Game Promotion & Branding (ICT 9)
Course: ICT 9 Length: 4–5 weeks Placement: follows Game Development
In this unit, students build a cohesive marketing asset pipeline for their game: they design a brand identity (logo, colors, tagline), create vector characters (SVG) and supporting art, apply assets to a website banner and poster, then use everything to produce a short trailer and publish a web showcase. Emphasis is on clear visual communication, ethical media use, and purposeful design choices that fit audience and tone.
Learning Goals
- Explain and apply core design principles (CRAP, typography, layout, color theory) to communicate genre and tone.
- Develop a consistent visual brand (logo + color palette + tagline) and document choices.
- Create reusable vector characters and icons (SVG) and export web-ready assets (PNG/SVG/MP4).
- Compose a poster and website banner with hierarchy, balance, and accessibility in mind.
- Plan and edit a short game trailer using gameplay, transitions, and copyright-safe audio.
- Publish a showcase page and reflect on design decisions and ethical considerations.
BC ADST 9 Alignment
| Big Ideas | Curricular Competencies | Content Connections |
|---|---|---|
| Complex tasks require multiple tools and technologies. | Apply design thinking to plan, create, and refine digital products. | Graphic-design principles; digital image, vector, and video creation. |
| Digital design and storytelling influence how people interpret information. | Communicate ideas and information using digital media for a purpose and audience. | Visual identity, branding systems, layout, motion/sequence. |
| Ethical choices and accessibility shape responsible digital communication. | Use technology safely, ethically, and responsibly. | Copyright, Creative Commons, attribution, inclusive imagery and language. |
Unit Sequence
| Week / Topic | Focus Area | Key Concepts & Skills | Deliverables / Checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – Understanding Promotion | Analyze how trailers and posters attract audiences; discuss mood, tone, and genre. | Audience, emotional appeal, hooks, ethical representation. | Mentimeter/Padlet reflection on examples. |
| 2 – Brand Identity Design | Design logo + color palette + tagline; learn CRAP and apply to identity. | Contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity; typography; palette selection. | Brand Identity template (Word) + logo export (PNG). |
| 3 – Character & Visual Asset Creation | Create main character and 1–2 supporting assets as vectors for reuse. | Vector basics in Canva/Illustrator; simplification; clean exports. | Character + asset files (SVG + PNG). |
| 4 – Poster & Website Banner | Apply brand + characters to an 11×17 poster and a horizontal site banner. | Layout hierarchy, focal points, balance, accessibility checks (alt text/readability). | Poster (PNG) + Banner (PNG); peer feedback cycle. |
| 5 – Trailer Production | Storyboard and edit a short trailer using gameplay and branded assets. | Pacing, sequencing, title cards, audio levels, licensing. | Trailer draft (MP4) → peer review; final export. |
| 6 – Showcase & Reflection | Publish assets to the website and reflect on design evolution. | Web publishing workflow; attribution; concise written reflection. | Showcase page live + Reflection (Teams). |
Culminating Task
Submitted as a cohesive “Game Promotion Package.”
- Brand Identity — Logo (PNG), color palette & tagline (Word template)
- Vector Assets — Main character + 1–2 supporting elements (SVG + PNG)
- Promotional Media — Poster (11×17 PNG) and Website Banner (PNG)
- Trailer — 30–60s MP4 with title/tagline reveal and attribution
- Showcase — Web page with assets embedded + short reflection (200–300 words)
U3 Game Promotion & Branding Rubric
| Criteria | Emerging | Developing | Proficient | Extending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design & Visual Communication | Relies on basic or inconsistent design elements. Limited awareness of layout, typography, or color relationships. | Demonstrates partial understanding of design principles; layout or text may lack balance or clarity. | Effectively applies design principles (CRAP, typography, hierarchy) to create clear, visually engaging assets. | Shows creative mastery; innovative layout, imagery, and typography create professional, memorable visuals. |
| Storytelling & Audience Engagement | Game message and audience are unclear; materials lack cohesion. | Begins to communicate concept and tone; engagement or pacing is uneven. | Communicates a clear message and consistent tone across poster, banner, and trailer. | Compelling narrative that fully immerses the viewer; strong insight into audience and genre. |
| Technical Proficiency | Struggles with tools; exports contain errors (e.g., artifacts, sizing, audio). | Growing confidence; some inconsistencies in quality or formatting. | Clean, correctly exported files; organized workflow and file management. | Advanced control; integrates multiple tools/effects to elevate quality and polish. |
| Ethical & Responsible Media Use | Limited awareness of copyright or attribution. | Attempts attribution; developing understanding of licensing and inclusion. | Responsible media use with correct attribution; mindful, inclusive representation. | Models ethical and inclusive practice; demonstrates leadership in responsible creation. |
| Reflection & Design Thinking | Brief/superficial reflection; limited insight into process. | Identifies challenges/successes with limited connection to principles. | Thoughtful reflection linking choices to design principles and audience response. | Deep analysis of process and growth; connects learning to broader communication/ethics. |
Overall Proficiency Descriptors
| Level | Descriptor |
|---|---|
| Emerging | Beginning to demonstrate skills and understanding of design, storytelling, and digital ethics. Needs support to communicate ideas effectively. |
| Developing | Growing competence with tools and design principles; starting to express creative ideas with clarity and intent. |
| Proficient | Consistently applies design principles and storytelling techniques to produce cohesive, ethical, and engaging promotional materials. |
| Extending | Shows creativity, technical skill, and ethical awareness beyond expectations; work demonstrates originality and professional polish. |
Tools & Resources
- Design: Canva / Adobe Express / Photopea / Illustrator
- Video: Clipchamp / DaVinci Resolve / Premiere Pro
- Web: VS Code + course HTML template
- Workflow: OneDrive / Teams / Padlet for sharing and feedback