In this unit, you will examine branding and visual identity – the use of conceptual and visual signs to embody, evoke and represent the qualities, meaning or ‘narrative’ of a product or service to a particular group of people, customers or consumers. This will include an investigation of the role that branding and visual identity play in online commerce, marketing, advertising, personal branding and brand ambassadorship, visual merchandising, and the promotion of products, services and socio-political causes. Through practical work, you will also examine the role that design practices play in the development of a brand or visual identity, evaluate the relative success and effectiveness of various approaches, and consider the negative and positive impacts this may have on people and society.

Practical Approaches to Learning at University College
The University College is committed to providing students with opportunities to engage in practical learning experiences. Every unit is therefore driven by at least one approach that is problem or project-based, or that involves work-integrated learning.

In this unit, you will participate in a range of learning activities that focus on design thinking processes and principles, and then be provided opportunities to apply these in practice. You will therefore empathise with the customer/user, identify and define the problem, prototype, test and propose solutions.

These activities allow you to develop discipline-specific skills, knowledge and behaviours, alongside a range of employability skills and professional attributes. Some of these include, for example, empathy, active inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and innovation, and communication.
To find more information on the University College’s approach to teaching and learning, click here to view in the Unit Outline Essential Information resource.