Between 2022 and 2023, I had the opportunity to deepen my practice by completing a Master’s Degree in Packaging Design at Elisava, Barcelona School of Design and Engineering. This experience marked a defining chapter in my development as a designer, allowing me to understand packaging not only as a visual outcome, but as a strategic system — one capable of shaping how brands exist, communicate, and are experienced in the physical world.

Throughout the program, I worked on a wide range of projects from concept to final execution, approaching packaging as the final tangible expression of a much broader strategic process. Each project began by defining a clear conceptual foundation — understanding positioning, audience, and purpose — which then evolved into a visual identity system, including logotypes, color families, and graphic languages designed to scale cohesively across packaging lines.

More importantly, I learned to think about packaging structurally. Beyond graphics or labels, the focus was on understanding how strategy translates into material, form, and physical presence — how a brand is ultimately experienced through glass, plastic, or paper. Packaging became not just something to see, but something to hold, to feel, and to trust. Every decision, from material selection to visual hierarchy, contributes to shaping perception and creating a meaningful connection between the brand and the person interacting with it.

We explored diverse categories including luxury packaging, beverages, mass consumer goods, and food, each with distinct commercial contexts and challenges. This expanded my ability to navigate different market realities, understanding how packaging must balance emotional resonance with strategic clarity, while supporting differentiation and long-term brand growth.

One of the most rewarding outcomes of this period was seeing several of my academic projects receive international recognition, including Wellyum, Band Aid, and Betty Crocker. These acknowledgments reinforced the importance of approaching packaging through both strategic thinking and emotional sensitivity, creating work that resonates beyond aesthetics.

Silver Award - Band - Aid (2024)

Creative Direction & Design: Belén Díaz Guerra, María Jesús Ossadón, Daniela Barrio de Mendoza, Maria Gómez

Silver Award - Wellyum (2023)

Art Direction & Photography : Daniela Barrio de Mendoza, Graphic & Packaging Design: Lidia Jurado, Bernardita Rodríguez y Daniela Barrio , 3D Artwork: Paloma Saiz

Bronze Award - Betty Crocker (2023)

Art Direction: Belén Díaz, Graphic Design: Daniela Barrio de Mendoza, Belén Díaz, Photography: Daniela Barrio de Mendoza, 3D Artist: Cristina Ródenas
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Beyond the projects themselves, Elisava provided an incredibly enriching environment. Collaborating with designers from across Europe and Latin America, and learning from professors with extensive industry experience, broadened my perspective and deepened my understanding of packaging as both a creative and commercial discipline. It strengthened my ability to think beyond the immediate visual outcome and consider how packaging exists within real markets, real shelves, and real human interactions.

Barcelona remains a deeply meaningful chapter in my journey — not only because of the academic experience, but because of the city itself and the cultural depth that surrounds it. Being immersed in a place shaped by history, design, and artistic legacy expanded my way of observing and understanding the world. Europe offered a constant source of inspiration, influencing how I approach projects today with greater sensitivity, awareness, and openness.

It also reinforced in me a desire to continue traveling and exploring different cultures — understanding that each place carries its own visual language, values, and emotional nuances. These experiences continue to shape my perspective, allowing me to translate cultural richness into design, and to create work that feels more thoughtful, connected, and alive.