I was asked to talk to a Senior Marketing class at Augusta University in 2025 - I was thrilled as this fit into my New Year's resolution to 'inspire' others in the field of graphic design. Whenever I'm asked to speak at a university, I love to show students practical tips on what it's like to be a real graphic designer in the working world.
I showed the students that I was also once a graphic design student who spent many nights working in the Student Media office. I shared stories about client interactions, passed along practical knowledge on how to present a brand to a client, and I also showed what brand standards look like for various clients.
For this presentation I created the design to look like the lyrics video for Sabrina Carpenter's 'Please Please Please'. I thought it would be a great way to connect with the students and make the slides more engaging.
The point of good branding is to show that even across cultures and countries, McDonald's branding is still king. Even though some locations may vary by what they sell, you don't want to look like the outlier. Be the brand that holds up across time and place. Don't be the McDonald's that sells spaghetti.
A hard truth that every graphic design student needs to know: You're going to have to talk about your work. You won't just be desiging, you'll be speaking about your designs and letting people know why your solutions are the best. When you work with people and their businesses, you get to know them and their product. You have to show your process, engage with them on their level, and explain your reasoning in order for them to buy your work.
