“A coffee with…” Rita Rivotti - Owner of Rita Rivotti

Empack and Logistics & Automation Porto:

Tell us about yourself and your career. How did the creation of your atelier come about?

Rita Rivotti:

I always imagined myself living in the countryside and doing something related to agriculture and for that reason I decided, at the time, to take a degree in Agricultural Engineering at UTAD. However, I never got to work directly in this area because when I finished the course I went to BPI bank to do an internship in credit analysis for small and medium-sized companies in the agricultural sector and I ended up working there. Although it wasn’t my vocation, I think it was a very interesting experience. When my first daughter was born, I chose to leave the bank to dedicate myself to her full-time. Then the second and third were born and I ended up staying at home with them for 7 years. When the youngest entered school, a designer friend, Paal Myhre, challenged me to set up an agency with him dedicated exclusively to the wine sector. I found the challenge interesting and quickly realised that there was a lot to do in this area in Portugal. Portuguese wines at the time had a very poor image that did not convey their quality or the history of the brand. I started to study the market, I did a Master’s degree in Marketing and Brand Management at ISCTE, and I also took the grade 2 from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, one of the best wine training schools in the world, and I started a journey in this fascinating and, at the same time, so challenging world.

E.L.Porto:

Did you always want to specialise in wine and spirits design and branding, or was it something that came up with the projects you were developing?

RR:

Although I have a degree in engineering, I have always felt a great vocation for the arts. At the time I didn’t go to Fine Arts because of my father’s influence who understood that the arts were more of a hobby than a profession and I recognise that what I learned in college enriched me a lot. But as life takes many turns, I ended up in a profession where I can unleash my creativity and put art at the service of marketing every day. What I learnt in college is also very important for my work because it allows me to understand the language of my customers and the whole process behind a wine. It ends up being the best of both worlds.
The time when we founded the agency coincided with the great growth of the wine market in Portugal and, I believe, we have since contributed to raising the country’s image and helping to tell our story and spread our culture. When we create a new brand we go far beyond the image. We go to the roots to understand the wine and create the brand’s communication concept. The label should be a visual narrative of this concept that will then be reinforced in the back label, the web-site and all the communication pieces of the brand. I currently have an agency with my name and a team of designers who work directly with me. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with producers from all regions in Portugal and with international clients, which has greatly enriched our knowledge.
Portugal has a very good image today, you can see that at international fairs. I am proud to have followed this evolution and to have contributed in part to it.

E.L.Porto:

Tell us a little about how the creative process of each project works, from the creation of the concept to the final packaging? What are some of the challenges you have already encountered during this process?

RR:

Each project is a journey to the origin. I always like to visit the place, walk in the vineyard or olive grove and let myself be inspired by the landscape. Talk to the producer. Being a confidant of their ideas, their family stories and their dreams and goals. Talk to the winemaker and understand every detail that has created the profile of the wine; the soil, the grape varieties, the sun exposure, the altitude or the treading in the mill. Absorb every detail like a detective looking for clues. Our job is then to build the story of each brand. This requires creative talent, intellectual acumen and a high degree of knowledge of this exciting and complex world. Today we are already responsible for millions of bottles that have accompanied good conversations between friends.

Rita Rivotti: A marca que cria marcas

E.L.Porto:

Finally, with your experience, what advice would you give to young designers who are starting their career?

RR:

My advice would be the same for both designers and someone starting their career. We spend many hours of our lives working so it is very important that our work makes us happy. I think it’s healthy to ask yourself if what you do is what you enjoy. If the company we work for has values that align with our own. If we feel good among our colleagues and if we like the work environment.
It is also very important to be humble and always willing to learn. Studying new subjects and investing in training is fundamental because you can’t learn everything at university. The market is looking for creative, informed and active people.