Carl Nestor

Promotion Design

Welcome to Promotion Design! The prerequisite for promotion design is MCM 252 (Graphic Design).

This course familiarizes students with the visual communication aspects within the advertising profession. It covers consumer behavior, research and market segmentation, branding, and developing an integrated advertising campaign. The course examines various kinds of advertising media – print, web and mobile, social media, and unconventional guerrilla marketing techniques.

  • Brochure
  • Display for the Gallery
  • Corporate Identities
  • Billboards
  • Posters
  • Packaging
  • Vehicle Wraps

Week 1

Overview of advertising. We discuss the purpose of advertising and those that create it. What is an advertisement? We discuss the role of the graphic designer/visual communicator in the overall process.

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Week 2

The six phases of an advertising project. We discuss the methodology of solving creative problems and the role of the creative /design brief.

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Week3

Formulating an advertising idea. This week, we look at ways to help students become visual thinkers. We test a range of different cognitive idea-generating techniques to help stimulate and formulate the creative process. These ideas become the foundation of the advertising campaign that drive the design decisions.

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Week 4

Creative writing. Writing the copy for an advertisement. A copy driven ad.

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Week 5

Concept-generation techniques. Words, no copy, synthesis, visual analogy, visual metaphors.

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Week 6

The advertising campaign/integrated media ad campaign. A series of coordinated ads that are based on overarching strategy and closely related ideas and connected by look, feel, tone, style, imagery, and tag line. Overview of the different media formats available and how the main idea (Big Idea) is reflected in each. Creating advertising strategies that work across different media. Able to insert storytelling techniques into their advertising. Conceive ads that attract the reader, strike an emotional cord with the target audience, and motivate the reader into a call for action.

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Week 7

Designing for print advertising.

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Week 8

Designing for Web and Mobile advertising. Advertising is moving digital. Opportunities in traditional media is becoming more and more challenged, as costs continue to rise, audience fragmentation, and the growth of new technologies. Mobile Internet usage is likely to overtake desktop Internet usage by 2014. Browsing is different. The use of motion graphics.

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Week 9

Designing for Social media. Viral advertising. YouTube videos. Creating an emotional tone. Peer-to-peer communications. Tweeting, watching videos. 91% of mobile Internet access is to socialize.

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Week 10

Designing for Contests and sweepstakes. These techniques encourage consumption of the product and generate consumer involvement. This can also be tied into social media. Scavenger hunts. Helps create brand loyalty. Gamification.

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Week 11

Designing for unconventional advertising. Understand the psychological barriers created as a result of media-saturated environment. The value of unconventional.

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Week 12

Designing for screen-based media. Commercials need to attract attention within seconds.

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Week 13

Point of Purchase displays. Today’s consumers make their decisions in the store 66% of the time and make impulse purchases 53% of the time. We look at the use of kiosks, point of purchases displays, use of branding and packaging design.

Sampling is one of the most effective promotional tools. It can be distributed by mail, door-to-door, or located in kiosks or stands. In-store sampling. Free give-aways.

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Week 14

Designing for specialty advertising

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Week 15

Product placement.

Review for Final Exam.

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