Molly Johnson

THE ENTREPRENURIAL GENERATION: CREATING BRAND IDENTITIES FOR THE CLASS OF 2012

Brand identity design in the 21st century is a thriving and competitive industry. In order to stand out in a visually cluttered urban landscape, department store, or Facebook newsfeed, businesses need to have a striking and memorable visual program. People today are more visually literate than ever before, due in part to the immediate accessibility of information via the internet. Through a rich language of symbols, information can be communicated to us instantly, whether it is through a convenient application icon on a smart phone, a sign in the airport, or a network's logo on a DVR menu. We even use an image (i.e. profile picture) to represent ourselves in social media interactions. Strategically designed icons and logos help us not only to navigate the world around us but can also help us to stand out in a crowd. A logo that represents an identity is a powerful object because it encompasses the complex personality, spirit, and mission of that particular identity.

My gallery exhibition, therefore, consists of the logos and visual identity programs I have created for six impressive seniors in the UPenn class of 2012. I interpreted these individuals as if they were corporations in need of branding, conducting comprehensive character studies of each person that emulated real world designer-client conversations. The motivation behind this personal branding was our pending graduation. As we get ready to enter into the next phase of life we are compiling an identity or package of ourselves that grad school admissions officers, talent recruiters, and human resources departments everywhere will want to "buy." By giving each of these Penn seniors a thoughtful visual program I mean to honor their talents and celebrate their personalities. As a part of the millennial "Entrepreneurial Generation," the Penn class of 2012 is one marked by innovation, diversity, and most of all, individualism.

SECTOR: Art Practice and Technology

ADVISERS: Tricia Treacy (FNAR) | Julie Davis (ARTH)