Graphic Design & Digital Marketing

Schedule: 4 Weeks | 3 Days a Week (Mon, Wed, Fri) | 12 Sessions Total (3 Hours/Session)

Core Objective: Transition from a passive digital consumer into a strategic brand builder using the Academy's professional iMac lab.

Phase 1: Graphic Design Foundations (Weeks 1–2)

Session 1: The Anatomy of a Brand

●      Theory: Visual balance, geometric harmony, and spatial contrast. Analysis of why major local and global visual markers stand out.

●      Practical Lab: Mastering the digital workspace interface, layer organization, and artboard setup.

Session 2: Color Psychology & Typography Rules

●      Theory: Commercial color psychology and emotional cues. Typography parameters: Serif vs. Sans-Serif, font pairings, tracking, and leading rules.

●      Practical Lab: Creating synchronized color swatches and implementing professional text layout controls.

Session 3: Visual Hierarchy & Image Compositing

●      Theory: The "F-Shape" and "Z-Shape" visual reading patterns. Techniques for intentionally directing a viewer's eye to key informational nodes.

●      Practical Lab: Non-destructive background extraction, asset isolation, and blending text elements with complex imagery.

Session 4: Vector Illustration & Commercial Assets

●      Theory: Vector vs. Raster environments. Understanding resolution independence and scalability for commercial applications.

●      Practical Lab: Pen tool mechanics, geometric transformation, and vector icon production workflows.

Session 5: The Brand Style Guide Compilation

●      Theory: The business value of brand uniformity across digital ecosystems. Visual asset management frameworks inside an agency.

●      Practical Lab: Technical compilation of design specs, grid systems, and exporting for commercial distribution.

Phase 2: Digital Marketing Frameworks (Weeks 2–4)

Session 6: Target Personas & Digital Funnels

●      Theory: Identifying demographic segments in Addis Ababa. The Awareness-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) marketing framework.

●      Practical Lab: Mapping modern customer conversion pathways and developing target buyer avatars.

●      Milestone Assignment: Outlining a 3-stage strategic digital marketing funnel and completing your primary branding assignment from Phase 1.

Session 7: The Art of Commercial Copywriting

●      Theory: The psychology behind high-converting headlines. Short-form vs. long-form ad copy. Drafting clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs).

●      Practical Lab: Formulating caption frameworks, value-proposition matrixes, and interactive copy text overlays.

●      Milestone Assignment: Writing 5 diverse, platform-optimized copywriting hooks targeted at different consumer mindsets.

Session 8: Social Platform Dynamics & Content Pillars

●      Theory: Algorithmic distribution systems across major platforms (Telegram, TikTok, Instagram). Constructing Core Content Pillars (Educational, Entertainment, Promotional).

●      Practical Lab: Managing creator dashboard configurations, platform insights, and campaign scheduling dashboards.

●      Milestone Assignment: Organizing and designing a visual grid strategy layout for a targeted 1-week platform push.

Session 9: Campaign Rollout & Content Calendars

●      Theory: Timeline mapping for a product launch. Pacing asset distribution to keep an audience engaged without saturation.

●      Practical Lab: Structuring automated content calendars via professional task management tools.

●      Milestone Assignment: Building a comprehensive 2-week digital launch calendar matching design graphics with written copywriting assets.

Session 10: The Pitch

●      Theory: Presentation mastery and commercial defense. How to explain and back creative design choices and market metrics to corporate stakeholders.

●      Practical Lab: Final polishing of presentation slides and exporting high-resolution portfolio files.

Session 11 & 12: Final Project (Capstone Presentation)