We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Brand New Brand

This course is the culmination of the Graphic Design Specialization and gives you an opportunity to tie together your knowledge and skills into a single project: a brand development guide for a company you will invent.

This course takes you through the entire design process, from ideation to creation to presentation. Through the guide, you will be creating and giving a visual identity to an imaginary start-up company, and applying that visual identity to a number of forms. You will also develop a logotype and accompanying graphic palette to visually represent your company, as well as apply that design to a number of different applications to see it at work.

Note: Only learners who have earned a certificate in the four previous courses in the Specialization are eligible to take the Capstone.

Enroll now

Or subscribe to Coursera Plus

And get unlimited access to Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Ideation: Invent Your Client

In this module you will choose an area your start-up company works in, create a written (fake) history of your company, define company idealogical goals and philosophy, brainstorm for naming ideas and name your company.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Examines visual identity development, a core skill for designers

Taught by Michael Worthington, who is recognized for their work in design

Develops logotype design, which is highly relevant to design

Develops color palette design, which is highly relevant to design

Builds a strong foundation for beginners in design

Encourages visual research, a key aspect of the design process

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.

Save

Reviews summary

Capstone in brand development design

According to learners, this capstone course serves as a crucial opportunity to tie together knowledge and skills gained throughout the Graphic Design Specialization. Many appreciate the chance to work on a practical, comprehensive project, the brand development guide, which is highlighted as a valuable portfolio piece. While the project is seen as challenging and requiring significant effort and time commitment, students often find the rewarding feeling of completion makes it worthwhile. The peer review process, a mandatory component, receives mixed feedback; some find peer insights helpful, while others note inconsistency or lack of depth in the critiques received. Overall, it is viewed as an effective, albeit demanding, culmination of the specialization.

Demanding workload, but provides satisfaction on completion.

"This Capstone was definitely challenging and required a lot of work, but the feeling of accomplishment at the end is great."

"Be prepared to spend a significant amount of time on this project, it's not a light course."

"There were moments I felt overwhelmed by the scope of the project, but pushing through was rewarding."

"It tests your skills and time management, but completing the brand guide is very satisfying."

Successfully integrates knowledge from previous courses.

"This course is a fantastic way to tie together everything learned in the previous graphic design courses."

"It really helps you see how all the different aspects of the specialization fit together into one cohesive project."

"I felt prepared to tackle this project after completing the preceding courses, it built on my knowledge."

"The course successfully applies the theoretical concepts into a real-world (simulated) scenario."

Valuable portfolio piece from building a brand guide.

"This course allowed me to consolidate all the concepts from the specialization and apply them to a practical project."

"The brand development guide created in this course is an excellent piece to add to my portfolio."

"Working through the entire process of creating a brand identity for a fictional company was incredibly useful."

"I now have a tangible project that showcases my skills developed throughout the courses."

Instructions or organization occasionally unclear.

"Sometimes the instructions felt a bit vague, requiring me to re-read sections or make assumptions."

"The course structure could be slightly clearer in guiding you through each step of the project."

"I occasionally got confused about what was expected for certain assignments within the modules."

Quality of feedback varies significantly among peers.

"The peer review system is mandatory but the feedback received can be very inconsistent, sometimes not helpful at all."

"I wish there was more instructor feedback, as peer reviews aren't always reliable or constructive."

"Some peers provided thoughtful critiques, but others clearly just clicked through to get credit."

"Navigating the peer reviews was frustrating at times due to the variability in quality."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Brand New Brand with these activities:

Review basic design principles and elements

Show steps

Strengthens your foundational understanding of design concepts.

Browse courses on Design Principles

Show steps

Read articles and watch videos on basic design principles
Review books or tutorials on color theory, typography, and composition
Practice applying these principles in simple design exercises

Volunteer for a non-profit or community organization that focuses on design

Show steps

Provides real-world experience and allows you to contribute to the community.

Browse courses on Graphic Design

Show steps

Identify non-profits or community organizations that align with your interests
Contact the organizations and inquire about volunteer opportunities
Provide design assistance as needed, such as creating logos, brochures, or website graphics

Review 'Logo Design Love' by David Airey

Show steps

Provides a solid foundation in logo design principles and best practices.

View Identity Designed: The Process: Research,... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the book thoroughly, taking notes on key concepts and techniques
Analyze the examples and case studies provided in the book
Create a mind map of the key takeaways from the book

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Attend industry events and meet with design professionals

Show steps

Connects you with industry experts and provides insights into current trends.

Show steps

Research and identify relevant industry events
Prepare an elevator pitch to introduce yourself and your work
Attend the events and actively engage with other attendees

Follow tutorials on advanced logo design techniques

Show steps

Enhances your technical skills and expands your knowledge of logo design tools.

Browse courses on Logo Design

Show steps

Identify specific areas where you want to improve your logo design skills
Search for and enroll in online tutorials that cover those techniques
Follow the tutorials step-by-step and apply the techniques to your own logo designs

Design a logo for a hypothetical startup

Show steps

Allows you to apply the principles learned in the course to a practical project.

Browse courses on Logo Design

Show steps

Brainstorm ideas and sketch out potential logo concepts
Create digital versions of the logo concepts using design software
Refine and finalize the chosen logo design

Conduct a peer review session with other students in the course

Show steps

Provides constructive feedback and promotes collaboration.

Show steps

Find a group of peers who are willing to participate in a peer review session
Exchange design work and provide constructive criticism
Incorporate the feedback into your own designs

Develop a branding style guide for a mock company

Show steps

Provides an opportunity to synthesize and apply your understanding of brand elements.

Browse courses on Brand Development

Show steps

Define the brand's core values and target audience
Create a color palette, typography system, and logo variations
Develop guidelines for the use of the brand elements in various applications

Career center

Learners who complete Brand New Brand will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Graphic designer

Graphic Designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. This can include logos, brochures, posters, and more. This course can help build a Graphic Designer's knowledge in design principles, typography, and color theory and provides hands-on experience developing and applying a brand identity, all of which would benefit individuals working in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic designer

Visual Designer

Visual Designers create visual content for a variety of purposes, such as websites, brochures, and social media. To do this effectively, they need to have a solid foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory, which this Brand New Brand course can help build. This course also explores the process of creating a cohesive brand identity, which is crucial for any type of visual design work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Designer

Art teacher

Art Teachers instruct students in the principles and techniques of art. To do this effectively, they need to have a solid foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory, which this Brand New Brand course can help build. This course also explores the process of developing a cohesive brand identity, which is essential for any type of art instruction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art teacher

Product Designer

Product Designers create the physical products that we use every day, from furniture to electronics to toys. To do this effectively, they need to have a solid foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory, which this Brand New Brand course can help build. Additionally, this course provides experience developing a cohesive brand identity, which is essential for creating successful products.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Designer

Package Designer

Package Designers are responsible for designing the packaging for products. To do this effectively, they need to have a solid foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory, which this Brand New Brand course can help build. Additionally, this course provides experience developing a cohesive brand identity, which is essential for creating effective product packaging.

See salaries and explore the career path for Package Designer

Web Designer

Web Designers create the user interfaces for websites. To do this effectively, they need to have a solid foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory, which this Brand New Brand course can help build. Additionally, this course provides experience developing a cohesive brand identity, which is essential for creating effective websites.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer

Art gallery director

Art Gallery Directors oversee the operation of art galleries. To do this effectively, they need to have a solid foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory, which this Brand New Brand course can help build. This course also explores the process of developing a cohesive brand identity, which is essential for any type of art gallery.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art gallery director

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and implement marketing campaigns for products or services. To do this effectively, they need to understand how to define and build a brand identity. This course would be helpful to Marketing Managers by providing a foundation in brand strategy and the visual elements of brand identity.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Brand Manager

Brand Managers oversee the development and execution of marketing campaigns for specific products or services. As such, they need to understand how to create and maintain a strong brand identity. This course is a resource to help build a foundation in brand strategy and visual brand elements, which would be useful to professionals working as Brand Managers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Brand Manager

UX Designer

UX Designers create user interfaces for websites and other digital products, focusing on the user experience. To do this effectively, they need to understand how users interact with technology, as well as have a background in design principles and visual communication. This course may be helpful to UX Designers by providing instruction in design principles, typography, and color theory, all of which contribute to a successful user experience.

See salaries and explore the career path for UX Designer

Production Artist

Production Artists prepare artwork and other visual content for reproduction. This can include creating digital files for printing, preparing images for websites, or creating marketing materials. This course would be helpful to Production Artists by providing a foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory. This knowledge can improve efficiency and quality of work output.

See salaries and explore the career path for Production Artist

Art Director

Art Directors lead the design of artwork and other visual content, typically working in advertising or publishing. To do this effectively, they need a solid foundation in design principles, typography, and color theory, which this Brand New Brand course can help build. Furthermore, this course provides experience developing a brand identity from start to finish, a skillset central to Art Direction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director

Interaction Designer

Interaction Designers create the user interfaces for websites, apps, and other digital products. To do this effectively, they need to understand how users interact with technology, as well as have a background in design principles and visual communication. This course provides instruction in typography, color theory, and principles of design, all of which would strengthen a foundation for Interaction Designers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Interaction Designer

Creative Director

Creative Directors lead teams of designers and other creatives in developing advertising campaigns and other marketing materials. Although this course may not be directly relevant to the day-to-day work of a Creative Director, it does provide a foundation for understanding the principles of design, typography, and color theory, which are essential to success in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Creative Director

Writer

Writers create content for a variety of purposes, such as websites, blogs, articles, and marketing materials. Although this course does not provide instruction in writing, it does explore the process of creating a brand identity, which is an important element of any marketing campaign or other written content. Understanding this process may be helpful to Writers, especially those who write for marketing or branding purposes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Writer

Reading list

We've selected 26 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Brand New Brand.

The Correspondence of Robert Boyle, 1636-1691 Vol 6

Save

Practical guide to brand development, covering topics such as brand strategy, brand identity, and brand management. It valuable resource for students who want to learn more about the process of creating and managing a brand.

Brand New Brand

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Capstone in brand development design

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses