Product Branding

A. Product Name & One-Line Positioning

Product name: Professional Certificate in Product Branding & Strategic Identity (PC-PB)
Positioning (one line): A practical, mentor-led program that trains brand strategists, product managers and founders to craft differentiated product identities, go-to-market brand systems, and repeatable frameworks that drive preference, trust and measurable commercial advantage.

B. Target Audience & Market Fit

• Primary: Product managers, startup founders, brand & marketing managers, UX/product designers, creative directors.

• Secondary: Freelance brand strategists, agency planners, growth marketers, and product owners.

• Prerequisites: Basic marketing literacy recommended (brand basics helpful). Offer a short prep module for beginners.

• Problems solved: Weak product positioning, inconsistent brand experience, low perceived value, unclear messaging, poor packaging or launch execution, and fragmented go-to-market identity.

C. Transformational Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

1. Diagnose brand opportunity and define a clear product positioning and value proposition.

2. Create a cohesive brand identity system (name, voice, visual language, packaging & UX).

3. Build a go-to-market brand roadmap that aligns product, growth and customer success.

4. Design research-driven messaging and pricing experiments that increase perceived value.

5. Create launch and growth playbooks (activation, retention, advocacy).

6. Measure brand health and link brand activities to KPIs (LTV, conversion lift, NPS).

7. Deliver a complete product brand brief and a launch-ready brand toolkit (capstone).

D. Curriculum Structure — Modules & Lesson Breakdown (Recommended 12 modules)

Module 0 — Prep & Foundations (self-paced, 1 week)

• Brand basics, buyer psychology, competitive audit primer, research tools, brief template.

Module 1 — Brand Strategy & Positioning (1 week)

• Positioning frameworks (Value Proposition Canvas, Jobs-to-be-Done), category mapping, competitive white space.

Module 2 — Customer & Market Research (1–2 weeks)

• Qualitative interviews, survey design, ethnography, desk research, segmentation, persona synthesis.

Module 3 — Value Proposition & Messaging Architecture (1 week)

• Messaging pillars, proof points, elevator pitch, benefit vs feature framing, messaging matrix.

Module 4 — Naming, Verbal Identity & Tone of Voice (1 week)

• Naming process, trademark basics, voice guidelines, tagline testing, microcopy best practices.

Module 5 — Visual Identity Systems (2 weeks)

• Logo systems, color theory, typography, iconography, photography & motion style, brand grid and tokens.

Module 6 — UX & Product Interface Branding (1 week)

• In-product branding, UI style guides, onboarding flows, microinteractions that reinforce identity.

Module 7 — Packaging & Physical Manifestation (1 week)

• Packaging hierarchy, material & sustainability considerations, dielines, retail shelf strategy.

Module 8 — Brand Experience & Touchpoint Design (1 week)

• Customer journey mapping, offline + online touchpoints, retail & unboxing experiences.

Module 9 — Go-to-Market & Launch Playbooks (1–2 weeks)

• Launch sequencing, PR & influencer outreach, early adopter programs, channel partners, performance experiments.

Module 10 — Brand Growth & Activation (1 week)

• Content strategy, community & advocacy, partnerships, brand campaigns and measurement.

Module 11 — Brand Measurement & Governance (1 week)

• Brand KPIs (awareness, consideration, NPS, brand lift), dashboards, governance & guidelines, legal basics for brand use.

Module 12 — Capstone: Brand System & Launch Plan (3–4 weeks)

• Deliverables: brand brief, visual identity package, messaging guide, go-to-market plan, sample assets (landing page, packaging mock, 30-60s launch video), measurement dashboard and 10-minute pitch.

E. Course Format, Delivery & Learning Experience

• Format: Blended cohort — weekly live workshops + studio labs + peer critiques + mentor feedback.

• Cadence: Pre-work (2–3 hrs), live session (90–120 mins with critique & guest), practical lab (4–8 hrs), office hours.

• Mentorship: 1:12 mentor:student ratio; premium cohorts include 1:1 brand clinics.

• Tools & Platforms: Figma for design, Notion for briefs, Miro for workshops, Typeform/Lookback for research, InVision/Zeplin for handoffs.

• Assessments: Weekly briefs, peer review, mentor reviews, capstone presentation. Certification requires ≥70% on rubric + approved capstone.

F. Duration, Cohorts & Delivery Options

• Flagship cohort: 12–14 weeks (part-time) — recommended.

• Intensive bootcamp: 6 weeks (full-time) for faster upskilling.

• Self-paced: 4–6 months access (recordings + templates, no live mentorship).

• Micro-certificates: 2–4 week focused modules (Naming & Verbal Identity, Packaging, Brand Measurement).

G. Certification, Badging & Portfolio Criteria

• Certificate: “Professional Certificate in Product Branding & Strategic Identity” with unique cert ID and verification page.

• Badges: Positioning Strategist, Visual Systems Designer, Brand Researcher, Launch Director.

• Portfolio requirement: Capstone brand system published with case study and assets — required for certification.

H. Capstone & Project Requirements

• Brief: Create a full brand system and 90-day launch plan for a real or simulated product (B2B, DTC, or SaaS).

• Deliverables: Brand brief, messaging map, logo & visual toolkit, sample landing page, packaging mock (if applicable), launch roadmap, measurement dashboard, and a recorded pitch.

• Evaluation rubric: Strategic clarity (30%), creative & visual execution (25%), research & evidence (20%), GTM & measurement plan (15%), presentation (10%).

I. Instructor & Mentor Profiles (hiring & onboarding)

• Lead instructor: Senior brand strategist or creative director with product launches in portfolio.

• Mentors: UX designers, packaging experts, copywriters, growth marketers, legal advisor for trademarks.

• Guest lecturers: CMOs, founders, retail buyers, PR leads.

• Onboarding pack: Session outlines, scoring rubrics, sample briefs, guest speaking brief.

J. Tech Stack & Tools (recommended)

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator/Photoshop/InDesign), After Effects (for motion).

• Research & Testing: Typeform, Lookback, UsabilityHub, Hotjar, Dovetail for research synthesis.

• Collaboration: Notion, Miro, Slack, Google Workspace.

• Presentation & Delivery: Webflow or Framer for landing demos, Keynote/Slides for pitches.

• Brand Asset Management: Cloud storage + simple DAM (Cloudinary/Bynder for scale).

K. Content Development Process (how to build course materials)

1. Define learning outcomes and competencies per module.

2. Create lesson outlines, slides and demo assets.

3. Produce short video lessons (6–12 minutes) + case study breakdowns.

4. Develop practical labs, templates, and Figma starter files.

5. Run internal QA with brand practitioners; pilot a beta cohort and iterate.

L. Pricing Strategy & Packages

• Self-paced: $299–$599 (templates + certificate).

• Cohort (standard): $1,299–$2,499 (live workshops + mentor support + capstone).

• Cohort (premium): $3,999–$7,499 (1:1 brand clinics, portfolio review, intro to hiring partners).

• Enterprise/private cohorts: Custom pricing by seat and scope.

• Payment options: Installments, scholarship spots for underrepresented founders, corporate invoicing.

M. Sales Funnel & Marketing Plan (step-by-step)

Top of funnel: Thought leadership essays (positioning frameworks), short case study videos, free workbook (“Product Branding Checklist”), webinar: “How to Launch a Product Identity That Sells.”
Mid funnel: Free mini-course + brand audit template, alumni showcases, guest speaker Q&As.
Bottom funnel: Limited seats, portfolio review sessions, early-bird pricing, application calls for premium seats.
Channels: LinkedIn, Instagram (visuals), YouTube (case study breakdowns), design communities, startup newsletters.
Metrics: Lead quality, webinar signups, cohort conversion, CAC, LTV.

N. Website & Sales Page Structure (high-conversion)

1. Hero: Program name + one line benefit + CTA (Apply/Enroll).

2. Outcomes: 6–8 concrete outcomes & sample job impacts.

3. Curriculum: module snapshot + sample assets.

4. Capstone & portfolio examples.

5. Instructor bios & guest speakers.

6. Pricing & scholarship options.

7. Testimonials & case studies.

8. FAQ + Apply form.

CTA example: “Build a product brand that customers choose — Join the next cohort.”

O. Sample High-Conversion Email Sequence (5 emails)

1. Welcome + lead magnet (brand audit checklist + brief).

2. Problem narrative + mini case study (before/after positioning).

3. Curriculum deep dive + sample lesson clip.

4. Offer & scholarship details + mentor intro.

5. Final reminder + limited seats + instructor note.

(Each email ~150–250 words with a clear CTA.)

P. Community, Alumni & Career Support

• Private community with critique channels (messaging, visual, packaging).

• Monthly portfolio reviews & guest office hours.

• Alumni showcase pages and hiring/referral network.

• Job/contract board for graduates.

Q. Operations & Admin (day-to-day)

• Admissions (application form & optional portfolio), onboarding flows, mentor assignment.

• Student success manager per cohort, schedule management, session recordings.

• Billing, refunds, certificate generation, verification page for employers.

R. Legal, Privacy & Trademark Considerations

• T&Cs: Refund policy, IP ownership (students retain design/IP; institute may request permission to showcase anonymized work).

• Trademark basics: Teach naming legal checks and when to consult counsel.

• Privacy: Data processing statements, cookie policy for website, DPA if EU students.

S. KPIs & Success Metrics (what to measure)

• Academic: Completion rate, capstone approval rate, portfolio quality score.

• Commercial: Cohort conversion rate, CAC, cohort fill rate, average revenue per student.

• Impact: Number of product launches using student brands, employer hires, conversion lift in pilot launches.

• Engagement: Active community users, critique participation, office hour attendance.

T. FAQ (sample site Qs & As)

• Q: Do I need design skills?
  A: Helpful but not required — we teach practical visual systems and provide design templates; a prep module covers basics.

• Q: Can I use this for physical products?
  A: Yes — packaging and retail strategy modules are included.

• Q: Will you help with trademark or legal filings?
  A: We provide legal checklists and recommend counsel for filings; institute does not file trademarks on students’ behalf.

U. Upsells, Specializations & Career Pathways

• Upsells: 1:1 brand clinics, portfolio & case study polish, packaging prototype service.

• Specializations: Naming & verbal identity, packaging & retail strategy, brand systems for SaaS, brand storytelling for founders.

• Career outcomes: Brand strategist, product marketing manager, packaging designer (with partner studios), freelance brand consultant.

V. Partnerships & Industry Outreach

• Partner with packaging houses, retail buyers, branding agencies, and legal firms for guest sessions, capstone briefs and hiring pipelines.

W. Student Onboarding Flow (detailed)

1. Enrollment confirmation & welcome email.

2. Pre-course survey (goals, current brand status).

3. Access to LMS, templates, Figma starter kit.

4. Orientation live session + technical check.

5. Mentor assignment & cohort calendar.

X. Continuous Improvement & Feedback Loop

• Regular post-module surveys, capstone retros, mentor feedback loops, quarterly curriculum reviews informed by market trends.

Y. Resource Pack & Templates (deliver with course)

• Brand brief templates, positioning canvases, messaging matrices, Figma visual system starter kit, packaging dielines, launch checklists, research interview scripts, measurement dashboard templates.

Z. Implementation Timeline & Quick Launch Checklist (10–16 weeks)

Weeks 1–2: Define outcomes, hire lead instructor, finalize module outlines.
Weeks 3–6: Produce lessons, templates, and starter Figma kits.
Weeks 7–8: Build LMS, sales page, lead magnet (brand audit).
Weeks 9–10: Pilot beta cohort & collect feedback.
Weeks 11–12: Iterate content, finalize pricing.
Weeks 13–16: Launch marketing, open enrollment, start cohort.