Undergraduate Professional Program

Summative Assessment Even Semester 2023–24

Students must read carefully

• General Instructions
• Detailed Instructions in each Paper /Brief

Dates: 16th - 25h April 2024 | Hours of work: 6 hours per day
(Additional days: 20th and 27th April, AM Only for students eligible for extra time)
Time: Working hours: 9 am to 12 pm, 1 pm to 4 pm

Course: VCSB
Semester: 6

Topic/Context/Theme: Reconnecting with Purpose, The Quest for Meaning

“Welcome to Me-Conomy” is the title of the whitepaper by Havas group. Me-Conomy is a term
used in the reading which refers to the evolving consumer landscape where personal and societal
brand purposes become intertwined. In this economy, consumers expect brands to not only
contribute positively to society and the environment but also to play a significant role in
enhancing their personal well-being and day-to-day lives. This shift marks a departure from
traditional economic models that primarily focus on transactional relationships between brands
and consumers, moving towards a more holistic approach where brand value is also measured by
its impact on individual lives and societal progress.

The "Me-Conomy" emphasizes the importance of brands being meaningful on a personal level,
supporting the idea that consumers are looking for brands that help them achieve personal
growth, well-being, and fulfillment, in addition to expecting them to act responsibly towards
societal and environmental issues. This concept suggests a new set of demands placed on brands,
where they are rewarded for delivering on both personal and collective benefits.

Designers play a crucial role in transforming brands into agents of change, aligning brand
identities with the evolving values and aspirations of society. In today's world, where brands
wield significant influence over cultural norms and individual behaviours, the responsibility of
designers has expanded. They are not just creators of visual identities but also architects of
meaningful experiences that resonate deeply with audiences.

Designers facilitate this transformation by embedding brands with a purpose that transcends
commercial goals, crafting narratives that inspire, motivate, and engage people on a profound
level. Through strategic design thinking, they ensure that every aspect of a brand—from its
visual identity to its communication strategies—echoes a commitment to positive change,
whether in promoting sustainability, advocating for social justice, or fostering community
engagement.

Moreover, designers act as mediators between brands and their audiences, employing empathy
to understand consumer needs and aspirations. This insight allows them to create brands that not
only meet functional needs but also address deeper desires for connection, growth, and
fulfilment. By doing so, designers elevate brands from mere providers of goods and services to
meaningful entities that contribute to personal and societal well-being.

This exploration aims to cultivate a deeper understanding of how meaning can be conceptualized
and communicated, particularly in the realm of brand identity and consumer engagement.

Resources:
1. Havas. "Meaningful Brands 'MeConomy' Whitepaper." January 2024.
2. Miller, Donald. Building a StoryBrand. HarperCollins Leadership, 2017.

Schedule: Use the following schedule to guide your work for the Summative Assessment. 

Visual Communication & Strategic Branding, Semester 5:

Reimagining a Brand
TASK 1 Apr 16, 17, 18, 19 Weightage: 30%
2023
Submissions: Time Journal Name Details
Tue to Thu, 16 – 18 April 4:00 pm Daily Submission on Work in Progress
2024 BB
Fri, 19 April 2024 4:00 pm Task 1 Submission on Task 1 submission
BB in the form of PDF
on BB
TASK 2 Apr 22 & 23rd, 2023 Weightage: 30%
Submissions: Time Journal Name Details
Mon, 22 April 2024 4.00 pm Daily Submission on Work in Progress
BB
Tues, 23 April 2024 4.00 pm Task 2 Submission on Task 2 submission
BB in the form of PDF
on BB
TASK 3 Apr 24 & 25th Weightage: 40%
Submissions: Time Journal Name Details
Wed, 24 April 2024 4:00pm Daily Submission on Work in Progress
BB
 Thu, 25 April 2024 4:00pm Task 3 Submission on Task 2 submission
BB in the form of PDF
on BB

Overall Assessment Criteria:

Capabilities

1. Ability to employ principles of visual design to present and communicate insights and
contextual perspectives.
2. Storyboard and the communication strategy demonstrate an understanding of the
audiences within larger contexts where work is situated: environments, cultures, societies
and world view.
3. Ability to think and work using metaphors, signs and symbols to enhance meaning
4. Engaging in research with an inquiring mind, and methodical analysis to identify needs,
generate insights and propose solutions.

Dimensions of Practice

1. Analysis & Evaluation: Ability to evaluate problems and make critical judgments and
observations, and to recognise principal ideas, techniques and methods from his/her field
and to be able to question them.
2. Generating Insights: Ability to integrate ideas and inputs drawing from personal
experience through his/her work, practice or community settings, along with knowledge
acquired from research, historical analysis and other scholarly perspectives
3. Communication & Dissemination: Ability to articulate experiences, using a
combination of media or languages (verbal, text, visual, sonic forms) to convey his/her
meanings to reach their intended audiences.
4. Autonomy & Self Direction: Ability to reflect on their practice and identify patterns
across their creative outputs to independently develop their practice and skills to higher
levels along the dimensions of their choice.

All work must be submitted daily either on Blackboard or in person as per the provided
instructions.

A Viva Voce will be conducted between 29 April – 4 May 2024 where work completed as
per the above schedule is to be presented.