One of my favorite lessons to teach when I visit classes is the"Instagram Workshop." Students bring in an item from a brand they like and we studied the Instagram accounts to define the vibe/look/feel or the brand. They study the look/feel of the visuals and photography for their brand of choice. Then, they get to work recreating and mimicking the style of the brand. The idea is that their photo recreation looks like it belongs in their brand's Instagram - that they'd matched the brand style.
A lot of times, we don't get to create a brand from scratch or create things with the only criteria that we think it looks good. A lot of their first jobs, especially if they end up in larger agencies, will be working within an established brand to create content that fits the overall look and feel. An important skill to have is being able to analyze a brand and define and replicate. To create the look that their client/boss is looking for. The goal of this workshop is to give them an into to that.
Here's what they had to do:
1. Choose a brand/Product:
2. Identify other brands in the category that could be competitors
Research your brand on Instagram. Look at the colors used, types of photos, positioning. Questions to consider: Do they show people or are their product shots only? Is it a bright/loud color scheme or more light and airy? Are their photos busy or more minimalistic? 3. Describe the visual look of the brand/product’s Instagram in three words. 4. Then, three words that are the OPPOSITE of what the brand looks like (what the brand is NOT)
5. Take a photo in the style of your brand, (6 &7) and in the style of each of the competitors you identified.
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