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Overview
Course summary
This immersive five-day course will equip you with the skills to define your brand’s positioning, create compelling stories, and boost your digital visibility using smart SEO and AI tools.
You’ll move step-by-step through the brand-building process — from clarifying purpose and audience to developing distinctive narratives and creative concepts. Unlike courses that focus solely on theory or visuals, Fashion Brand Lab bridges brand strategy, storytelling, and digital performance, giving you the tools to compete in today’s fast-changing marketplace.
You’ll also explore how AI and evolving search technologies are reshaping brand discovery and customer engagement, and how to apply these insights to your own brand. With an omnichannel approach, you’ll map customer touchpoints and learn how to deliver a consistent brand experience across digital and physical platforms.
By the end, you’ll leave with a presentation-ready brand concept, a strategic toolkit of templates and resources, and the confidence to apply your ideas immediately — ensuring your brand connects with the right audience, drives engagement, and supports long-term growth.
Who is this course for?
This course is suitable for:
- Early-stage brand founders wanting to refine their positioning, storytelling, and online presence.
- Creative professionals and freelancers (stylists, designers, content creators) moving into fashion branding or launching ventures.
- Marketing, retail, product, or ecommerce professionals seeking broader brand-building expertise.
- Career changers with relevant experience in fashion, branding, or digital marketing.
- Small to mid-sized fashion businesses aiming to upskill teams and improve brand consistency and visibility.
Some prior experience in creative industries, fashion, marketing, or content creation is recommended.
Discounts and offers
Groups
If you are booking as a group or institution, please contact us before you book as you may be able to benefit from our 15% group or corporate discounts.
Returning short course delegates
We offer a 10% discount to returning short course delegates. If you’re not booking your first short course or professional qualification with us and this discount is not applied to your course at checkout, please contact us.
UoW undergraduate/postgraduate students, alumni and colleagues
We also offer a 20% discount to our undergraduate and postgraduate students, alumni, and colleagues. To receive your discount code, please contact us before booking your course.
Course structure
Introduction to Fashion Brand Strategy and Audience
- Explore brand marketing principles and purpose-led positioning.
- Review case studies of audience-first and purpose-driven brands.
- Draft your brand purpose, values, and initial audience thinking.
- Share and discuss ideas in pairs and as a group.
Market Positioning
- Develop customer personas and identify market gaps.
- Apply positioning theory to your brand concept.
- Explore potential positioning angles and peer review concepts.
- Refine audience insights based on feedback.
Competitor Audit and Storytelling for Brands
- Learn competitor auditing techniques and simple audit tools.
- Conduct a competitor analysis for your brand category.
- Build your brand story, tone of voice, and key narrative pillars.
- Present findings and receive peer feedback.
SEO, Content Strategy and AI-Enhanced Digital Visibility
- Understand SEO fundamentals and the evolving AI-driven search landscape.
- Use AI tools for keyword research, content ideas, and audience insights.
- Create a content plan optimised for both human and AI discovery.
- Identify the best-fit channels and strategies for your brand.
Omnichannel Brand Activation and Presenting Your Strategy
- Map digital and physical customer touchpoints for your brand.
- Apply brand activation frameworks to your concept.
- Present and refine your brand strategy based on group feedback.
- Reflect on learnings and plan next steps for real-world application.
Teaching and assessment
You’ll learn through interactive workshops, case studies, and group discussions, supported by expert coaching. This is a non-assessed course, with progress measured through participation, peer feedback, and the development of your brand strategy toolkit.
Entry requirements
- No formal qualifications are required.
- Some prior experience in creative industries, fashion, marketing, or content creation.
- Basic familiarity with digital platforms and social media.
- Access to laptop or tablet for workshop participation.
- Enthusiasm for fashion branding and willingness to engage in group activities.
- English language proficiency (course delivered in English).
- Openness to peer feedback and collaborative learning.
This course welcomes both UK-based learners and international delegates.
Tutor information
Spencer Thursfield
Spencer brings over 20 years’ experience in fashion, creative, and cultural sectors, working with brands such as Stone Island, CP Company, Napapijri, Agent Provocateur, Penfield, and New Era. A specialist in AI-enhanced brand strategy, he has taught at Central Saint Martins, the University of East London, and London College of Printing, and regularly works with founders and start-ups to develop commercially strong, purpose-led brands.
Accreditation
You'll receive a digital certificate from the University once you have successfully completed the course.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course you'll be able to:
- Define your brand’s purpose, values, and target audience.
- Develop customer personas and identify positioning opportunities.
- Conduct competitor audits to inform brand differentiation.
- Create a compelling brand story and narrative.
- Integrate storytelling, content strategy, and SEO for improved digital visibility.
- Map an omnichannel approach to engage customers.
- Present a brand concept confidently to stakeholders or collaborators.
Enhanced brand clarity: Team members able to articulate and deliver consistent messaging across all touchpoints.
- Improved digital performance: Understanding how strategic storytelling drives online visibility, engagement, and sales.
- Competitive advantage: Skills to identify market gaps and position brands distinctively.
- Stronger customer connection: Ability to craft narratives that resonate with target audiences.
- Cross-channel consistency: Capability to maintain brand coherence across digital and physical platforms.
- Strategic thinking: Framework-based approach to brand development applicable to future projects.
- Confident presentation skills: Ability to pitch brand concepts effectively to stakeholders, investors, or collaborators.
Booking
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