History of the Logo
Who doesn’t know the purity of Água de Luso?
Through the Healthy Generations campaign, certainly all Portuguese know that Água de Luso is the country’s favorite and most trusted water Brand.
Since 1938 Água de Luso and Sociedade Água de Luso adopted the image of 'purity' as their symbol, inspired by the designation that professor and chemist Charles Lepierre gave to Água de Luso when he classified it "extremely pure" in 1903.
To materialize the idea, the board of Sociedade Água de Luso asked Mestre João da Silva to design a logo that would represent this purity. The image - that of a child drinking water – was sculpted in marble and currently stands in Núcleo Museológico do Luso, located in the Casino. Based on the same sculpture, there is another one in bronze, which can be seen at the reception of Termas do Luso – Buvette.
The mystery behind the sculpture
Much has been done to find out who modelled for this sculpture. Since it does not present a definite form, no one was certain as to whether the model had been a girl or a boy.
However, Nuno Pinto de Magalhães, then Director of Communication and Institutional Relations of Sociedade Central de Cervejas e Bebidas and Sociedade da Água de Luso was keen to learn all about the mystery behind the sculpture.
So, in the summer of 2011 he received a phone call from a lady who said that she had seen him being interviewed on television. The great news she had for him, which she asked not to be revealed, was that the statue’s model was, after all, her upstairs neighbor, Maria de Lourdes Nunes Rocha.
After some research it was possible to contact this lady who, after showing some initial suspicion, ended up being extremely kind and collaborative.
The story revealed
It was during that same summer that Maria de Lourdes told the following story.
It all happened when I was 9 and in primary school. During a class, the sculptor João da Silva entered the room and asked if anyone would be interested in being photographed for the model. Practically everyone put their hands up, but it was the girl who had been called to the board and had said nothing who ended up being chosen.
After being given permission by her parents, Maria started going to the sculptor's studio after school to pose, receiving just enough to buy candy as her parents did not want money in exchange for their daughter's work.
Not knowing the purpose of her modelling, Maria then wore a bathing suit with straps and the greatest difficulty she faced was when she had to raise her hands as if she was drinking water from a bowl.
Later, during the visit to the Buvette sculpture, she was happy to see the result of her work reflected in the labels of the glass bottles and in Termas de Luso. After finishing the sculpture, Mestre João da Silva offered her the plaster mold, which she kept with great affection.
Evolution of the Logo
The Água de Luso logo was designed in 1916 with the ultimate aim of representing purity.
In the first version it is possible to see the figure of a child drinking water, combining two symbols of purity as represented by Mestre João da Silva.
Over the years the image underwent several changes to make it more appealing, contemporary and sophisticated.
