A Catwalk on the rooftop – ModaLisboa | Clapboard Ad Archive

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A Catwalk on the rooftop - ModaLisboa | Clapboard Ad Archive

ModaLisboa’s 2013 Fall/Winter Fashion Week promotion, A Catwalk on the Rooftop, executed by Y&R Lisbon, delivers a smartly audacious reimagining of the urban landscape for the Recreation and Leisure market category, translating Lisbon’s iconic rooftops into literal runways and dramatically repositioning the city as a fashion stage. In a film campaign devoid of narrative exposition or spoken word, the cityscape itself becomes character and platform, as models traverse the city’s slanted, sunlit terraces in a stylized inversion of the classic image of cats atop the tiles, generating a new and unexpected visual signature for Portuguese fashion’s flagship event. This approach sits squarely in Clapboard’s FORMAT#9—Symbolize the Benefit, employing exaggerated visuals to elevate ModaLisboa and the allure of Lisbon, projecting not just the garments but the entire city as aspirationally stylish and cosmopolitan without recourse to conventional event advertising tropes. Y&R Lisbon’s decision to substitute models for cats is neither whimsical nor throwaway—it is a calculated re-framing, telescoping Lisbon into a stratosphere of European capitals whose built environments are central to their brand mythologies, and signaling that in Portugal, Fashion Week is as vital to the texture of the city as its architecture. Against the spare, sun-washed geometry of red tile and white stone, the wardrobe and styling—artfully curated and contemporary—become visual haikus pitched perfectly for international travel and leisure segments, while the technique of sound and edit sequencing suspends the act of walking into a slow-motion celebration of creative movement. With no overt product messaging or celebrity cameos, the work is self-assured in its metaphor, an ad for ModaLisboa only in the sense that it makes Lisbon itself a must-see for any style-seeker during Fashion Week. The campaign earns 63/100 in Clapboard’s global creative archive. This matters because ModaLisboa, by leveraging city-as-stage metaphor with architectural bravura, signals that fashion communication in smaller European markets can command global attention through bold creative that elevates both place and event into icons.

Credits

Client

ModaLisboa

Agency

Y&R

Creative Director

Pedro Ferreira, Judite Mota

Art Director

Pedro Ferreira, Carlos Capitulo

Copywriter

Judite Mota

Director

Enrique Escamilla / Garage Films

Photographer

Marianna Yakobson

Category Mind Map

48%

The ModaLisboa campaign, titled "A Catwalk on the rooftop," reimagines the traditional fashion runway by situating models on Lisbon’s rooftops, offering an unconventional and elevated perspective of the city. This approach aligns with ModaLisboa’s brand proposition of blending cutting-edge fashion with a culturally rich, urban experience, positioning the brand as a forward-thinking promoter of Portuguese fashion while highlighting the unique architectural and scenic elements of Lisbon. The campaign promises a fusion of style and locale, emphasizing innovation, creativity, and a distinct sense of place within the fashion realm. Strategically, the campaign leverages the insight that fashion consumers increasingly seek immersive and authentic experiences that go beyond the garments to encompass lifestyle and environment. By placing models on rooftops, the campaign creates an unexpected visual narrative that disrupts conventional expectations, capturing the audience’s attention through novelty and artistic flair. The creative angle connects ModaLisboa with a demographic appreciative of avant-garde presentations and urban culture, reinforcing the event’s relevance as both a fashion showcase and a cultural highlight in the leisure and travel landscape. This approach implicitly targets individuals who value unique experiences and the interplay between fashion and city life, positioning ModaLisboa as a key player in the intersection of recreation, leisure, and style within Portugal’s cultural scene.

FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact. This campaign fits FORMAT#9 because it transforms Lisbon’s rooftops into literal catwalks, replacing typical cats with fashion models strutting above the city—an intentionally exaggerated and symbolic visual. There’s no narrative arc, problem/solution structure, or testimonial; rather, the central creative device is metaphorical: the city itself becomes a stage elevating ModaLisboa and Fashion Week’s glamour. The campaign amplifies Lisbon’s role as a fashion capital by using imaginative symbolism to dramatize the event’s cultural impact and style allure. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Lisboa Fashion Week – Positioned as Portugal’s premier fashion event, Lisboa Fashion Week leverages a blend of established and emerging designers to showcase cutting-edge trends. Their strategic focus is on elevating Lisbon as a global fashion capital by combining contemporary design with sustainable fashion narratives. 2. Moda Porto – Moda Porto centers on promoting northern Portugal’s unique design identity, emphasizing artisanal craftsmanship and local heritage. Their positioning hinges on celebrating regional creativity while fostering community engagement through inclusive and accessible events. 3. Portugal Fashion – As the largest fashion event in Portugal, Portugal Fashion positions itself as a comprehensive platform connecting designers, industry professionals, and consumers. They differentiate by integrating innovation in textile technology and promoting internationally viable fashion talents. 4. Fashion Revolution Portugal – This competitor adopts a socially-conscious stance, emphasizing transparency, ethics, and sustainability in fashion. Their campaign strategies focus on consumer education and advocacy, appealing to environmentally-aware audiences within the leisure and fashion sectors. 5. Lisbon Design Fashion Week – Positioned at the intersection of fashion and design, this event highlights avant-garde and interdisciplinary creativity. Their strategy spotlights experimental fashion presentations infused with cultural and artistic expressions, targeting trendsetters and tastemakers in the recreation and leisure market.

Q: What is A Catwalk on the rooftop about? A: A Catwalk on the rooftop is a film campaign created for ModaLisboa by Y&R Lisboa, launched in Portugal in 2013 to promote the Fall/Winter Fashion Week. The campaign reimagines Lisbon’s rooftops as literal catwalks, featuring models walking above the cityscape to provide an unexpected and visually striking perspective on both fashion and urban culture. Directed by Enrique Escamilla and produced by Garage Films, the project showcases a curated cast of models and highlights the city’s architectural character, positioning ModaLisboa as a creative force in the recreation and leisure market. Q: What creative device does A Catwalk on the rooftop use? A: A Catwalk on the rooftop employs FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. This approach uses exaggerated and metaphorical visuals—transforming Lisbon’s rooftops into catwalks and replacing cats with models—to symbolize the glamour and cultural elevation ModaLisboa brings to the city. The campaign avoids narrative or testimonial structures, instead relying on the city-as-stage metaphor to dramatize the event’s impact and visually communicate the fusion of high fashion with Lisbon’s urban identity. Q: What is the campaign proposition for A Catwalk on the rooftop? A: The campaign proposition for A Catwalk on the rooftop centers on ModaLisboa’s ambition to blend cutting-edge fashion with Lisbon’s unique urban experience, positioning the brand as an innovator in Portuguese fashion. By situating models on the city’s rooftops, the campaign targets audiences seeking immersive, authentic, and visually arresting experiences that connect style with lifestyle. This strategy underscores ModaLisboa’s role as a forward-thinking promoter of fashion and culture, appealing to those who value the interplay between creativity, place, and contemporary leisure. Q: How does A Catwalk on the rooftop rank in Clapboard's archive? A: In Clapboard’s global ad archive, A Catwalk on the rooftop holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, the quality of its execution, and its cultural relevance within the context of fashion and urban storytelling. Q: Who are the competitors in ModaLisboa's category? A: Within ModaLisboa’s competitive landscape, Lisboa Fashion Week stands out by positioning Lisbon as a global fashion capital through a mix of established and emerging designers, while Moda Porto emphasizes northern Portugal’s artisanal heritage and community engagement. Portugal Fashion operates as the nation’s largest fashion event, connecting designers and consumers with a focus on textile innovation and international reach. Fashion Revolution Portugal differentiates itself through advocacy for transparency and sustainability, appealing to ethically minded audiences, and Lisbon Design Fashion Week targets trendsetters by merging avant-garde fashion with interdisciplinary creativity in the leisure and travel market.