Design and Innovation in Marketing Fellowship:
In the 1950s, Thomas Watson of IBM, famously proclaimed, “Good design is good business.” Designer Milton Glaser has adopted it as his mantra as well. It is important to note that Mr. Watson added the qualifier “good” to design. His assertion implied that design literacy — the ability to identify and appreciate good design — is fundamental to business strategy. Design was then and is now more than ever, a crucial part of marketing strategy and business success. Design adds value to a broad array fields and business sectors: from Target retail stores to the iPhone to artificial hearts to hybrid cars. Certainly, the connection of design to marketing is inextricably bound. Consequently, it is often design that is the difference between one company and its competitor; between success and failure. Additionally, it has become increasingly clearer that business can affect real change on this planet by designing manufacturing practices, materials and products that are ecologically-responsible, safe and universally accessible and benefit financially as well. The Design in Marketing Fellows Program bridges the gap between marketing research and theory and the realization of well-designed applications. The program curriculum and co-curricular activities are designed to produce future designers who are business savvy as well as strong conceptual and creative thinkers. The program will provide a broad range of opportunities to specialize and integrate knowledge gained in the classroom with real-world activities and hands-on applications in laboratories, internships and other action-based learning.
Once accepted into the Fellows program, students will master the creative problem-solving and innovative-thinking skills and experiences along with marketing strategy and design techniques needed to be competitive in today’s job market including design and brand management. This program is deliberately interdisciplinary, with mutual benefit to be gained by collaboration between design students and marketing students in developing creative business solutions.
This is an exciting new interdisciplinary program and is a wonderful way to increase your knowledge of marketing and the designer’s role in strategic innovation planning and innovation that is so critical to today’s job market.
Professor Ruth Lozner, of the Department of Art, and Dr. Mary Harms, of the Smith School of Business, are the Faculty Champions for this program. Please contact them if you have any questions.
Fundamental principles of two dimensional design. Introduction to visual communication. This is an introductory course that seeks to introduce students to the basic visual language of two-dimensional design and organization, focusing on the formal elements and principles in combination with appropriate concepts and theories. As such, it provides the basis from which students may subsequently develop and refine their understanding of the visual arts and visual communication in preparation for more advanced coursework in various media. To be taken sophomore year or fall semester, junior year.
Design Software Module where student will learn the Adobe Creative Suite 3 (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver). This course will be taught in a dedicated lab, with lab assistance provided. To be taken spring semester, junior year.
his course is comprised of both lectures on the creative process paradigms and experiential problem-solving. Over the course of a semester, cross-functional student teams (including students from business and design disciplines) will learn how to ascertain and then develop ideas from diverse sources of information. The course focuses on imaginative thinking skills and intellectual insight segmented into the essential aspects of the creative process: identifying needs or problems, understanding target market segments, conceptualizing solutions and implementing product opportunities. Brainstorming, teamwork skills along with prototyping and reverse engineering will be covered. Students will learn and apply principles of design along with studying notable designers. Students will also explore how innovation becomes part of the corporate culture and a sustainable competitive advantage. To be taken spring semester, junior year.
This course bridges the gap between marketing theory and strategies and its actual designed implementations. Areas to be covered include print media, on-site media, sales promotions, Internet, emerging technologies and special events. Design elements in the retail and office environments will also be discussed. Students will participate in the D.C. Advertising Week activities and will conduct an overnight study tour to New York City during Design Week to partake in the week’s activities. They will also visit integrated marketing communications firms, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design and Museum of Modern Art. To be taken Fall semester of senior year.
- D.C. Advertising Week
- Speaker Series - Creation of an advisory board for the program with board members coming to speak about their careers
- Field Trips
- Practicum
- Optional internship
- Optional international study trip
- Applicants must be a Marketing major or an Art Studio major who has been accepted into the Design Concentration.
- Applicants must be a Junior or Rising junior.
- Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative gpa.
- Essay “Why should I be considered for the ‘Design and Innovation in Marketing’ Fellows Program”?
- Resume and/or Portfolio
Specifics will be distributed at the time of application. Applications will be submitted on-line. Note: Students will be selected by faculty teams from Marketing and Design. Art students will be chosen on the basis of their portfolio submissions, as part of their declaration and acceptance in the design concentration. Applications are accepted in March each year.