La Serenísima is the flagship consumer brand of Mastellone Hnos. S.A., an Argentine dairy company founded in 1929 by Antonino Mastellone and Teresa Aiello in General Rodríguez, Buenos Aires Province. The brand name and its visual identity are rooted in the founders’ Italian heritage, and the mark has remained closely tied to that origin throughout its history.
Design and History
The La Serenísima logo uses green, white and red, colors that reference the Italian flag. This choice reflects the nationality of founder Antonino Mastellone, who was born in Piano di Sorrento, Naples, Italy, before emigrating to Argentina in 1925. The tricolor palette has been a consistent element of the brand’s identity since its early years. [1] [2]
The company’s own historical account notes that the name “La Serenísima” (originally spelled with a double “s” in Italian, “La Sereníssima”) was inspired by a World War I squadron of Italian aircraft that flew over Vienna and dropped thousands of leaflets calling for world peace instead of bombs. Antonino Mastellone reportedly promised that if he ever started his own venture, he would name it after that squadron. [3] [4]
In 1935, the company acquired its first delivery truck, a used FIAT 614, which carried the brand name inscribed on the side of its cargo box. This marked an early application of the brand mark on company vehicles as distribution expanded from General Rodríguez into Buenos Aires. [2] [3]
In 1961, La Serenísima began selling pasteurized milk in green glass bottles. Six years later, in 1967, the company replaced the green bottle with a transparent, lithographed bottle that allowed for better identification of the La Serenísima brand on the packaging. [3] [2]
In 1995, the company launched a promotional airship to support the introduction of its new line of yogurts with Lactobacillus GG. The airship was predominantly white with two green stripes along its sides and the red La Serenísima logo displayed on one side, paired with the slogan “Tomá yogur con GG” on the other. [5] [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The green, white and red of the La Serenísima logo directly reference the Italian flag, honoring the heritage of founder Antonino Mastellone. [1] [2] The brand name itself carries a documented historical meaning: it honors the Italian air squadron “La Sereníssima” whose peace mission over Vienna during World War I inspired Antonino Mastellone’s promise to use the name for his own enterprise. [3] [4]
Beyond the documented Italian color reference, the brand’s visual identity has been described in academic design research as having undergone limited intervention over time. A University of Palermo graduate project on brand architecture in the Argentine dairy industry noted that the La Serenísima isologotype appeared “outdated” at first glance and featured graphic languages considered “not very aesthetic,” yet the project framed the brand as a case of success based on specific corporate decisions regarding its visual identity. [6]
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