Course Content
1. Introduction to Visual Identity and Branding
General Overview & Theoretical Framework of Visual Identity and Branding: Branding is the marketing practice of actively shaping your brand. That’s the basic definition, but there is so much more that goes into it. Branding is what your business needs to break through the clutter and grab your ideal customer’s attention. It’s what transforms first-time buyers into lifetime customers and turns an indifferent audience into brand evangelists. It’s what you need to stand out, make an impact and take your business to the next level
2. Introduction to Graphic Design
General Overview & Theoretical Framework of Graphic Design: Graphic design plays a vital role in the modern marketing environment and creates a competitive edge for companies and organizations. You only have to think about brands that have conquered their graphic design such as Apple, Tesla, and Coca- Cola, to know the power of design. Not all of us are Apple or Tesla. So what? We can learn from them. We can learn how to join up all the elements of our brand from the best design we can afford. From branding to graphic design can be used by any business organisation to communicate concepts and ideas visually. In a changing world where business is done online, and on the street, great design can set even a small business apart from a major brand. You only have to look at Instagram to see the creativity pouring out of small artisan businesses setting out their stall of products and services to create their following. Every company today needs the services of a graphic designer not only to create impressive marketing materials like brochures, posters, websites, and social media designs but also to effectively communicate the message to the target audience. So, even if you’re not Apple (and let’s face it who is?) let’s brush up on the role graphic designing plays in digital marketing. Graphic design is more than just aesthetics — it’s a form of communication between your business and your audience. Businesses use graphics in every stage of the marketing funnel to inform, engage, and eventually persuade prospective customers to make a purchase or take the desired action. A flyer design can inform local audiences about an upcoming workshop. An attractive email series can upsell new services to current customers. A well-crafted sales page can effectively announce your new product release.
3. Introduction to e-mail Branding (Newsletter)
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4. Introduction to Video Animation
General Overview & Theoretical Framework of Video Animation: Animated video is an engaging instrument that can help you tell your story more comprehensively. Here’s some statistics that will make you want to use more video in your marketing: Including video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80%; After watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online; 1/3 of all online activity is spent watching video; 50% of executives look for further information after seeing a product/service in a video; YouTube users watch over 3 billion hours of video per month, according to YouTube.
5. Introduction to Podcasting Online
General Overview & Theoretical Framework of Podcasting Online
6. Conclusion
There you have it! The steps to a successful content creation and management process. It requires consistency and a holistic approach. It’s easy to get lost with the myriad of steps and factors you need to consider before you can actually start creating your own content. But with this content creation guide, you can get a head start in generating valuable and engaging content that your audience will love and can help you grow your brand and business. Being authentic and relatable with your audience through honest content helps the reader to connect with your product/service, but also with your brand and its values. Content creation does not stop when you press publish. You should also set time aside to analyse the data that you have available and strive for improvements and optimisation on your work. Ultimately, the true secret to successful content creation is simply experience. The more you do it, the more benefits you’ll see, and the better you’ll become. That said, educating yourself on how to work better, smarter, and more efficiently will only help you get to expert level faster.
4.3 Creating animated videos for your business
How can it be done?
Creating a video animation for your business can sound a challenging task, especially if you haven’t done it before. But you can do it without much hassle and can bring exceptional results for your business, following the steps below.
Step 1: Choose the right tool
All that you need to do is figure out the right animation tool or service for business animation and convey your message aptly to the audience. We recommend Canva or Powtoon.
Canva: With Canva, you can make high-quality videos without being a professional video editor. Canva allows you to create videos just like you would create a power point presentation, using their extensive library of ready-made templates, or starting from scratch. Upload your own media, or use Canva’s library of stock images, videos, elements and music to create a professional-looking video.
Powtoon: PowToon can create engaging explainer animated videos for business, which can captivate the audience. These videos are useful for creating attention grabbing learning material, and captivating office presentations.
Step 2: Choose your topic
Before starting the design process, make sure that you have clarity on the purpose of your video. Why you’re making this animated video? What it needs to achieve? Who is your target audience? What is the core message of your video?
Any animated video you create will have one or more core messages that you want to communicate to your audience. The challenge lies in converting that core message into a simple and short story that will engage the viewers.
Step 3: Write your script
A well-performing video should have a well-thought script. It is the foundation of a successive video. To keep the viewer’s attention for a long time is a challenging task, that is why we should do our best to shape a clear message and transfer it creatively.
Step 4: Choose the right style
Your video should be unique to your business and accurately reflect your brand. The style of your frames should accurately represent the aesthetic that you want to promote through your brand. Your style frames may include factors like colour palette options, character variations, text fonts and in general your visual identity.
Step 5: Do the voiceover
Deciding who’s going to tell the storey is a crucial aspect of the animation production process – it’s what helps viewers connect on a more intimate level with your piece. Whether your video has a laid-back approach or deals with a more technical or educational subject, it’s imperative to find a voice, male or female, that matches the brand’s personality and reflects the intended audience.
This not an obligatory step and you can skip it if it doesn’t serve the purpose of your video.
Step 6: Put everything together
This is the stage when the video comes alive. The animation stage is where you add movement to your storey and make it more powerful. Finally, your 2D animation video starts taking shape. You add life to the characters, objects, and backgrounds and give movement and dynamism to the illustrations and every graphic asset included.
Step 7: Add music and sound effects
Whether you think your video needs upbeat music, a soulful melody, or additional sound effects, this is the time to do that. Keep in mind that music sets the mood for the video, so if it suits perfectly, it can enhance the message you are conveying
Video
Check the relevant animation video: