Tuesday, March 24, 2009

BRAND POSITIONING STATEMENTS + MOODBOARDS

Brand Positioning Statement: Sample
Where the brand is now: Persona - Authentic Female Athletes
Where the brand needs to be: Edgy, Real, Grassroots
Where the brand needs to go: Visual Aesthetic Positioning

Class 2 - LINKS

Hi guys,
Here are some links that I talked about over the last 2 weeks. This should keep you busy.

GEN-X: The ignored Generation
Read the article

The Luxury Survey (good article)
Read the article

Reform Revolution (i like how this site works)
View the site

Graphic Exchange (love this site)
View the site

The Cool Hunter (i love this site more)
View the site

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Project - BRAND REDUX

CLASS PROJECT: BRAND REDUX
Create a Position that breathes new life into your brand.


PROBLEM: Your brand's presence is not as strong as it could/should be in its respective industry

SOLUTION: Strengthen your brand position and presence within the industry by taking a new position for your brand.

REQUIREMENTS:
Brand related research
Determine what is necessary in order for your brand to be a success (repositioning or readjustment?)
Define key messaging
Create a messaging platform (taglines)
Create a visual moodboard for your new brand position (explore visual directions)
Create a new logo/logotype


FINAL DELIVERABLES:
WEEK 2:
- Present your brand (story, target markets, competition visuals, existing touchpoints, perceptions)
- Present SWOT analysis of your brand
Homework:
- What are your conclusions, opportunities and possible directions?

WEEK 3:
- Refine your research (visual and philosophy)
- Based on what I've learned in my research phase, I've decided to pursue the following position
- Where do you think the brand needs to go to be successful in your own mind?
- Present your CONCLUSIONS, OPPORTUNITIES and new DIRECTIONS?
- All based on KEY MESSAGING
- Present V1 Brand Position (1-2 different positions)
- Present V1 Visual Moodboard (2-3 options)

WEEK 4:
- Present V2 Brand Position
- Present V2 Visual Moodboard
- Present V1 logo sketches (6 directions)
- Present V1 taglines (descriptor + brand)

WEEK 5:
- Present V2 logo sketches

WEEK 6:
- Present final Brand Positioning Statement
- Present final moodboard
- Present final sketched logo
- Hand in Process Book or BLOG (Research, SWOT analysis, Opportunities, Moodboards, Directions, Visual Sketches)
- Ready for Digital Design


GRADING CRITERIA:
1. Successful completion of all required elements (all essential elements have been CLEARLY laid out in the previous section). Failure to complete any of these required elements will result in the loss of marks.
2. The ability and the EFFORT to make proper decisions regarding major issues addressed in class lectures. These issues include; ideation research, brand positioning, visualization
3. Students will also receive marks for their participation in in-class critiques and professionalism when presenting their own project.
4. Students will be graded on how well they can stay on task throughout the duration of their project schedule. Failure to meet any of the class deadlines will result in a loss of marks.


BREAK DOWN OF MARKS
Successful completion of all element: 15
Participation/Effort in class and brainstorming: 35
The pursuit of Blue Sky Creativity: 30
All aspects of presentation (in-class, blog and speaking): 20

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

ID2 Course Outline - 6 weeks

Branding & Communication Strategy
Instructors: Tak Yukawa and Pamela Lee
Duration: 6 weeks = Pamela 6 weeks = Tak
Start Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009
End Date: Thursday, April 16, 2009


This class will further enforce the importance of Conceptual thinking within the Design and Creative industries. Students will be introduced to the power of branding and messaging and its wider implications within society. There will be a focus on how the issue of PERCEPTION determines success or failure - from corporations to celebrities. The goal of this class will be to empower students with different methods and techniques for effective idea generation. Students will learn how to formulate solutions that TAKE A POSITION within the context of their projects with the help of a sound CREATIVE PROCESS. Time will be spent talking about how IDENTITY, LOGO DESIGN and MESSAGING play out their respective roles within branding.

By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Conduct effective RESEARCH to satisfy particular project goals
- Effectively ANALYZE and PROCESS collected data into useful creative tangents
- Generate robust ideas/concepts/messaging suitable for widespread implementation
- PREPARE and PRESENT their solutions with confidence and professionalism
- Communicate effectively with the client and their target markets
- Insight into how to service clients to make the client feel confident in your services
- General business practices that every designer should know

Required Supplies:
- Sketchbook
- Drawing pencils
- Fine line ballpoint pens and different sized multi-tip black markers (Sharpie)
- A minimum of 3 different color Highlighters
- Other sketching tools may be required during the course (ie: Pencil, Markers and Papers), and will be determined by the student’s comfort level, preference or by instructor request.
- A computer and Adobe Creative Suite Programs (Primarily Illustrator and Photoshop)
- Memory Card/Key for digital files (ideally 1 gig)

Suggested Resources:
- Daniel H. Pink: A Whole New Mind
- Scott Bedbury and Stephen Fenichell: A New Brand World
- Edward De Bono: Lateral Thinking
- Tom Kelley: The Art of Innovation