There are places where talking about retail also means talking about identity, experience, and territory. Mallorca is one of them.
Today, the 22nd Spanish Congress of Shopping Centers and Retail Parks begins in Palma, organized by the Spanish Association of Shopping Centers and Retail Parks (AECC). It will bring together the sector under a motto that perfectly describes the moment we are living in: “Retail in Motion.” A retail landscape that evolves with people, technology, and new ways of interacting with physical spaces.
For TOTEM Branding, this edition’s location in Mallorca holds special significance. Our relationship with the island’s retail sector began years ago with FAN Mallorca Shopping, for which we developed strategy, naming, identity, digital presence, wayfinding, and a 360º brand experience that incorporated everything from audio branding and aroma branding to gamification and augmented reality. The project began with approximately 66,000 m² of retail space, 113 units, 2,500 parking spaces, and an investment of €190 million, becoming one of the largest commercial developments in the Balearic Islands.
That project, in which we were involved from its inception, received two of the most prestigious awards from the Spanish Association of Shopping Centers (AECC): Best Large Shopping Center in Spain and Best Branding and Launch Campaign for a Shopping Center. FAN also received the Balearic Islands Job Creation Award from Actualidad Económica.
Years later, we reconnected with the Mallorcan retail sector, working with MERLIN Properties on the new identity of Porto Pi, one of Palma’s leading shopping destinations. TOTEM Branding handled its rebranding and repositioning, and its comprehensive transformation represented an investment of over €30 million. The new branding, inspired by Mallorca’s artistic and Mediterranean character, marked the beginning of a new chapter for a center that has been open since 1995.
And there’s a coincidence we particularly appreciate: the Congress program itself includes technical visits to both FAN Mallorca Shopping and Porto Pi. Furthermore, Porto Pi arrives at this edition with two nominations for the 2026 AECC Awards: Let’s Art Festival for Best Major Marketing Campaign and “30 Years of Life, Porto Pi” for Best Social Responsibility Initiative and Impact on the Local Community.
But our connection with Mallorca goes beyond retail. We also had the privilege of working alongside the Consell de Mallorca and the Fundació Mallorca Turisme on the new Mallorca brand, built from within, listening to those who live on the island and articulated around a simple yet powerful idea of belonging: Mallorca, Ca Nostra. ([Totem][6])
Perhaps that’s why this Congress seems like a good opportunity to reiterate something we’ve been advocating for years: a shopping center isn’t just a collection of stores, just as a city or a destination isn’t just a place on a map. They are experiences, relationships, culture, belonging, and brand.
And we’re thrilled to know that a part of our history will also be there.
