What does it mean to design how something feels?

Brand design goes far beyond logos – it's about creating an entire personality and experience. In this activity you'll hear from a designer who completely reinvents herself for every client and learned that her biggest mistake was playing it too safe.

This activity is designed to be flexible and can be used as follows:

  • During a lesson - 30 minutes. Students work in pairs and then share their reflections with the rest of the class.
  • During tutor time - 20 minutes. Students watch the video independently and then discuss one of the topics together.
  • As homework - Students watch the video on their own and complete the reflection at their own pace.

This activity supports the following frameworks:

  • Gatsby Benchmark 5
  • PSHE Association KS3 codes L4, L12
  • PSHE Association KS4 codes L3, L8

1. Before you start

Take a moment to think about the following question:

  • Think of a brand you recognise instantly - from its colours, its logo, or just the way it feels. What is it about that brand that makes it recognisable? Who do you think decided all of that?

If you're working with a partner or team, share and compare your thoughts before continuing.

2. Watch the video

v0012 square

Lotte Peters - Brand Designer

Lotte is a brand designer based in Amsterdam. She creates the entire look and feel of a brand - not just the logo, but the colours, the typography, the photography style, and how the brand behaves when you interact with it online. Every few months she works for a completely different company, from car brands to hospitals to fashion labels.

While watching the video, listen for the following:

  • What does Lotte say brand design involves beyond just making things look good?
  • What does she learn from working with so many different types of company?

3. Reflect and discuss

First, add a personal reflection based on the following:

  • What is one thing about Lotte's job that changed what you thought a designer does?

Next, think about the following and discuss with your partner or group:

  • Lotte says she designs how a brand "behaves" - not just how it looks, but how it sounds, how you interact with it, what it feels like. Can you think of a brand where the experience of using it is just as important as what it looks like? What makes that experience work?
  • Every few months Lotte works for a completely different company and has to learn about a whole new industry - cars, hospitals, fashion. What skills do you think someone needs to pick things up that quickly? Would you find that exciting or overwhelming?
  • Lotte says her biggest mistake was trying not to make mistakes - that being too careful stopped her from exploring and playing. Do you think that's true in other areas of life, not just design? What makes it hard to let yourself get things wrong?