Fernet Branca
This project was developed for Fernet-Branca as a mobile application designed to support a private ecosystem of brand-curated events.
The app was intended for a selected audience of bartenders personally invited by the brand, reinforcing a sense of exclusivity and community.
Access to the application was restricted through invitation-only QR codes distributed via physical branded materials.
Date
2017
Role
UX/UI Designer
Problem
Fernet-Branca needed a way to increase engagement and long-term retention among a niche but strategically important audience.
While events played a central role in the brand’s relationship with bartenders, there was no dedicated digital touchpoint to connect these experiences over time.
The challenge was to design a lightweight product that could encourage repeated participation while reinforcing brand identity and perceived value.
Goals
The goal of the project was to create a digital hub that aggregated brand events into a single, coherent experience.
Participation in events needed to feel rewarding, motivating users to return and engage with the brand beyond individual occasions.
A points-based system was introduced to link physical attendance with digital rewards, allowing users to redeem branded items and merchandise.
Constraints
The project was developed within significant technical limitations.
The chosen technology stack and frameworks allowed for minimal customization, requiring the design to rely on established interaction patterns and consolidated UI components.
These constraints influenced both the structure of user flows and the visual flexibility of the interface.
Role & Responsibilities
I worked on this project as a UI Designer, focusing on interface design and visual consistency.
My role involved adapting the brand’s identity to a mobile experience while working within predefined technical and structural constraints.
Design decisions prioritized clarity and usability over experimentation, ensuring reliability across devices and contexts.
Process
The experience was designed around simple and familiar flows to minimize friction and onboarding effort.
Given the constraints, the process focused on selecting and adapting proven interaction patterns rather than inventing new ones.
Brand expression was achieved through typography, color and visual hierarchy, reinforcing Fernet-Branca’s identity within a functional structure.
Solution
The final product was an invite-only mobile application where users could discover upcoming events, track their participation and collect points.
Accumulated points could be redeemed for branded items, creating a direct link between engagement and reward.
The closed nature of the system reinforced exclusivity while keeping the experience intentionally simple and focused.
Results & Learnings
The project demonstrated how even limited digital products can support engagement when aligned with clear brand goals.
Working within strong technical constraints highlighted the importance of prioritization and design discipline.
From a product perspective, the experience reinforced the value of combining physical events with lightweight digital incentives to support retention.