From Design Support to Design Leadership: The Rise of Téntico
- Antonio Duarte
- Nov 14, 2025
- 2 min read
By Antonio Duarte
What started as a selective branding project quickly grew into a defining experiment: What if creative services were led by strategy—not style? That question marked the beginning of what would become Téntico, our spin-off design outsourcing venture born from DuartePino’s commitment to build not just brands—but brand value.
From Branding Projects to Strategic Design
Over the years, we worked with founders and CEOs across dozens of industries—each with bold ideas, distinct business models, and ambitious plans. But time and time again, we saw the same challenge: design efforts lacked strategic alignment and authenticity. Teams were designing for aesthetics, not outcomes. That gap became our opportunity.
Early Clients That Shaped the Model
With clients like Almateria, Xtillion, Rodimedi, and Money Group, we had the privilege of testing a new approach—one rooted in intentionality.
Beyond Aesthetics
We weren’t just crafting logos or slide decks. We were shaping growth narratives, launching portfolios, evolving employer brands, and aligning design with market opportunity.
Those early collaborations taught us something essential: great branding isn’t just visual—it’s structural. And it must be guided by clear business objectives.
Formalizing Téntico as a Studio
With that realization, we formalized Téntico as a sister company—powered by design thinkers, creative strategists, and brand architects.
Today, it stands as an independent studio serving employers, emerging brands, and business leaders who want branding that works just as hard as they do.
Téntico’s DNA is pure DuartePino: thoughtful, trustworthy, collaborative—and fiercely focused on helping businesses grow.
Gratitude and What’s Next
To our former clients who gave us the space to experiment, and to the Téntico team shaping what’s next—thank you. You turned a bold idea into a thriving model.
And to the next generation of brands: we’re just getting started.
Built over time. Backed by trust.
About the Author:
Antonio Duarte, Chief Marketing Advisor for DuartePino and partner of Téntico and Haipriori, wrote this blog.
ABOUT DUARTEPINO
DuartePino is a management outsourcing firm that combines deep customer knowledge with practical expertise in marketing, communications, and brand management to drive sustainable growth for clients. Our network of Trusted Advisors brings years of experience, offering fresh perspectives, proven processes, and the martech tools needed for effective execution.
In addition to our core services, we have expanded through our ventures, Téntico—a strategy-first brand studio focused on authentic branding for legacy brands and scale-ups—and Haipriori, specializing in custom software solutions and digital innovation. We manage over 15 marketing communications departments, representing over $1B in annual sales, with 70% of clients exporting to international markets.
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