MARK 475 · Haslam College of Business
Marketing 475: Visual Marketing
Visual marketing isn’t about making things look good. It’s about making them work: stopping a scroll, showing a brand’s personality in two seconds and turning a stranger into a customer.
17
topics
17
interactive labs
40+
real brand examples
What you’ll be able to do
01
Apply design foundations: typography, color, layout and visual hierarchy
02
Build a complete visual brand identity, from logo and palette to photography style and voice
03
Produce platform-ready content, photography and short-form video
04
Use AI ethically and transparently in the creative process
05
Present and defend creative work the way professionals do
How each topic page works
Start with See it in action, an interactive lab you can play with. Then read the key concepts, study real brands in action, work through the frameworks from class, try the activity, and finish with tips and a quick check.
Topics
Phase 1: Design Foundations
Topic 01
What a Visual Marketer Does
Visual marketing isn’t about making things look good. It’s about making them work: stopping a scroll, showing a brand’s personality in seconds and turning a stranger into a customer.
Lab: Brief to Deliverables Lab
Topic 02
Visual Marketing in the Wild
Visual identity is strategy, not decoration. Any brand can have a logo, but a consistent brand has a world, and you can take that world apart with five questions.
Lab: Five-Second Test Lab · Slides
Topic 03
Typography and Visual Hierarchy
Typography communicates before the words do. Choose type on purpose, pair fonts that contrast rather than compete, and design the path the eye takes.
Lab: Type Personality Lab · Slides
Topic 04
Color Theory and Brand Psychology
Color isn’t decoration, it’s a decision. Change the color and you change the customer, the price point and the promise.
Lab: Palette Lab · Slides
Topic 05
Layout and Composition
Layout is the invisible structure behind every design you trust. Decide what people should see first, second and third before you place anything.
Lab: Poster Layout Lab · Slides
Phase 2: Brand Identity
Topic 06
Brand Strategy: Who Is Your Brand?
Strategy comes before design. Know who you’re for, what job they hire you to do and what personality you show up with, and most design decisions become obvious.
Lab: Positioning Builder Lab · Slides
Topic 07
Building Your Brand Identity System
A great logo doesn’t make a brand. A system does. Make the decisions once, document them well and follow them, so the brand holds together no matter who’s designing.
Lab: Identity System Lab · Slides
08
Spot the Fix Lab
Topic 08
Designing in Canva
Canva is your production tool, not your strategy. Set up your brand once, then use templates and brand kits to make on-brand work fast.
Lab: Spot the Fix Lab
09
Image Prompt Lab
Topic 09
AI as a Creative Partner
Human in, human out. AI amplifies the strategy, judgment and voice you bring to it, and the gap between what AI writes and what you rewrite is your brand voice.
Lab: Image Prompt Lab · Slides
10
On-Brand Check Lab
Topic 10
Building Your Brand’s Visual Voice with AI
AI can extend a strong visual identity, but it can’t invent one. Your palette, moodboard and personality words are the brief; what comes back is a reference, not a finished asset.
Lab: On-Brand Check Lab · Slides
Topic 11
Photography for Marketing
Your phone is a professional camera if you know how to see. Good marketing photos come from light, composition and a consistent style, not expensive gear.
Lab: Light & Composition Lab
Phase 3: Campaign Production
12
Content Mix Lab
Topic 12
Content Strategy: What to Make and Why
Every post should earn its place. Decide what you make based on what your audience needs and what your brand stands for, not on what’s trending.
Lab: Content Mix Lab
13
Reformat Lab
Topic 13
Platform Adaptation
Same concept, different platforms. Keep the idea and brand consistent, and adapt the format, size and tone to how people use each platform.
Lab: Reformat Lab
14
Creative Scorecard Lab
Topic 14
Analytics and Visual Optimization
Data tells you which visuals actually work. Test on purpose, read the numbers honestly, and let performance shape your next creative decision.
Lab: Creative Scorecard Lab
Topic 15
Short-Form Video: Hooks and Scripts
In short-form video, the first seconds decide everything. Plan the hook, keep one idea, and tell a story people want to finish.
Lab: Storyboard Lab
Phase 4: Critique and Launch
16
Critique Lab
Topic 16
Giving and Using Creative Critique
Critique makes the work better. Tie feedback to the brief, be specific, and treat every note as information, not judgment.
Lab: Critique Lab
17
Pitch Order Lab
Topic 17
Presenting Creative Work
Present the thinking, not just the pictures. Clients buy work they understand, so tell the story of your decisions and show the work in context.
Lab: Pitch Order Lab
Dates, deadlines and grades are in Canvas.