COURSE OUTLINE

BUSINESS STORYTELLING & BRAND DEVELOPMENT

General Information

Course Number: MAR630 - O

Course Abbreviation: BSB
Course Director: Ken DeGilio, MS
Telephone: 407-679-0100 x1124
Alt Telephone: 407-494-2336
E-mail Address: kdegilio@fullsail.com
iChat: kdegilio@me.com
Office Hours: By appointment (please call or send an email to schedule)

Course Description

This course covers the two main aspects to building a strong presence in the business and
consumer market: storytelling and brand development. In this course, students learn how
to implement brand development strategies that help companies become icons within their
industry. Students also learn how to use storytelling principles to strengthen a business
and deliver a superior customer experience. Finally, students develop a brand identity for
real-world business use.

Course Materials

The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier

The Brand Flip, Marty Neumeier
Other resources will be provided online.

Learning Objectives

Through the various components of study and application, students will master these concepts
and learning activities:
Review effective storytelling methods of business leaders use of story to effect change
Research industry trends and develop market research skills for entertainment brands
Demonstrate knowledge of how entertainment brands exemplify branding principles
Recognize specific brand attributes for companies in the entertainment industry
Discover brand-management concepts and brand-development strategies to create a
differentiated product and service in the current marketplace
Create an effective brand strategy that incorporates a unique company differentiator within
a competitive market
Develop communication skills through individual and in-class team presentations using
current media tools and various web tools and resources
Utilize Keynote, iMovie, Pages, various business-presentation styles, and various social
media tools

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Course Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Develop professional communication and business storytelling skills
Research and review an entertainment brand that relates to a specific course of study
within the entertainment industry
Define specific and relevant industry market trends
Define a unique and differentiated product or service by incorporating an effective
positioning statement
Understand and identify an entertainment companys specific target audience
Design a brand identity strategy that includes a positioning statement, a creative brief,
brand name and tagline
Develop an original brand story based on brand story objectives and a clear understanding
of how to connect, engage and building community for a specific target market

Degree Connection

Each course in the EBMS degree program builds upon the previous courses in preparation
for the business plan. In Business Storytelling and Brand Development, students will
create and develop their own brand strategy for the final project. Students will also develop
a brand strategy for the Final Project Business Plan and begin to develop the foundation
for the brand development including the marketing plan.

Industry Connection

Business storytelling and branding are critical components to a companys overall success
in a competitive marketplace. The brand storythe companys promise to its customers
begins with the brand-identity stories of the CEO. Brand stories serve as the foundation for
a meaningful brand identity. In addition, strategic marketing planningincluding marketing
research, target-market research, and customer profilinghelps to differentiate the brand
and create effective messaging. Through the development of a brand strategy, companies
can create long-term brand loyalists.

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Learning Activities

Entertainment Brand Analysis Essay (10%)

Students research a current topic in branding and then provide a professional analysis as it
relates to their area of expertise or industry they intend to pursue as they develop their business
plan in the entertainment industry. Students select a branding topic that relates to their area of
study for specific industry influencers and develop their research skills.

Personal Brand & Digital Portfolio (10%)

Students develop a personal brand strategy by setting personal brand goals and developing a
plan for achieving personal success and begin to develop an online digital portfolio. Their new
digital portfolio highlights the students personal achievements while building their personal brand
throughout the rest of the program.

Creative Brand Strategy Part 1 (15%)

As either CEO of their own company or a brand manager of an entertainment brand, students
focus on building the companys unique brand by developing a creative brief. This includes
conducting brand identity research in the students industry while gaining trademark knowledge.
The students then develop creative solutions for the company name. The students must describe
the components of their brand based on other successful brands in the entertainment industry.

Creative Brand Strategy Part 2 (15%)

In developing part 2 of the creative brief, the students follow the requirements for creating a
strategic brand identity. Students develop their own entertainment brand or provide a
solution for an existing entertainment brand that includes a brand strategy, a positioning a
positioning statement, and concepts for an original brandmark.

Brand Storytelling Project (15%)

For this project, students develop an original brand story for an existing entertainment brand or
the students own company as the launch their brands. Students will conduct market research to
discover a marketing opportunity and the potential audience for the company. Students will then
develop a brand story objective while designing a story concept with an original theme and tagline
using online digital marketing tools.

Journal Entry/Discussion Boards 25%

Professionalism (GPS) (10%)

All students start with 100% in professionalism, based on Full Sails Global Professionalism
Standards (GPS) policy. Deductions are made based upon attitude or performance that do not
exemplify the Full Sail GPS standards. Full details regarding GPS are provided in the Full Sail
Student Manual.

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Professional communication is critical to projecting a professional image and establishing positive
professional relationships. All projects, as well as written and verbal correspondence, should be
appropriate for a professional setting in content, tone, and format.

Grade Weights

All assignments are graded on a 100-point scale then are weighted to determine your final
course grade as indicated by the Grade Weights table below.

Assignment Weight
Entertainment Brand Analysis Essay 10%
Personal Brand & Digital Portfolio 10%
Creative Brand Strategy Part 1 15% Strategies
for Creative Brand Strategy Part 2 15% Success
Brand Storytelling Project 15%
Some tips
Journal Entry 5%
to keep in
Discussion Boards (4 at 5 pts. each) 20%
mind when
Professionalism (GPS) 10% studying
Total 100% research
methods
and media literacy:

Use your creativity to develop projects that will help build your personal brand and your
portfolio.
Become more efficient with the professional tools available to you including software,
market research, and online resources to help you succeed in your role as CEO of your
own company.
Make sure that all of your work is presented as a business communication and as you
would present it in a professional work environment.

Additional Resources

To develop a better understanding of MPD, be sure to take advantage of the many resources
available to you. Suggestions for further research that you may find helpful in this course, include:

www.marketingpower.com
www.ries.typepad.com
www.brandingmagazine.com
www.brandchannel.com
www.underconsideration.com/brandnew
www.fastcompany.com
www.mediapost.com
www.personalbrandingblog.com
www.cmo.com
www.buyerpersona.com
www.marketingprofs.com
www.garyvaynerchuk.com
contentmarketinginstitute.com

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 www.socialmediatoday.com

Course-Specific Rubrics

Rubrics are available for download with each activity.

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR

Ken DeGilio
Ken has been involved in marketing campaigns in the tourism, retail, and nonprofit fields for over
two decades. With roles ranging from marketing director, nonprofit director and communications
director, he has helped build the brands of national companies, international nonprofits, tourism
attractions, entertainers, and entrepreneurs.

Ken is a social entrepreneur who worked as an executive director for nonprofit organizations for
over a decade and currently volunteers to help nonprofits with their social media strategies and
trainings. Ken has also used his marketing expertise to help build community partnerships with
local and national nonprofit organizations including Autism Speaks and Toys for Tots, to name a
few. Ken also uses his expertise to strengthen community organizations including: One Brick
Orlando.

He is the founder of LaunchMob Media, a digital branding firm, where he assists local and
national brands. As the Chief Brand Storyteller, Ken and his team bring an authentic process of
goal setting, vision and creativity to create authentic brand journalism, including: Brand Content,
Strategic Social Media, Public Relations, Marketing and New Media Plans, for corporations of all
sizes. In 2013, he founded Nona Network, a professional networking organization in Lake Nona,
Orlando, Florida.

Ken speaks at workshops and conferences on the topics of Brand Journalism, Social Media for
Business, and Corporate & Personal Branding. He is a writer for national publications and
websites including Personal Branding Magazine by Dan Schawbel and Under30CEO.com.
LaunchMob Media is a founding partner of HopeMob, a global philanthropic organization
focusing on social media.

Ken received a Master's from Full Sail University in Internet Marketing and also has a Master of
Science degree from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising
from the University of Florida.

Websites:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kendegilio
http://www.about.me/orlandoken
http://LaunchMobMedia.com/

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