Creative Brand Strategy

April 13, 2026

Creative Brand Strategy - Task 1

20/04/2026 - 18/5/2026 (Week 1 - Week 5)

Anggia Tsani Rachmadiyanti, (0368487)
Creative Brand Strategy MKT62504 / Bachelor in Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 1: Presentation & Situation Analysis

Due: 18 May 2026

CONTENT LIST

Instructions & Module Brief:

In this module, we will work under one shared theme: Mental Health Awareness.

This means the projects will focus on branding a cause, campaign, or event related to mental health awareness. We will research existing campaigns, identify a possible direction, define a target audience, build a strategic brand identity, and apply it across different touchpoints. By the end of the semester, you will develop a complete branding proposal connected to the topic of mental health awareness.

(Fig. 1.1) - Module Brief for CBS

(Fig. 1.2) - Creative Project Brief for this semester

Lecture Notes

Week 1: Introduction & Briefing

Mr Max introduced us to the module and briefed us about our theme which is "Mental Health Awareness".
Project will focus on branding a cause, campaign, or event related to mental health.
The modules is about:

what a brand stands for
who it is speaking to
what message it wants to communicate
how design shapes audience experience
how strategy and creativity work together
Branding is NOT just promotion but also about communication, and public impact.

The project needs to be interactive and engaging
In week 5 we have to present our proposed draft ideas and case studies.
It should reach out to people since it's an "awareness".
Research > strategy > identity > execution

(Fig. 2.1) - Week 1, Rough notes of week 1 & personal notes

Week 2: Brand Strategy Fundamentals

Before coming with logos, campaign visuals and design, it is important to think BEHIND the brand.
When making our campaign idea, makesure to think of "Why should people care?" or "what makes my campaign meaningful".
We need to also be clear on the touchpoints and the journey of the campaign
"Strategy comes before design"
Before designing, we need to understand:

issue, audience, message, emotional tone, communication goal, brand experience
Brand identity needs to link with Brand Strategy

(Fig. 2.2) - Week 2, important notes from Mr Max's slides

Good branding analysis is not only about describing what you see. It is about explaining why the design choices matter

10 Components of Brand Strategy notes:

(Fig. 2.3) - Week 2, 10 components of brand strategy

(Fig. 2.4) - Week 2, handwritten class notes on brand strategy

(Fig. 2.5) - Week 2, handwritten class notes on brand strategy

(Fig. 2.6) - Week 2, handwritten class notes on brand strategy

(Fig. 2.7) - Week 2, handwritten class notes on brand strategy

Brand Identity & Visual Direction notes:

colour mood
typography personality
image style
symbols
layout
graphic language
interaction style
campaign applications

Thinking question: How can the visual identity express the brand purpose, personality, and message?

Brand Experience/Touchpoints and Customer Journey

A touchpoint is any place where the audience encounters, interacts with, or remembers the campaign.
eg: social media posts, posters around campus, event booths, websites or landing pages, videos, stickers or merchandise, QR codes, workshops, public installations

Where does the audience first see the campaign?
What makes them interested?
How do they learn more?
What action are they encouraged to take?

Customer Journey map stages:

Awareness: Student sees a poster near the library
Interest: The message feels relatable during assignment week
Understanding: Student scans a QR code to learn signs of burnout
Engagement: Student completes a short self-check activity
Action: Student receives simple rest tips and campus support contacts
Sharing / Remembering: Student shares the campaign post with friends or keeps a reminder card

This shows how each touchpoint supports the audience journey. It guides the audience from recognition → reflection → support → action

SWOT analysis:

Strengths: What is effective, memorable, clear, or engaging?
Weaknesses: What feels unclear, generic, limited, or disconnected?
Opportunities: What could the campaign expand, improve, or develop further?
Threats: What external challenges may reduce its impact?

Week 3: Campaign Proposal Feedback Consultation

Mr Max told me that the title idea "Beautiful Flaws" is good but makesure I have a short rationale.
Sir told me to think of more taglines using only 3 words each, and make it more powerful.
He told me that the colours can be more than just pink, maybe more varied colours but still soft and pastel to represent differences and showing everyone is unique.
He told me to make an idea for the community connection activity in the booth such as exchanging messages envelopes.
For the visual symbols/icons, sir said using mirror is a good idea, but ive put too much icon/symbols so i should lessened it and make sure all the icons used links to my topic well.
Mr Max said for the tagline, among my options, he said “Unfiltered and Enough,” “Real Over Perfect,” or “Nothing To Fix” are the strongest because they are short, memorable, and clearly connected to the campaign message. “Unfiltered and Enough” especially fits well because it connects to social media, filters, and self-acceptance
For the slides, make the problem statement shorter: "many Gen Z girls begin to connect their worth with how closely they match beauty standards, which affects their confidence, self-esteem, and emotional wellbeing. This will make the issue easier for your audience to understand quickly."

Week 4 Lecture : Brand Positioning

What makes our brand different from others?
Think of what makes you so different from other competitors so you can stand out
Positioning is: strategic process of establishing & defining a brand's unique vlue and identity in the minds of target consumers compared to our competitors
Brand positioning map:

(Fig. 2.8) - Week 4, Screenshot from lecture slides

The Map helps:

Market clarity, strategic Positioning, Targeting precision, Gap discovery, Resources focus.

HOW TO CREATE BRAND POSITIONING MAP

Undesrtand your market - needs & behaviours
Identify differentiators
Map competitors
Position your brand

Importance of Brand Positioning:

clarifies identity
differentiates uniquness
guides messaging
justifies pricing
simplify choices
strengthen consistency
builds loyalty
boosts stability

Brand Positioning Risks:

No clear position
Audience mismatch
Wrong positioning
Inconsistent Messaging
Negative associations

Brand Positioning Elements:

Audience
Market
Differentiation
Values
Goals
Awareness
Emotional Connection
Accessibility

USP is different - can be used in anything, what makes you unique, in terms of products, etc.
Brand Positioning is larger scale, only focuses on the brand - how it differentaites itself in the minds of the target market.

Assignment 1: Presentation & Situation Analysis

Timeline: Week 1 and Week 4

Instructions: This assignment introduces you to how a cause, campaign, or event branding is developed and strategised. This semester, your research and proposal should be connected to mental health awareness. This assignment has two parts: Situation Analysis & Presentation

Week 1 submission guide:

Topic title - "Body Dysmorphia and Insecurity of Physical Appearance"
Problem statement
Research summary: 3–5 key findings from observation, articles, peer input, or campaign review; Campaign/event references, at least 3 precedent examples with short analysis
Opportunity statement
Initial concept direction
Moodboard / visual cues

(Draft) Reserch Direction Setting...

My Chosen Topic: Body Dysmorphia & Insecurity of Appearance

Problem Statement:

In today’s digital culture, Gen Z and millennials are constantly exposed to unrealistic beauty standards, filters, and comparison through social media, causing many young people to develop appearance insecurity, low self-esteem, anxiety, and unhealthy self-perception. Within university environments, these struggles are often hidden, misunderstood, or dismissed as vanity, while most mental health campaigns focus more on stress or academic pressure rather than body image issues. This creates a gap in awareness and support for students dealing with body dysmorphia and appearance-related insecurities. Therefore, there is a need for a relatable and visually engaging campaign that challenges harmful beauty ideals, encourages self-acceptance, and reminds individuals that their worth is more than their appearance.

“My campaign raises awareness about body dysmorphia and appearance insecurity among young adults affected by social media comparison, unrealistic beauty standards, and self-image pressure.”

Target Audiences (following the brief)

university students
staff and lecturers
campus visitors
members of the public attending the event

However, the main primary audience would be Gen Z and Millenials.

Part A: Case Studies Research

Reference Campaigns Researches:

2 existing mental-health campaigns/events
1 art/exhibition reference
1 interactive reference

Week 1: 4 case studies research PDF :

(Fig. 2.8) - Week 1, 4 Case Studies Research, PDF

5 Key findings from the 4 case studies research::

1) Strong Visual Identity Creates Emotional Safety

Across all case studies, successful mental health campaigns use calming, modern, and approachable visuals instead of harsh or clinical designs.
Soft colours, clean layouts, relatable imagery, and clear typography help sensitive topics feel safe and welcoming.
We can create a visual identity that feels empathetic, contemporary, and non-judgmental. Use clean and well organised design, soft clean colours and font, comforting typography, and emotionally safe spaces.

2) Social Media is the First Hook for Gen Z & Millennials

Both The New Happy, mindline.sg, and Dove use Instagram, short videos, reels, and shareable graphics to capture attention before leading audiences to deeper engagement.

3) Interactive Participatory Experiences Create Deeper Impact

The biggest opportunity found in the case studies is that many campaigns are strong digitally but weaker in physical immersive engagement. Real participation creates stronger emotional memory than passive reading.
People remember what they experience, not just what they read.

4) Provide Tangible Takeaways & Useful Resources

Successful campaigns offer free tools such as quizzes, guides, worksheets, downloadable content, or daily reminders. This extends impact beyond the event itself. This keeps the campaign useful after visitors leave.

5) Emotional Visual Messaging Works Better Than Statistics Alone

All strong campaigns focus on making people feel seen, understood, less alone, and hopeful. They use relatable storytelling rather than only facts. Sensitive issues need empathy first, information second.
For example, The New Happy used creative simple shapes just to show viewers relatable and positive reminders and messages on their Instagram.

(Fig. 2.9) - Week 1, Mindmap of ideas for my campaign topic inspired and referenced from the 4 case studies above

Week 2: Final Chosen Case Study PDF Report:

Back in week 1, we havent learnt yet on the components of brand strategy. We had to study at multiple case studies, and work on the initial docs, so now in week 2 I realised some things that could be corrected such as the format, structure of the brand strategy and customer journey. Some things were not accurate but Mr Max said the first 4 case research docs, we can still keep it as it is and just put that as our draft pdf on the blog since it's showing our progress, so it is not perfect yet.

Now In week 2, that we have learnt about brand strategy, we had to choose 1 of our strongest case studies, and I chose the "Dove Self-Esteem" campaign since I found it the most strongest and interesting to further work on. After choosing this, we have to work on this and go more in depth on the final task 1 case study report template given by Mr Max:

(Fig. 2.10) - Week 2, Part A, Final Case Study Report, 28/4/2026, PDF

Part B: Situation Analysis (Topic Proposal)

Week 3: Research & Direction

My Chosen Topic: Body Dysmorphia & Insecurity of Appearance

Meaning on Google - Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often unnoticeable to others. People of any age can have BDD, but it's most common in teenagers and young adults. This is also known as insecurity of physical appearance (face and body).

Exposure to edited images and unrealistic beauty standards on social media has increased appearance-related insecurities, leading to distorted self-perception and low confidence. Many individuals are unaware of how these influences shape their self-image, highlighting the need for awareness that promote and teaches healthier perceptions of appearance.
Why I chose this topic? - Personally, I realised that many teenagers and youths today silently struggle with appearance pressure, comparison culture, filters, beauty standards, self-worth, and insecurity. I have personal experiences too with insecurity of face and body & I've always like to talk about this topic, wanting other people to feel more confident too even with their flaws, because I know i'm not alone.

Further Research on Body Dysmorphia:

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and insecurity today are influenced greatly by social media, beauty standards
“Body insecurity is a critical, growing global issue, with roughly 54% of teen girls and young women (ages 10–17) experiencing low to medium body esteem, according to a 2017/2024 global review.” --

Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250112/Teens-face-body-image-crisis-as-social-media-fuels-dissatisfaction-globally.aspx#:~:text=Study%20Findings,in%20addition%20to%20the%20former.

BDD is serious, often all-consuming mental health condition characterized by compulsive, obsessive thoughts regarding physical flaws.
The "Bully in the Brain": BDD can cause intense distress, social avoidance, lack of confidence and repetitive behaviors like excessive mirror checking and even social anxiety.
Often involve skin, hair, facial features, or weight, with many affected individuals frequently seeking cosmetic procedures.
It is a mental health condition in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance.

(Fig. 3.1) - Week 1, Stats Research on Body Dysmorphia

Retrieved from: https://www.today.com/style/social-media-affecting-way-we-view-our-bodies-it-s-t128500

The Florida House Experience have surveyed 88% of women who said they compare themselves to images in the media. Almost Half of Women Have Negative Feelings When They Don't Wear Makeup. 44% of women have negative feelings when they are not wearing makeup, reporting feeling unattractive (16%), self-conscious (14%) and naked/as though something is missing (14%).

(Fig. 3.2) - Week 1, Stats Research on Body Dysmorphia

Retrieved from: https://www.today.com/style/social-media-affecting-way-we-view-our-bodies-it-s-t128500

Topic Situation Analysis:

1.) The problem and the gap we are addressing

Many people today, especially younger generations experience appearance insecurity caused by social media comparison, unrealistic beauty standards, filters, peer pressure, and constant self-evaluation. These pressures can lead to negativity to themselves, low self-esteem, anxiety, social withdrawal, and unhealthy thought patterns. In more serious cases, it may relate to body dysmorphia, where individuals become overly focused on perceived flaws.

However, many mental health campaigns today focus mainly on stress, depression, or academic pressure. Body image struggles are often overlooked, misunderstood, or dismissed as vanity. Alot of teenagers often hide the fact that they have insecurities with their body and face without telling anyone but themselves and constantly comparing themselves with their other friends. This reveals a clear gap in student-focused campaigns that specifically address appearance insecurity in a relatable, empathetic, and visually engaging way.

2. Context / Market Understanding

Today’s students are constantly exposed to edited social media images, beauty trends, filters, influencer culture, and comparison-based content. This environment shapes unrealistic expectations of appearance and creates pressure to look “perfect.” As a result, many young people experience insecurity, low confident, self-doubt, obsessive self-criticism, and anxiety around their physical image. Many students suffer silently because appearance insecurity is often normalized.

3. Audience Lifestyle / Behaviour

They care about looking attractive and good, peer approval, good social media presence, confident, & sense of belonging.

Pressures: Beauty standards online, Filters and edited images, Peer comparison and trends, Comments and judgment from others, Perfectionism in appearance

Common Behaviours: Frequent mirror checking, Taking multiple selfies and editing photos, Comparing appearance with friends, Hiding perceived flaws, Overthinking their physical appearance.

4. Customer Journey Map Idea Draft

Simple Journey Flow :

Social Media / Posters → Curiosity → Visit Booth → Interactive Experience → Emotional Reflection → Learn & Understand → Take Resources → Share with Others → Lasting Mindset Change

Campaign should make visitors:

Feel Seen → Feel Safe → Reflect Deeply → Learn Something New → Leave Lighter

Rough Exhibition Ideas:

In Week 1, I searched for ideas, references on Pinterest and then tried to brainstorm as much as idea as I can for installation and design ideas for the campaign event booth. I wanted to makesure people can feel and experience and engage, instead of just looking at illustrations and poster. I want the visitors to feel connected when they're experiencing the booth as the topic is about their self.

Below is a PDF docs of all the initial ideas I have came up with with some sketches and reference images:

(Fig. 4.1) - Week 2, Rough initial ideas for exhibition, PDF

I have also come up with title ideas for my campaign:

(Fig. 4.2) - Week 2, Title ideas brainstorm for my chosen brand name.

Week 3: Part B: Campaign Proposal Docs:

(Fig. 4.3) - Week 4, Final Campaign Proposal Docs Task 1, PDF

Task 1 - Final Campaign Proposal Presentation Slides

(Fig. 4.4) - Week 5, Final Canva task 1 slides, Canva

CBS TASK 1 PROPOSAL CANVA SLIDES - by Anggia Tsani.R

On 19th May, I presented the slides to class and feedback given was:

Feedbacks

Week 1:

General Feedback: Briefing and introduction of our module brief

Specific Feedback: Mr Max approved my topic to work on, so I can continue doing my case studies

Week 2:

General Feedback: Mr Max lectured us on the components of brand strategy and visual identity. He said to pick 1 strongest case study we have done and do it on the final task 1 case study report template he have sent us, following the structure.

Specific Feedback: I showed Mr Max about the Dove campaign and explained what it contains as I found the campaign really interesting. He said that I can use the Dive campaign for my case study report as it contains alot of information and is a really strong case study to do.

Week 3:

General Feedback: Mr Max

Specific Feedback: Before class, Mr Max gave me a very long and detailed feedback of my Part A case study document. He said that overall, my case study analysis is very detailed, well-researched and strong enough for me to start moving onto my Part B Campaign Proposal. He said that My case study was really detailed as I also added alot of screenshots from the Dove website. He told me that my audience insight was very strong and good. It can be a very strong foundation of my own proposal. However, sir said that I need to make my direction and target audience more specific and focused. The more specific, the easier it will be to create a string message & visual direction. Also be careful with wording around body insecurity. Avoid using words that make audience focus more negatively on their flaws, but make them reflect and feel seen and supported. And don't include so much idea for the campaign later on.

Week 4:

General Feedback: Mr Max told us to finalise the positioning, USP, UVP and Brand Name. He said that we will present next week on week 5. Just present the campaign direction and briefly on the case study.

Specific Feedback: Mr Max said that my research and the booth flow should be supported with the reason and how it matches the values. The research was detailed and he said that brand name is not the campaign name, so "beautiful Flaws" is the campaign name. I need to come up with one company/brand name, so I came out with "CloudHug.Co" and sir approved it.

Week 5 (Presentation feedbacks:

Specific Feedback: Mr Max said that my direction is good, but somethings to improve:

Reflections

Experience: Throughout this project, I experienced the process of developing a campaign from just a simple idea into a more meaningful and strategic brand direction. Researching different campaign ideas helped me understand how design is not only about visuals, but also about emotions, communication, audience understanding, and social impact. While working on my campaign about body dysmorphia and self-acceptance among Gen Z girls, I became more emotionally connected to the topic because it relates closely to real insecurities experienced by many young people today, including myself.

I also experienced the challenge of balancing creativity with sensitivity. Since the topic involves mental health and body image, I had to carefully think about the tone, wording, colours, activities, and visual style to ensure the campaign feels safe, supportive, and non-judgmental. Developing the booth journey, interactive activities, brand identity, and campaign strategy also taught me how important consistency is in creating a strong audience experience.

Observations: During the research and ideation process, I observed that many existing awareness campaigns focus heavily on delivering information, but fewer campaigns create emotional interaction and participation. I noticed that Gen Z audiences are more attracted to campaigns that feel relatable, visually engaging, interactive, and emotionally personal rather than overly formal or text-heavy. Social media aesthetics, soft visuals, relatable messaging, and immersive experiences play a big role in how younger audiences connect with a campaign.

I also observed that topics surrounding body image and mental health are highly emotional and sensitive, especially for young girls who are constantly exposed to beauty standards online. Many people silently struggle with comparison, insecurity, and self-criticism, but often feel alone in those experiences. This observation influenced my decision to focus on emotional connection, community participation, and supportive interaction within my campaign activities such as the envelope message exchange and Thread of Thoughts installation. Another thing is that I have to always support my decisions with research support.

Findings: Altogether, from this project, I found that strong campaigns are not only visually attractive, but also meaningful, audience-centered, and emotionally impactful. I learned that branding involves much more than creating a logo or colour palette, it includes defining values, positioning, USP, UVP, Big Idea, tone of voice, emotional experience, and how the audience interacts with the campaign across different touchpoints.

I also found that participatory experiences can create stronger emotional impact than passive awareness methods alone. Activities that encourage reflection, expression, and connection help audiences feel personally involved and understood. Through this process, I discovered that design has the power to create safe spaces, encourage empathy, and positively influence how people think and feel about themselves. Overall, this project helped me better understand the relationship between design, mental health awareness, emotional storytelling, and audience engagement.

How This Helped My Campaign Research

This article helped support my campaign research by providing evidence that social media strongly affects the body image and self-confidence of Gen Z girls, which directly connects to my campaign topic, “Beautiful Flaws.” It reinforced my understanding that many young girls experience insecurity because of comparison culture and unrealistic beauty standards online. The article also helped justify why my campaign focuses not only on awareness, but also on emotional support, self-acceptance, and confidence-building through interactive activities and relatable visuals.

2) Article - "Body Image Report" by Mental Health Foundation

(Fig. 5.2) - Article by Mental Health Foundation

The Mental Health Foundation body image report explains statistics on how body image affects mental health, confidence, self-esteem, and daily behaviour, especially among young people and women. The report highlights that many people feel pressure from social media, beauty standards, and comparison culture, which can lead to anxiety, low confidence, and dissatisfaction with appearance. This research helps support my campaign because it proves that body insecurity is a serious emotional and mental health issue, not just a beauty concern. It reinforces my campaign message that self-worth should not depend on appearance or unrealistic standards. The findings also support my decision to create interactive and supportive activities that encourage self-acceptance, emotional reassurance, and healthier self-perception among Gen Z girls.

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Anggia Tsani Rachmadiyanti (0368487)