Overview
This class introduces business and design strategies associated with brand development. Emphasis will be on the methods of thinking and research which precede the making of design as well as the importance of writing and verbal presentation to your success as a designer and life in design. In order to prepare you for contemporary design practice and the need for current practitioners to be sophisticated form givers, design process facilitators and strategic design thinkers, the purpose of this course is to prepare you to successfully direct design inquiries in unstructured situations where problems are
undefined and everything is fuzzy.
undefined and everything is fuzzy.
For the majority of the semester you will:
• identify and define a significant problem or opportunity facing a civic institution, government or business;
• conduct research to develop a strategy to solve the problem you identified;
• visualize your research;
• translate your research into a persuasive and emotional visual proposal;
• support your reasoning and work with research and process documentation
The International Student Identity Card Association
The International Student Identity Card Association provides millions of international students with official forms of international student identification and the appropriate healthcare coverage for students traveling or studying abroad. With the ISI card, thousands of dollars/euro/yen/what have you worth of discounts are exclusively available for student cardholders on anything from hostel accommodations, apparel, food, travel, etc. Unfortunately, many of those discounts go unused due to a lack of effective communication between ISI and the cardholder.
Through a re-brand of the International Student Identity Card identity and operating structure, appropriate lines of communication are established or reinforced between the cardholder, discounted businesses, and the ISI as an entity, providing benefits to all involved. Special focus was given to a revamp of the website and iPhone app to give a more direct, efficient way of locating discounts and communicating with the cardholder.
Through a re-brand of the International Student Identity Card identity and operating structure, appropriate lines of communication are established or reinforced between the cardholder, discounted businesses, and the ISI as an entity, providing benefits to all involved. Special focus was given to a revamp of the website and iPhone app to give a more direct, efficient way of locating discounts and communicating with the cardholder.
Lawrence Composting Program
Turn It Green is a campaign for the Lawrence Composting Program in Lawrence, Kansas. It provides services and education tailored to fit different lifestyles in the city, such as:
• Free compost pickup services for homeowners and businesses.
• Compost drop-off sites for those who live in apartments, students, and the rest of the community.
• Bi-annual compost sale to give back to the community.
• Workshops to learn basic composting skills.
• Booths and school presentations to educate the public and show that composting is not as messy and
smelly as they think. It is Simple, Easy, and Clean.
This project uses Neenah Environment Mesa White paper containing 50% post-consumer and 50% alternative fiber. All materials in this project can be composted, including the plant-based cellophane bags and cotton bags.
Kiva
Brand redesign for Kiva, a non-profit microlending organization that supports entrepreneurs from developing nations. Through the exploration of business and design strategies associated with brand development, I contrived three solutions to aid in Kiva's success:
1. Personalize the lending experience.
2. Operate transparently.
3. Unify and strengthen visual identity.
The Kiva brand redesign began with identifying the problem with the brand and implementing a solution. Deliverables included logo design, brand toolkit, website, typography and color palette, business system, and marketing collateral. Kiva's visual identity is influenced by photography, a playful color palette, and circular graphics, which represent the lender/entrepreneur relationships within the Kiva loan cycle.
Transportation Security Administration
A re-brand of TSA resulting in a comprehensive branding project designed around the customer facing side of their security. Key brand attributes include peace of mind, clarity, and guardianship. The brand came to life through light and bright imagery to create an approachable brand targeting a wide variety of travelers.
Chicago ReBuilding Exchange
Redesigning it into the new Re:Collective, a reclaimed materials warehouse.
