Branding Project for Students | Brand Identity Poster

Q: What is brand identity?

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.

More options

Copy Activity

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Lesson Plan Overview

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.

Before You Begin

Prerequisites: The 4 Ps of Marketing and Buyer Persona Poster.
Warm-up: show three logos for invented products (or draw them on the board) and ask students what kind of company each one seems to be, and why.
Rule: no real brand names, logos, or characters. Students design their own.
Time needed: one or two 45-minute classes.
Assessment: every choice comes with a reason connected to the persona. "Orange, because it's my favorite color" is not a reason; "orange, because it's easy to spot in a lost-and-found bin" is.

The Brand Identity Poster

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.

Differentiation

Grades 6–8: leave out brand voice and use two words on each side of "We Are / We Are Not".
Grades 9–12 and DECA: add a mock-up of the brand on the product's packaging and explain how the brand would change if the product were sold to a different persona.

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a poster that shows the brand identity for your product.

Click "Use This Template" from the assignment.
Write your brand name and explain why it works.
Design a simple logo using shapes, items, or text.
Write a slogan of ten words or fewer.
Choose two or three brand colors and explain what they say about your brand.
Describe your brand voice with one example sentence.
List three things your brand is and three things it is not.
Save and submit your storyboard.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-12

Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)

Type of Assignment Individual, Partner, or Group

Type of Activity: Poster Templates

Copy Activity

Lesson Plan Overview

Before You Begin

Prerequisites: The 4 Ps of Marketing and Buyer Persona Poster.
Warm-up: show three logos for invented products (or draw them on the board) and ask students what kind of company each one seems to be, and why.
Rule: no real brand names, logos, or characters. Students design their own.
Time needed: one or two 45-minute classes.
Assessment: every choice comes with a reason connected to the persona. "Orange, because it's my favorite color" is not a reason; "orange, because it's easy to spot in a lost-and-found bin" is.

The Brand Identity Poster

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.

Differentiation

Grades 6–8: leave out brand voice and use two words on each side of "We Are / We Are Not".
Grades 9–12 and DECA: add a mock-up of the brand on the product's packaging and explain how the brand would change if the product were sold to a different persona.

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a poster that shows the brand identity for your product.

Click "Use This Template" from the assignment.
Write your brand name and explain why it works.
Design a simple logo using shapes, items, or text.
Write a slogan of ten words or fewer.
Choose two or three brand colors and explain what they say about your brand.
Describe your brand voice with one example sentence.
List three things your brand is and three things it is not.
Save and submit your storyboard.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-12

Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)

Type of Assignment Individual, Partner, or Group

Type of Activity: Poster Templates

Copy Activity

How to Design a Brand Identity Poster

Discuss what logos say

Show three invented logos and ask what kind of company each seems to be, and why.

Choose a name and slogan

Students pick a name that is easy to remember and a slogan of ten words or fewer that sums up the promise.

Design the logo and colors

Students build a simple logo from shapes or items and choose two or three colors, with a reason for each.

Define the brand voice

Students describe how the brand talks and write one example sentence in that voice.

Decide what the brand is and is not

Students list three words on each side, then check every choice on the poster against their buyer persona.

Frequently Asked Questions about Teaching Brand Identity

What is brand identity?

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.

What is a good branding project for high school students?

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.

Can students use real brand logos?

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.

Why does the poster include "we are / we are not"?

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.

How long does the brand identity activity take?

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.