Exploring the Digital World: Aesthetic Literacy & Marketing

A World of Learning

As the first session started, I was immediately engaged when John Cardoso opened with aesthetic literacy, emphasizing that this term is not just about “having an eye” for good design. Applicatively, it is the ability to examine and use visuals to engage tactfully and develop in the process of marketing. After John’s presentation, my perspective shifted on how I had previously gathered and evaluated creative materials; I learned that it was not just about looking good, but also about understanding how a visual experience can drive emotion and change consumer perspective.

John’s extensive experience in branding and design (I learned he has worked with some top brands) emphasized the importance of visuals that represent the brand. John presented three pillars of good design, which are clarity and brand alignment, emotional and sensory impact, and functionality and approachability to the target audience and necessitates improvements going forward in my design work for Negm Designs. It is one thing to create designs that look good, but it is much more important to create designs that provide the client with a valuable customer journey experience or improve on inquiry.

A Shift in Aesthetic Literacy

The second session was with Jacqueline Hisey. She began by demonstrating how her experiences at the company Studio 71 motivated this approach in the practice of marketing, a refreshing perspective after John’s overview. Jacqueline emphasized how we, too get caught up in social media reporting and reporting instead of recognizing the creative and technical landscape of the digital media. Jacqueline’s experience in her journey through the world of digital media emphasized some important and productive takeaways for application. Jacqueline’s “how-to-benefit” on applying for jobs in highly competitive fields was representative of her advice to develop your brand when you are out selling your services, marketing agency, and communications practice with Negm Designs.

Jackie’s practical insights on networking stuck with me. She brought to my attention the value of direct relationships and connections. While skills and qualifications are important, there’s no substitute for a personal connection. Hearing her emphasize this reminds me that I can be more outgoing in my community and with my potential clients and that taking the time to build connections might lead to a social relationship in the future or novel opportunities.

The Influence on My Professional Journey

Upon reflecting on these two impactful presentations, I believe my process for bringing attention to Negm Designs needs to shift. For one, John's sharing of aesthetic literacy is something I will funnel into my design solutions moving forward. I want to practice the three pillars he established to ensure that every project appeals to my clients’ brand identifications, elicits the emotional response that they want, and is relatable to their target audience.

On a similar note, I want to inspire small businesses to hone in on their brand identification. Just like John relayed clarity and brand alignment as important for effective marketing, I think it is time to align my own online presence with the uniqueness of Negm Designs. This means going back to both my website and social media abilities to make sure they communicate who I am and what type of service I would like to provide to small businesses.

In terms of networking, Jacqueline’s talk made me think differently. I could take a greater initiative to build a network. I plan on going to more local events to connect with other entrepreneurs and networking through LinkedIn to access some potential clients. I think collaboratively sharing our knowledge and skills will cultivate a sense of community surrounding my brand that extends the client relationship as we typically ascribe.

A Vivid Brand Story for Negm Designs

With the personal growth and excitement I felt after these two talks, I found that I envision Negm Designs as more than just a service— as a partner in carving out their online identity as a small business. Although I may have a grandiose view of myself at this moment, I plan to take John's and Jacqueline's guidance to develop a vivid story around my brand that expresses that I am dedicated to offering high-quality, individualized, digitally designed solutions of service to potential small businesses.

So, in summary, I feel that the learnings from these two speakers at George Brown College have not only opened my mind in terms of my perception of aesthetic literacy and digital marketing but also given me some tangible actions I can make to bring an abundance of awareness to my business. I am excited to implement these learnings, and I am curious to see what the outcome will be. The future ahead is bright, and I am eager to take hold of this momentum and prepare for creative sustainability in all of the above-mentioned opportunities these two speakers at George Brown College have provided for me and Negm Designs. The future is wide open and I am thrilled to take on the opportunities together, in a spirit of discovery.

By providing experiences of my journey and what I discovered as a way to engage other entrepreneurs to explore their respective journeys, I hope we can build a digital community of learning, creativity, and connection. Let’s continue to learn from one another and elevate our businesses together.