Identity, Branding, and Authenticity in the Age of Social Media

What does it mean to be seen, and how do we shape how we’re perceived—by others, by ourselves, and by the digital systems that mediate our lives? This program explores the complex interplay between identity, perception, and branding, asking how we perform and present ourselves across platforms and spaces—whether consciously or not. From social media profiles to professional bios, from everyday self-expression to curated public personas, we’re constantly engaged in acts of design.

Together, we’ll examine how branding functions not only as a business strategy but as a deeply personal and cultural process—one tied to questions of authenticity, power, aesthetics, and audience. We’ll consider how branding shapes and is shaped by our lived experiences and social roles, and how it plays out across personal, professional, real, and imagined contexts.

There will be opportunities for creative exploration of course themes, but no specific design or media skills are required. Students will study a brand or media format of their choosing as a form of research around the mid-point of the quarter. The quarter will culminate in a student-originated brand guide on a more personal topic of interest.