A brand is what people think and feel when they see a product's name. Companies shape that feeling on purpose with a brand identity: the name, logo, slogan, colors, and the voice used in every ad and post. In this branding project, students design a brand identity poster for their product and explain why each choice fits their target customer. The "what we are / what we are not" section is the most useful part: it forces students to make choices instead of listing nice words.
| SECTION | WHAT STUDENTS SHOW | EXAMPLE: TAGBACK |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The brand name and why it works. | TagBack: it says what the product does (tag it, get it back) and is easy to remember. |
| Logo | A simple design built from shapes or items. | A name tag with a curved arrow pointing back to it. |
| Slogan | A short line that sums up the promise. | "Name it. Scan it. Get it back." |
| Colors | Two or three colors and what they say. | Bright orange (easy to spot) and navy (looks reliable). |
| Brand Voice | How the brand talks, with one example sentence. | Friendly and a little funny: "Your hoodie called. It wants to come home." |
| We Are / We Are Not | Three words for each side. | We are helpful, reliable, kid-proof. We are not babyish, a tracking device, or a way to share personal information. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Create a poster that shows the brand identity for your product.
Show three invented logos and ask what kind of company each seems to be, and why.
Students pick a name that is easy to remember and a slogan of ten words or fewer that sums up the promise.
Students build a simple logo from shapes or items and choose two or three colors, with a reason for each.
Students describe how the brand talks and write one example sentence in that voice.
Students list three words on each side, then check every choice on the poster against their buyer persona.
Brand identity is the set of choices a company makes so people recognize it and feel a certain way about it: the name, logo, slogan, colors, and the voice used in every ad and post. A brand is what customers actually think and feel. Students design the identity, then test whether it would create the feeling they want.
Have students design a complete brand identity for a product they invented: name, logo, slogan, colors, brand voice, and a "we are / we are not" list. Require a reason for every choice that connects to their buyer persona. High school and DECA students can add a packaging mock-up and explain how the brand would change for a different persona.
Not on their own brand poster: they should design an original name and logo. Real brands are useful for the warm-up discussion, but keep logos out of student work. This mirrors real life, where copying another company's logo or slogan can break trademark law, and it pushes students to make their own design choices.
It forces choices. Most students list nice words such as "fun" and "cool." Deciding what the brand is not (for TagBack, "babyish" or "a tracking device") shows they understand their customer. It is also how professional brand guides keep a whole team's ads consistent.
Plan one 45-minute class for most groups, or two if students design their logo carefully or add packaging. Logo design can take over, so set a time limit (about 10 minutes) and remind students that simple logos built from a few shapes are usually the strongest. Finish with a quick gallery walk.