Guest Lecturing at Brunel University: Teaching the Foundations of Brand Creation

I had the pleasure of joining students at Brunel University London as a guest lecturer, where I delivered a session focused on the practical process of creating and developing a brand.

The purpose of the lecture was to help students understand that branding is much more than designing a logo, choosing colours or creating social media content. A successful brand begins with research, strategy and a clear understanding of the audience it is intended to serve.

Throughout the session, I shared practical information, examples and lessons from my own professional experience to demonstrate how brands are created, positioned and developed within competitive markets.

What does it mean to create a brand?

One of the first areas we explored was the difference between a business and a brand.

A business may provide a product or service, but a brand is the meaning, personality and experience people associate with it. It influences how the public understands the business, how customers feel when they interact with it and why they may choose it over another option.

I encouraged the students to think carefully about the foundations of a brand:

• What is its purpose?

• Who is it created for?

• What problem does it solve?

• What values does it represent?

• How should people feel when they encounter it?

These questions form the starting point of a clear and meaningful brand strategy.

Researching the audience and the market

We discussed the importance of collecting and analysing information before making branding decisions.

Understanding the target audience is essential. A brand must know who it is speaking to, what those people need, what influences their decisions and how they currently respond to similar businesses.

We also looked at competitor research. This is not simply about identifying who else operates in the same market. It involves studying how competitors communicate, how they position themselves, what they do effectively and where there may be opportunities to offer something different.

The students were encouraged to view research as an ongoing part of brand development rather than a one-time task.

Building a clear brand identity

The lecture also covered the creation of brand identity.

Visual elements such as logos, typography and colour palettes are important, but they should be supported by a strong strategic foundation. The visual identity must reflect the brand’s values, personality and audience.

We explored how consistency helps people recognise and remember a brand. The language, imagery, customer experience and marketing materials should all feel connected.

A brand becomes stronger when every part of it communicates the same message.

Brand positioning and differentiation

Another major part of the session focused on brand positioning.

Positioning is about deciding how a brand should be understood in relation to its competitors. It answers an important question: why should the audience choose this brand?

We discussed how effective positioning depends on clarity. A brand cannot communicate everything at once. It must identify its strongest value and express it in a way that is relevant and believable.

Differentiation does not always mean inventing something completely new. It can come from the quality of the experience, the tone of communication, the audience being served or the way a familiar service is delivered.

Connecting branding with marketing strategy

Branding and marketing are closely connected, but they are not the same.

Branding defines the identity, purpose and position of the business. Marketing is how that identity is communicated to the audience.

During the lecture, I explained how a marketing strategy should be shaped by the brand rather than treated as a collection of unrelated promotional activities.

Every campaign, platform and message should support the wider brand direction. Without that consistency, marketing may attract attention without building trust or recognition.

An engaging session with the students

The students were highly interactive throughout the session. They asked thoughtful questions, shared their own ideas and engaged with the practical examples we discussed.

Their participation allowed the lecture to become a genuine conversation about the challenges involved in brand creation. We explored how ideas change during development, why research can challenge initial assumptions and how brands must adapt without losing their identity.

I particularly enjoyed hearing the students’ perspectives and discussing how branding principles could be applied to their own projects and future careers.

Reflecting on the experience

Guest lecturing at Brunel University was a rewarding experience.

It gave me the opportunity to present brand creation as both a strategic and creative discipline. More importantly, it allowed me to share practical knowledge that students could apply beyond the classroom.

Brand building requires curiosity, research, clarity and patience. It is not simply about looking professional. It is about creating meaning, building trust and developing a clear relationship with an audience.

I was grateful for the invitation and thoroughly enjoyed the energy, questions and engagement from the students.