CREATIVE BRAND STRATEGY: (FINAL) ASSIGNMENT 3
1. LECTURE
The complete lecture notes are available in the Creative Brand Strategy: Assignment 1 blog. During Assignment 3, class time focused mainly on consultation, refinement, implementation, and the consistency of the final campaign touchpoints.
2. INSTRUCTION
Assignment 3 required me to synthesise the research and strategic direction from Assignments 1 and 2, then execute the proposed cause, campaign, or event branding as a consistent public-facing system.
The official deliverables were:
- An E-Brand Book
- At least three physical application artworks
- At least three impression artworks
- A 30-60 second brand promotional video
The assessment also emphasised a comprehensive and consistent solution, a clear reason for each design choice, attention to the consequences of the solution, monitoring and evaluation of the process, and consideration of further development.
3. PROCESS WORK
Assignment 3 began by converting the completed FORGED guideline into a connected campaign experience. FORGED is built around the campaign Strength Under Control, which challenges the belief that masculinity must be proven through dominance, aggression, emotional silence, or isolation. The alternative framework is based on discipline, self-control, responsibility, and brotherhood.
I planned each touchpoint around a different stage of engagement. Social posts and short videos would create awareness; the website and quiz would support exploration and private reflection; the field journal would turn reflection into repeated action; and the booth and merchandise would make the campaign tangible.
Instagram carousel development
The first impression-artwork direction was a series of Instagram carousels for digitally active men aged 18 to 30. The content explored discipline, responsibility, and brotherhood through concise statements that were intended to interrupt scrolling and encourage reflection.
Fig. 3.2. Early Static Instagram Design (JPEG - Week 10)My early layouts used large empty areas and direct copy, but they appeared too plain and did not yet demonstrate enough brand control. I strengthened the hierarchy, margins, grid alignment, logo placement, photographic treatment, and pacing between statements. I also adjusted the copy so that it remained challenging without becoming harsh or shaming.
Fig. 3.3. Development of Static Instagram Design (JPEG - Week 10)Thirty-day field journal
The field journal was developed as a physical application that translated the campaign from awareness into daily practice.
Its prompts encourage the user to examine habits, decisions, emotional reactions, and responsibilities over 30 days. The restrained black, off-white, red, and grey system connects the journal to the guideline, while the structured typography makes the activity feel focused rather than decorative.
Fig. 3.5. Development of FORGED Field Journal Mock-up (JPEG - Week 10)After consultation, I prioritised the touchpoints that most clearly supported the campaign journey: the Instagram series, field journal, podcast teasers, responsive website, reflection tools, exhibition booth, and a selected group of merchandise. This prevented the project from becoming only a collection of products.
The bracelet was one of the strongest merchandise ideas because the four values could become a subtle daily reminder. The multitool matched the visual language but could be interpreted as aggressive, so I repositioned it as a secondary symbol of readiness, responsibility, and self-management rather than a central campaign object.
Exhibition Booth Development
The first booth concepts explored how the FORGED identity could become a physical environment. I used bold typography, dark industrial materials, controlled red accents, screens, product displays, and direct messages. The booth needed to create confrontation and reflection while remaining approachable enough for visitors to enter and participate.
I used AI-generated animation to bring the booth concept to life and make the presentation feel more dynamic and engaging.
In Week 12, I refined how the audience would experience FORGED rather than only how the brand would look. The customer journey was organised into awareness, exploration, self-reflection, practice, physical engagement, and continued accountability. This structure clarified the job of every application and revealed which ideas were secondary.
Fig. 3.10. Customer Journey Map Development (JPEG - Week 11)I also developed the impactful project as a responsive interactive website. It became the central platform for the campaign philosophy, four values, daily reflection prompts, randomised quiz, podcast content, exhibition information, and merchandise. The quiz does not store answers or personal information; it is a private reflection tool rather than a diagnostic assessment.
Fig. 3.11. Forged Webiste Development (JPEG - Week 11)The website was developed using Dreamweaver and Antigravity, and its responsiveness was tested across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. forged-official.vercel.app.
The website features a Daily Forge section that users can access each day for a short reflection before beginning their daily activities. Users complete a quick quiz about how they are feeling, and the mini app then recommends a FORGED value for them to reflect on and write about in their field journal.
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Three short podcast teasers were produced around Under Control, Carry the Weight, and Brotherhood. Their emotionally restrained scenes and low-saturation treatment followed the photography direction in the brand guideline. They were designed for short-form platforms and direct viewers towards the longer campaign experience.
The podcast teasers were created using AI video generation due to production time and budget limitations. However, the camera angles, shot types, lighting, colour grading, and overall visual direction were carefully planned to match the intended final production. The AI-generated footage therefore serves as a realistic visualisation of how the teasers should be filmed and presented.
One of the prompts used was:
Create a realistic vertical 9:16 podcast teaser video under 15 seconds.
Episode concept: CARRY THE WEIGHT
Brand: FORGED
Create a serious, premium podcast clip set in a dark cinematic studio. Use black, charcoal, and subtle warm-brown tones to create a grounded, masculine, mature, and controlled atmosphere. Include soft shadows, subtle film grain, and a realistic microphone-and-table setup.
Keep the footage clean for post-production. Do not include captions, subtitles, logos, icons, graphics, title cards, lower thirds, or readable text.
A young male host sits on the left wearing dark, neutral clothing. A fictional adult male guest, Daniel Arman, sits on the right wearing a dark blazer or work shirt. Daniel should appear calm, responsible, mature, and authoritative.
Use quick, realistic podcast cuts:
Host close-up
Guest close-up
Host reaction shot
Guest leaning slightly forward
Medium shot of both speakers at the table
Dialogue
Host:
“When does a man actually become responsible?”
Daniel:
“When he stops explaining why he didn’t show up.”
Host:
“So excuses are the sign?”
Daniel:
“Excuses are comfortable. Responsibility is heavy. But if it’s your family, your work, or your mistake, then it’s yours to carry.”
Use clear, natural podcast voices with subtle low cinematic background music. Add a soft bass hit before the ending.
After the podcast footage, transition to a blank, dark, textured background for manual text editing. Use a very dark charcoal-black background with a slight warm-brown undertone, rough wall texture, fine grain, subtle dust and scratch details, soft shadows, and a gentle vignette. Keep the background completely empty.
The final physical applications included the field journal and selected merchandise such as the bracelet, multitool, cap, shirt, water bottle, and keychains. I kept these products secondary to the educational and reflective touchpoints. Their purpose was to reinforce readiness, identity, belonging, and repeated practice.
Fig. 3.14. Selected Physical Applications and Merchandise (JPEG - Week 13)
The final booth connected digital and physical parts of the campaign. Visitors could encounter the central message, explore campaign tools, see products, and continue to the website or journal. The final design retained the industrial language while improving clarity and visitor movement.
Fig. 3.15. Final Exhibition Booth Design (JPEG - Week 13)
The final customer journey map showed how a person could move from a social post, podcast teaser, or physical event into private reflection, practical action, and accountable relationships. The intended outcome was not instant transformation, but a healthier framework that could guide repeated decisions.
Fig. 3.16. Final Customer Journey Map (JPEG - Week 13)
The responsive website linked every stage of the campaign in one place. The live prototype can be viewed at forged-official.vercel.app.
Fig. 3.17. Responsive Interactive Website and Reflection Quiz (JPEG - Week 13)
The final pitch connected the problem, audience insight, campaign purpose, identity system, applications, booth, website, podcast teasers, and customer journey. Instead of presenting the outcomes as separate mockups, I explained how each one helped the audience understand controlled strength, reflect privately, take responsible action, and build accountability.
4. FEEDBACK
Week 10
- Approved: The bracelet felt believable and carried the four values clearly.
- Improve: The small tagline needed to remain legible on metal. The multitool required careful framing. The early Instagram posts had strong copy but appeared too plain.
- Action: I improved hierarchy, margins, alignment, logo placement, graphic devices, and visual pacing. I positioned the multitool around readiness and responsibility, and refined the direct tone so it encouraged growth rather than punishment.
Week 11
- Direction: Prioritise the podcast teasers, mobile website, daily reflection tools, exhibition booth, field journal, and selected merchandise.
- Action: I stopped expanding unnecessary merchandise and clarified how the main touchpoints connected to the audience journey.
Week 12
- Improve: Show how the audience experiences FORGED, not only how the brand looks. The physical space should communicate reflection, confrontation, and participation.
- Action: I refined the booth interaction, website flow, reflection tools, and customer journey stages.
Week 13
- Direction: Compile the final booth, walkthrough, journal, apparel, keychains, water bottle, podcast teasers, and website evidence.
- Action: I completed the branded production assets and organised them into the final presentation narrative.
Week 14
- Review: The final presentation needed to explain the concept, identity system, applications, booth experience, teasers, and the connection between all outcomes.
- Action: I prioritised consistency and readability, then framed every touchpoint around the audience's movement towards reflection, disciplined action, and accountability.
5. REFLECTION
EXPERIENCE
Assignment 3 was the most demanding stage because the brand had to function across social media, publication design, film, digital interaction, physical space, and merchandise. The main challenge was not producing many outcomes; it was ensuring that every outcome had a clear role in the campaign journey. The direct FORGED tone also required continuous adjustment. Some early messages risked sounding judgemental, so I refined the copy and visual pacing to present discipline as a constructive process rather than punishment.
OBSERVATION
I observed that the strongest applications translated the campaign message into an action. The journal asks the audience to practise discipline, the quiz creates private self-reflection, the podcast teasers make difficult topics emotionally relatable, and the journey map shows how the interactions can develop over time. I also learned that merchandise needs a reason to exist. The bracelet worked because the values became a daily reminder, while the multitool required more explanation because the audience could interpret it differently from my intention.
FINDINGS
The completed project showed me that a successful campaign is an interconnected experience rather than a collection of attractive mockups. Research shaped the strategy, the strategy shaped the identity, and the identity shaped every application. FORGED developed into a specific position: strength is not proven through dominance or silence, but through the ability to govern oneself, accept responsibility, and build honest relationships. The most important lesson was that control also applies to design. Clear hierarchy, restrained imagery, deliberate language, and carefully selected touchpoints made the campaign stronger than visual force alone.
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