Whitepaper

BRANDEN WHITFIELD

THESIS IDEA

How story can Develop or enhance lifestyle brands.

Branden Whitfield Is a design student at University of Colorado with an expected graduation of Spring 2015. His main focus is branding, and logo design, as well as motion graphics.

SOURCES http://www.forbes.com/sites/larissafaw/2013/07/12/why-havethousands-of-customers-chosen-to-get-the-johnny-cupcakes-brandlogo-tattooed-on-themselves/ http://johnnyearle.com/

QUESTION How can story telling elements help develop a unique brand experience?

IDEA For my thesis I want to explore the idea of how story telling elements can help develop a unique brand experience. I think story telling can help any brand be successful or more successful, so by exploring what elements of story can influence a brand I hope to discover a new a unique brand concept. I’m starting my research by looking at the Johnny Cupcakes brand and Johnny Earle started and developed a “joke” into a successful brand.

From my initial research so far I found that one story telling concept he uses to be successful

is to play on previous experiences people have had to create noastalgia with his bakery style t-shirt shops.

And he has an underdog story of how he started selling tees out of his trunk and wound up developing a multi-million dollar brand. I plan to research other brands that have had an unconventional start or provide unique brand experiences and see what their process was. As well as research what makes brands successful in today market, from that research I hope to discover a solution to my question that is unique and different than the typical experiences availible now.

WHAT I HOPE TO DO Without coming to a solution prematurely I hope to create something with an compelling story that provides a unique experience.

I think story telling is a powerful and compelling tool, and along with great design can create something innovative or unique.