Barilatte: The Redesign of a Classic Brand Through 7 Key Questions

At MTVD Design Studio , we’ve spent over a decade transforming brands with an approach that integrates design and strategy. Each project is a unique journey, where client and team collaborate closely. This time, we accompanied Barilatte, an ice cream shop with over 40 years of history, in a deep process of restyling and rebranding. The entire process can be summarized in 7 essential questions, through which we redefined its identity to appeal both to a younger audience and its loyal customer base.

1. Who are they today??

A brand goes beyond a logo or a store; it’s the story of its birth, growth, and evolution. The first fundamental question is: Who are they today? Barilatte, with 40 years in the business, is a benchmark in Córdoba. With 8 branches and a loyal clientele, the brand has stayed strong, but also needed revitalization. Although their early customers were mostly young people, over time, their primary audience has shifted to those over 40, who are highly satisfied with their product. Their challenge was to once again appeal to a younger crowd without losing their essence or alienating their loyal customers.

2. Who do they want to be?

Every brand has a vision, a dream: Barilatte wanted to regain its fresh appeal and attract the younger crowd it once had. With ice cream as their core, the idea was to add a café as a new business unit and become a top reference in high-quality coffee, doubling their franchises and increasing sales. They wanted to modernize without losing the soul that had accompanied them for decades.

3. What results do they want to achieve?

Their goals were clear: double their locations, increase sales by 30%, and expand as a top brand in Córdoba. This restyling was not just about aesthetics; it was a push to improve product quality and create memorable experiences that would attract new generations while keeping loyal customers engaged.

This moment, combined with their vision, set the intention for the project. It was key to analyze not only their visual identity but also the logic and operation of the business they wished to build. Understanding their programmatic needs was essential for effective, functional design.

4. What emotions should users feel?

A brand’s design goes beyond visuals; it aims to generate unforgettable emotions in its users. From the design, we can evoke complete emotions or work with branding and service to create layered emotional experiences. For Barilatte, we aimed for customers to feel:

• Summer all year, evoking sun, beach, and relaxation.
• A friendly meeting point where coffee and ice cream inspire desire and pleasure.
• Creaminess as a central concept, emphasizing the quality of their ice cream.
• Trust in their longstanding history, offering security with every visit.
• Fun and play, creating a dynamic atmosphere.
• A space for a break and relaxation, welcoming and close.
• Flavor exploration, inviting customers to discover new experiences.
• A relaxing atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
• Evolution in the brand and its people.
• Transparency in processes.
• Quality in service, product, and environment.
• Attention to detail.
• Genuine personality.

5. How do we reflect these emotions in the design?

The design started by creating key elements that would act as triggers to convey the emotions and intentions previously developed with the brand. Through a well-thought-out color palette and carefully chosen materials, we captured the desired sensations. At the same time, we reviewed and optimized space functions and circulations, analyzing operations to propose adjustments that aligned the venue’s flow with concrete goals, both in customer areas and behind the counter.

The initial material explorations focused on creating the desired effects, expressed through mood boards, photographic references, AI-generated images, videos, and in-person visits to suppliers. This creative process involved both the studio and the client, fostering a shared vision that brought the emotions to life, ensuring that the design aligned with the more abstract goals.

The branding also made its mark with the presentation of a new name: from Bariloche to Barilatte, incorporating the café essence and conveying, through its new name, a heartbeat-like feeling, evoking the warmth and closeness the brand wanted to reflect.

6. Is the project construction viable?

To make this new vision a reality, it was crucial to ensure everything was technically possible. We moved from initial inputs to the first project presentation, which included plans, renderings, and 3D models. Then, together with suppliers, engineers, and builders, we validated every detail of the creative technical material.?

The entire team was aligned around one idea: to make this transformation tangible, achievable, and efficient. At this stage, we evaluated not only the technical viability but also how the new commercial space fit with the functions and circulations of the expanding business, ensuring that all key processes and circuits were met to fully satisfy both client and user demands. Every space was designed to optimize both customer experience and daily business operations.

7. Ready for construction?

When all parties are aligned and have validated the technical plans and documents, it’s time to materialize the ideas. For Barilatte, this involved creating a comprehensive construction dossier, along with a brand manual, a user manual, and a branding & commercial space manual, all of which serve as references for the construction of future locations.?

These documents consolidate the decisions made during the process, ensuring that every aspect is clearly defined so the project is executed faithfully to what was agreed upon, maintaining coherence and consistency in every new branch that opens. Additionally, we provided ongoing support during the construction phase, both in person and virtually, to ensure that every project detail was respected and aligned with the original vision.

This restyling was much more than a mere facelift. Young customers have returned to fill their shops, revenue has increased by 30%, and the Barilatte team is expanding to keep up with demand. This success demonstrates the power of design in revitalizing an established brand.?

Barilatte not only renovated 8 of its original branches but also opened 3 new ones and has 3 more on the way, bringing the total to 14. The city of Córdoba has taken notice, and the media has started telling their transformation story.?

At MTVD Design Studio , we believe in the strength of collaborative design, where we listen to each brand's story and turn it into a functional, formal, and emotional strategy.