Course · Brand Strategy
A brand to remember
0.1 / What it's about
Brand strategy gives design direction.
Brand strategy defines what a brand stands for, who it is for, and how it sets itself apart from others. It forms the foundation for all design and communication decisions, from the name and corporate design right through to customer service.
A consistent example used throughout is Gartenglück, a fictitious Zurich-based delivery service for seasonal meals sourced from local farms. The round lightbulb button on the cards displays three examples for each case: best practice, okay, and inadequate.
Key questions of the course:
QUESTION 1
What makes a brand more than just a logo?
QUESTION 2
Where does the brand stand in the market, and who is it for?
QUESTION 3
What does the brand stand for, and how does it differentiate itself?
QUESTION 4
How does the strategy become visible and tangible?
Course framework:
TARGET AUDIENCE
Creators
Learners in graphic, media, web or UX design, with no prior knowledge of brand strategy.
SCOPE
8 × 90 mins
Plus final project; each module can also be used individually.
Format
In a team
Brief input, trying out the tool, group exercise, reflection.
0.2 / Learning Objectives
After the course, you will develop brands with a clear rationale.
After the course, you will be able to:
01
explain the concept of a brand and distinguish it from a logo and corporate identity
02
Analysing the market, competitors, and target audiences, and formulating insights
03
Clearly define your brand core and positioning
04
Deriving personality, tone of voice, name, and corporate design from the strategy
05
Plan brand management, measure success and summarise the strategy
0.3 / Course content
All modules and sections at a glance.
Eight modules, each with a core question and a tool. Click on a module or jump straight to a section.
MODULE 01
What is a brand?
MODULE 02
Where does the brand stand in the market?
MODULE 03
Who is the brand for?
MODULE 04
What does the brand stand for?
MODULE 05
What is the brand like, and how does it speak?
MODULE 06
What is the brand name, and how are the brands connected?
MODULE 07
How does the brand become visible?
MODULE 08
How is the brand brought to life?
0.4 / Procedure per module
Each module follows the same structure.
The rhythm stays the same, the content changes:
01
Introduction (10 mins)
A question or an everyday example.
02
Input (20 mins)
Concepts and models, concise and visual.
03
Tool (15 mins)
Try the method in the interactive tool.
04
Group exercise (35 mins)
Application to your brand.
05
Reflection (10 mins)
What worked, what are you doing differently?
In each section, you will find a key takeaway in bold with a lightning bolt icon, an exercise behind the blue button, and a read-aloud function.
0.5 / Certificate of achievement
In the end, you have a brand strategy owned by the team.
Final project: a brand strategy in groups of three to four people
01
Analysis
Market, competition and SWOT, with positioning map.
02
Target audience
Personas and at least two verified insights.
03
Brand core
Purpose, values, promises and positioning statement.
04
Expression
Personality, tone of voice, name and initial design elements.
05
Presentation
Brand canvas, touchpoints, and presentation in ten minutes.
Evaluation criteria: quality of the analysis, clarity of the positioning, consistency of personality, tone of voice and design, rationale behind decisions, persuasiveness of the presentation.
0.6 / Literature and Sources
Good strategies have sources.
• Aaker, D. (1996): Building Strong Brands
• Aaker, J. (1997): Dimensions of Brand Personality. Journal of Marketing Research
• Keller, K. L. (1998): Strategic Brand Management
• Kapferer, J.-N. (2012): The New Strategic Brand Management
• Esch, F.-R. (2003): Strategy and Technique of Brand Management
• Neumeier, M. (2005): The Brand Gap
• Wheeler, A. (2003): Designing Brand Identity
• Sinek, S. (2009): Start With Why
• Christensen, C. M. et al. (2016): Competing Against Luck (Jobs to be done)
• Mark, M. & Pearson, C. (2001): The Hero and the Outlaw (Archetypes)
Please note: The years indicate the first edition; many titles are available in newer editions and in German.