Magda Ice Cream Shop. From logic to magic
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The first thing that might come to one’s mind while reading this article could be the Spirit of things article. Heladeria Magda (Magda Ice Cream Shop) is a clear example of how location can give a lot of identity to a brand.
Naming it Magda
This project was born with the intention of preserving an old familiar tradition of making ice cream, which originated from Ciénaga, Magdalena, Colombia. This tradition is now in its third generation. The recipe is known to be unique, and having become very popular in its hometown, the Infante family decided to brand it.
After understanding these insights, Magda was presented as the most appropriate name for the brand because of its geographical origin and its feminine and familiar connotation.
Rediscovering a tradition
Most of the time, customs are lived unconsciously, so exploring one’s routine is needed to identify them. The client did this exercise in the workshop and could share valuable insights and re-discoveries about their tradition in order to build brand identity.
Heladería Magda comes from Ciénaga, Magdalena, as previously mentioned. This small town on the Caribbean coast was known for a banana boom in the 1920s. Its architecture is believed to have been one of the wealthiest in the first part of the last century. Its importance as an economic hub was such that authors like Gabriel García Marquez mentioned it in their books.
Ciénaga’s Golden Age
Ciénaga’s golden age is reflected in Magda’s identity without losing its personal charm. The refined typography is accompanied by a very singular piece of architecture, the “templete.” It means “little temple.” The goal was not only look sophisticated but friendly as well.
The “templete” is an unofficial symbol of Ciénaga, which represents the cultural and architectural wealth of that past period. Only a few towns in Colombia have had the chance to experience such affluence.
As Magda represents tradition not luxury, it was designed not to resemble something sumptuous nor unreachable. On the contrary, bringing it closer to its target audience and its market was mandatory. Keep in mind that it was born in the Caribbean, and it is an ice cream shop.
Magda’s focus
From the beginning, it was said that Magda has no plans to open a brick and mortar shop, so packaging, events’ exhibitions, and social media must be responsible for brand awareness.
Besides, most of the flavors offered by Magda aren’t common. Corozo, zapote, and níspero are local fruits used for traditional recipes, so they aren’t commonly found in big city ice cream shops.
The system’s colors and objects were chosen to awaken nostalgia and fond memories in order to generate a strong bond between the brand and its audience. They are invited to be part of this Mágica Tradición.
No one has an unlimited budget
Startups have a minimal budget, so they have to optimize resources as much as possible. One of the client’s concerns was the high cost of packaging production, so it should attract people’s attention without costing an arm and a leg.
A versatile sticker was designed for branding the packaging because of its low cost and quick customization.
Another initial insight was that the brand would cater social events to offer their ice creams. So the client found a refrigerated display case online that was branded with stickers in order to make it more characteristic.
To conclude
Brands with actual origins are great to develop. Feel proud about and get involved in your story. Be realistic with your budget and share it with the designers, because it helps them to be more accurate with your purpose.
