Brand Design for Hospitality
Creating Distinctive Brands in the HoReCa, Food, and Wine Sectors
Florence
ENG
Master
Language
English
Start date
November 2026
Frequency
Full time
Fruition
On campus
Duration
1 Year
Course Coordination
Ilaria Legato
Price
EU/EEA resident students: €20.300
Non‑EU/Non-EEA resident students: €22.300
Today, the HoReCa sector requires complex brand management capable of maintaining authenticity even during periods of change. The city of Florence—with its excellence in project culture, food and wine heritage, and tourism—represents the ideal context for studying and experimenting with hospitality branding, thanks to the presence of innovative realities, museums, and historic companies that embody Made in Italy.
The Master in Brand Design for Hospitality trains professionals capable of designing distinctive brands within the hospitality, food service, and wine sectors, integrating creativity with strategic vision. The programme develops the ability to create engaging brand narratives and coherent visual identities that connect with a global, experience-oriented audience. Rooted in Italian culture and adopting an international perspective, the Master addresses the challenges of a competitive and constantly evolving market, where differentiation and innovation are essential.
The programme begins with Brand Culture and Identity, where students explore how cultural values, storytelling, and visual elements define a brand in hospitality, food, and tourism. This is complemented by the Design Thinking module, which introduces a creative and iterative approach to problem-solving. In User Trends and Research and Brand Design for Hospitality, students analyse consumer behaviour and develop effective communication strategies aligned with brand identity and market positioning.
The programme continues with Experiences and Services Design, focusing on mapping customer journeys and applying service marketing principles to create seamless and memorable experiences. The Wine Business Experience module combines theory with experiential visits to Tuscan wineries, while Food Business Management and Marketing explores branding, consumer behaviour, and entrepreneurial strategies within the food sector. The Master includes a Study Trip Abroad to Bilbao, where students collaborate with participants from the Master in Food Design on a real project for a professional client, work in interdisciplinary teams, publicly present their project, and enrich their cultural perspective through museum visits and meetings with industry professionals.
The programme culminates in the Final Project, in which students apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, developing integrated brand strategies, innovative experiences, and communication solutions. Graduates are prepared to take on roles in brand design, management, consulting, and marketing within the food, wine, and hospitality sectors, enhancing the cultural and productive heritage of Made in Italy while combining tradition and innovation into memorable and sustainable brand experiences.
Faculty
Course Coordinator
Ilaria Legato
Brand e Food Designer
Odin Rolland
Strategy Director
Alessandro Grassi
Founder and Managing Partner GRASSI & PARTNERS
Benedetta Rossi
Journalist
Claudia Gelosa
Professor
Bernardo Conticelli
Wine Consulting
Cinzia Spatafora
Hospitality Manager
What people say
"I’d describe my experience as improving, empowering and inspiring. Our teachers are professionals in the sector, so you actually see how you can work with real clients to create projects. The thing I learned in this Master that can make a change in my career is the different point of view that the teachers gave us and the different tools in brand strategy they taught us."
Brand Strategist at Krein | Alumna Master in Brand Design for Hospitality
Matteo Pizziol
"I chose this programme because I was interested in the field of hospitality, and from my previous studies I understood that this was my passion. I discovered it could be a great way to combine my passion for hospitality and the interest I have in design. I think that you have to choose this Master because it offers a mix of real cases and studies that will certainly help you in your future work."
Alumnus
Rositsa Dimova
"As a creative, it’s super important to get to the point and have the opportunity to express your ideas in actual projects. In the creative field, where what you need are connections, IED offers them to you in your hand."
Alumna
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