Master Beyond Branding

The Master Beyond Branding degree is a forward-thinking one-year programme exploring how brands and conceptualisation behave nowadays, analysing the current landscape of brand communication, and studying how global changes have influenced brands aesthetics and business models.

We believe branding has evolved far past logos and brand manuals due to the heavy influence of technology shifts and the Internet in the last 20 years—new forms of complexity in communicating them demand novel responses on those responsible for doing so. Contemporary corporate identities must adapt to a never before seen range of audiences, formats, devices and narratives.

Access and Admission Requirements: Graduates in graphic design, advertising, communication and professionals with accredited experience. Exceptionally, graduates in marketing, fine arts or audiovisual with a demonstrable portfolio and advanced knowledge of design software.

At Elisava we have many other master and postgraduate programmes, find the most suitable design master for you.

Thanks to the internet, communication has been democratised. The whole world has access to the sharing and acquiring of information. Audiences are no longer passive voices that receive inputs through a screen. Every device is both a tool and a weapon, engaging with brands, politics and celebrities on the same platforms in a unified interface. Brands compete in an economy of attention around culture, news and sports. Today the masses hold power in the palm of their hands, erasing the throne brands have enjoyed for decades. They no longer dictate who they are; their perception is shaped and solidified by the people themselves. The power of brands lies with the people.

From branding and debranding to post-identity design, branding is experiencing a spectrum of visual and cultural phenomenons that respond to a cultural crisis. We will analyse ongoing approaches to visual identities to understand the context that allowed them to surface and become relevant in the tech and fashion industries.

Brands reflect the societies that live, support, buy and promote them. In a social and communicational paradigm where the global vision is constantly changing, brands must develop the ability to connect with audiences on different levels and across various mediums. The liquid society we live in today requires flexibility to respond to more complex audiences that are more subject to change than ever.

Following a crisis in trust —that exploded with the rise of social awareness around topics related to sustainability, racism, feminism and inclusivity—, loads of DTC ( Direct to Customer) brands emerged, with a focus on transparency, values and the traceability of their resources. This phenomenon changed the expectations that customers have of brands. Now they demand communication and products that connect with their values

Brands are associations built by both the brands themselves and by the interpretation and usage of customers. Every object, product and service play both a functional and a cultural role. We have gone far beyond buying things that fill a necessity; decisions are made considering how these branded objects speak about who we are and what we represent. We associate with, support and promote brands that talk about us and what we care about.

The new communication paradigm requires organic behavior from brands, which adapt and change in real time. Audiences also have a new role, they have gone from being mere recipients to actors who shape and determine what a brand is or should be with the power of their “likes” and “shares”. So how do you build them to survive, thrive and endure in these conditions? What is the future of branding? With all this in mind, we will address:

The MA Beyond Branding proposes branding for a new era through:

This master in branding aims to revolve around different areas of thought and explore paths in: