Italian bakery brand that produces biscuits, snacks, breads and cakes, owned by Barilla. Founded in 1974 under the coordination of Giovanni Maestri, it was created to differentiate Barilla’s production, historically linked only to pasta. Only in October 1975 did it come onto the market with the first production of biscuits, designed by the English pastry chef George Maxwell. In that period, Italy had ended the economic boom season and was an industrialized country that was starting to feel nostalgic for its past, idealized and associated with a simpler and more natural lifestyle. The return to nature – or at least to a dimension in which naturalness once again became a value as well as tradition – was the strong element from which to derive the logo which, since its birth in 1975, has stood out for its iconography with a strong impact that sees its pivot in a happy valley with a mill in the center, a perfect union between generous nature and human presence.

In this visual story, entrusted to Gio Rossi with the collaboration of Cesare Trolli, each element – the ears and flowers, the mill, the valley, the name, the festoon and the colors – has a precise role in the narrative and testifies to the commitment of brand in offering genuine products, the result of its know-how and its positive and authentic attitude towards life. The original brand has been slightly changed over time without however ever diluting its narrative capacity. In detail: the mill evokes tradition and know-how; the ears and flowers represent nature, abundant and lush, a key element of the brand story; the logo conveys authority but also cleanliness and dynamism which contrasts with the static nature of the mill; the festoon is a support element that represents the playful element and its asymmetric position conveys closeness and involvement with the recipient; the Barilla brand reassures you regarding the reliability and quality of the products.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the brand, in 2005 the first restyling of the logo was carried out, carried out by the Future Brand agency: the updating of the features and style, through simplicity to improve the comparison with the contemporary, society and new trends. In detail: the mill remains unchanged in the design but the stamp is enlarged for greater relevance and visibility; the elements of nature evolve towards a more contemporary and iconic style, through the simplification of the color palette and features; the typographic character of the logo loses some frills while maintaining an authoritative style that recalls the world of pastry making; the festoon maintains its playful function and protection of the logo but is shortened making the composition more compact; the Barilla brand remains a guarantee of quality.

Another restyling in 2017, again by Future Brand, with the enhancement of the mill icon which evolves in the direction of greater impact and iconicity within the stamp, simplified and enlarged to give it greater visibility while maintaining only some references to the surrounding valley . The affirmation of digital communication determined the need to review the entire composition of the brand, and some of its elements, in order to adapt to the new communication platforms. The Barilla logo remains, albeit with its new restyling.

In 2022 Future Brand ensures that the brand evolves its visual assets, reconfirming its expressive role as part of a single story; Barilla’s endorsement disappears from the composition as it is no longer necessary to give credibility to a brand now strongly entrenched in the perception of consumers. Over the years the brand has increased its commitment to protecting the environment as evidenced by the “Carta del Mulino” and the various projects launched; in the brand the elements are explained in a more authentic, lively and real way.

In detail: the design of the mill evolves towards greater visibility with the dark roof which makes it immediately readable and with the valley around which becomes simpler but does not disappear; for the garland, the ears are softer and the flowers are designed with realism together with a small bee which symbolizes the brand’s concrete commitment to protecting the environment and adds life to the story; typography loses its grace, becomes more contemporary and readable; the festoon maintains its recreational and brand protection function but is further shortened.