Branding competition challenges students to re-envision common brands

Choose one of four brands to reinvent – That was the challenge for students who competed in the Sleep When You’re Dead 24-Hour Brand Design Marathon and Pitch event over the weekend.

A student sets up sketches from one of the projects.

The choices for rebranding were Godiva, Twinning’s Tea, Mrs. Meyers Cleaning Products and Silk Almond Milk. Each team was to create an original recyclable product within the time constraint that would impress their judges. The creative brief also gave students prompts to acknowledge their targeted market and how they would incorporate an online component.

The event, which took place Jan. 31 – Feb. 1, included undergraduates and students in the Master of Arts in Strategic Design program.

“I really enjoyed the whole process, but I think my favorite memory from the event was with my team up in the ceramics loft,” said Anne Heaton Sanders ’22, whose group decided to rebrand Silk. “When we started brainstorming, we could not stop laughing about nut jokes, because we were recreating plant and nut-based milks. We laughed for so long and came up with so many funny tag lines. As the night progressed and the more tired we became, the funnier the jokes became. I still have our jokes hanging above my loft desk.”

Innovation Award: Twinning’s Tea High Tea Shot
Izzy Michell (Master of Arts in Strategic Design student) ’19, Emily Pruitt ’20, Mary Paisley Belk ’20, Ellie Laxer ’21

Student rebranding of Twinning High Tea Shot.

Gold: Silk
Jaelen Brock (Miami Ad School @ Portfolio Center student), Abby McElmurray ’20, Anne Heaton Sanders ’22, Elizabeth Hendrix ’22

Student rebranding of Silk.

Silver: Godiva
Jordan Chopra (Miami Ad School @ Portfolio Center) student, Luz Ruiz ’20, Amie Newsome ’20, Grace Ratliff ’20, Abigail Jackson ’21

Bronze: Twinning’s Tea Punk Tea
Peyton Foley (Miami Ad School @ Portfolio Center student), Bethany Knapp ’20, Paige Trinter ’20, Ethan Cash ’21