Branding Fiction: Lorenzo Bernini’s study of imaginary identities

What began as a Master’s thesis born from frustration has evolved into Branding Fiction, a book published by CAPSLOCK that examines the visual identities of imaginary companies across film, television and video games. For Lorenzo Bernini, the Milan-based designer who works at Landor whilst pursuing filmmaking in his spare time, the project represents the intersection of his two greatest passions. The book builds on his Fictional Brands Archive, a digital catalogue that has attracted international attention worldwide. In this conversation, Bernini discusses how fictional brands achieve authenticity that real-world identities often struggle to match, what designers can learn from studying imaginary companies, and why framing every decision within a broader context leads to more honest, impactful work. TBI: Hey Lorenzo! How are you? LB: All good, thanks!