Graphic Design and Branding

The aim of this unit is explore how identities are developed for a specific market, and how the different elements of
identity work within a specific cultural context to 'speak to' a target market. Students will examine brand identities to
understand how and what they communicate about a company. Students will investigate brand strategy, the
audience, competition, visual language, brand attributes as core components of brand identity. This knowledge will
underpin the development of a brand identity project focusing on a particular company or product and target market.

 

Throughout this unit, emphasis will be placed on the use of semiotics, including its use as a valuable analytical tool for
visual communication.
At the completion of this unit students should be able to:
1. Undertake self-directed investigation and reporting into an appropriate target market research;
2. Apply the results of market research to conceptual development of a brand identity project;
3. Develop results of market understanding to include semiotic analysis in brand identity design development, with a
particular emphasis on typographic elements of the design;
4. Explore notions of creativity and innovation through design investigations and practice;
5. Use skills in project management, including time management, staged development and adherence to project brief;
6. Engage with design as a reflective practice through workbooks and project documents.

 

This unit will be taught at the Wantirna campus.

60 hours of structured learning, including lectures, tutorials and assessments. In addition, the units require
approximately 90 hours of self-study, projects, assignments and skills development.

Investigation Assignment                             Group          20%
Design Project                                                Individual    20%
Design Project                                                Individual    50%
Presentation                                                    Individual    10%

Students will receive feedback on their progress in attaining the following key generic skills:
• teamwork skills,
• analysis skills,
• problem solving skills,
• communications skills,
• ability to tackle unfamiliar problems, and
• ability to work independently.

This unit explores the meaning and use of semiotics as a language to describe and assess visual communication in
the context of graphic design. It makes use of this language in analysing and creating branding and identity solutions
for given briefs. Particular emphasis is placed in this unit on the language of typography and its place in the
construction of identity for products, services and companies.