, reflecting a more active and connected community
03
Beyond the metrics, the project achieved alignment across all platforms, ensuring Porta 4 communicates consistently
04
The brand now engages the right audience and accurately reflects the refined, intimate experience offered at the restaurant.
5.0
We started to work with Phi Creative when we were a team of 3 people.
They helped us from the very beginning, working with us to build of our brand, find our identity, create a website and develop the UI design of our software. I really appreciate their direct and open communication as well as their quick response to every challenges. Along this time we created a good synergy. That's why, after a great journey so far, along which our team have grown to more than 10 people, we still count on them for jobs that require a sharp design and flawless communication.