ICM Social Media
Designed social media for Quinnipiac’s Interactive Media and Communications Master’s Program.
Tools
Adobe Illustrator, Instagram
Timeline
09/1/2023 - Present
Overview
The Interactive Media and Communications Master's (ICM) Program needed social media design for a new dedicated platform on Instagram. Here they will sharing job opportunities, alumni achievements, faculty, and student highlights, as well as showcasing outstanding student work.
Objective
Design feed post templates and establish consistency: sharing job opportunities, alumni achievements, faculty, and student highlights, as well as showcase outstanding student work will increase community engagement, networking, and program recognition.
Outcome
The ICM program effectively fostered effective design that promotes interaction, collaboration, and visibility for the Interactive Media and Communications Program. The established Instagram account is uniquely designed and helps target potential students will assist in exposure, as well as enrollment.
Designer Role
The Designer for the Interactive Media and Communications (ICM) program at Quinnipiac University was hired to create a visually compelling social media presence that aligns with the program's brand identity and objectives. Responsibilities included designing templates that are design-forward and tailored to the content of the program, and creating engaging stories and feed posts. The designer laid the foundation for future ICM posts, ensuring consistency and coherence in visual messaging across platforms for years to come. Constraints such as resource limitations were carefully managed to ensure the effective execution of social media initiatives.
Solution
The approach for the ICM feed design entailed implementing an effective design that showcased the essence of the program. The design should help focus the platform’s goals of sharing job opportunities, alum achievements, and faculty and student highlights. Through the implementation of this design, the ICM Instagram platform helped increase community engagement, networking opportunities, and program recognition.
Research
The designer conducted research on other high-level design Instagram feeds, including those of organizations like AIGA, to gather inspiration.
Inspiration & Strategy
The ICM feed templates drew upon researched elements such as color, shapes, patterns, and typography. While each feed template should work as a design on its own, they should also work together as a visually engaging and cohesive grid that does not overwhelm the audience.
This research informed the designer's approach to crafting a social media presence for the Interactive Media and Communications Master's (ICM) Program, ensuring that the content aligned with industry standards and best practices in design aesthetics.
Target Audience
The target audience for the ICM Program's Instagram platform includes prospective students, current students, alumni, faculty members, and professionals in the media and communications industry. These individuals are interested in staying updated on program news, industry trends, job opportunities, and up and coming talent.
Brand Voice:
Professional
Inspiring
Creative
Strategic
Conversational
Empathetic
Ideation
A primary goal of the feed design was to make it as immersive as possible. To create a visually cohesive story, the designer utilized the idea of a seamless "carousel" post.
This feature allows users to swipe through the images or videos within a single post. As the user swipes, they will find that the design elements integrate themselves into the next image. What is left is an aesthetic flow while the user dives into the post.
Design
In crafting the design, the designer aimed for professionalism and forward-thinking aesthetics that accurately reflect the nature of the posts. The goal was to create visually striking templates that not only captured attention but also maintained coherence and consistency across all posts.
Throughout the design process, the designer prioritized creativity and innovation, staying true to the program's values and objectives. By carefully considering the visual representation of the content and implementing a strategic color scheme, the designer aimed to not only engage the audience but also establish a distinct and memorable presence within the digital landscape.
Implementation
Organized and established each instagram post based on subject and theme.
To achieve this, the designer implemented a color-coded system where each type of post was associated with a specific color. This made each post easily recognizable for ICM’s audience, allowing them to quickly identify the content type at a glance. Secondly, it contributed to creating an aesthetically pleasing grid on the Instagram profile that aligned with the Quinnipiac brand guidelines.
The System
Professor Spotlight
Selected Works
Student Spotlight
Results
The social media layout and design was well received by the program director, establishing the Interactive Media and Communications visual identity on Instagram. The unique design assisted in the promotion of ICM’s interaction, collaboration, and visibility.
Key Findings
Implementing an online networking presence for Quinnipiac’s most social media focused Master’s degree was crucial for it’s growth. This further substantiates the proficiency of the ICM program in educating on content and creation.
Conclusion
The design strategy for the ICM Instagram has successfully aligned with Quinnipiac brand guidelines, fostering a professional and visually appealing presence. By maintaining consistency in design elements and content presentation, the designer effectively showcased the diversity of the ICM program while reinforcing its identity and values. Moving forward, the designer and content creator will continue to prioritize coherence and engagement to further strengthen ICM’s brand recognition and community interaction.
Contact Us
Email: 20kardese@gmail.com | Phone: (201) 575-6879 | Website: www.kristinardese.com