Brand communications: a systematic approach to brand communication

Course overview

Description generated based on course syllabus and open data.

The “Brand communications” program is designed for specialists who need a structured view of brand communication, channels and processes. It covers 11 sessions, from communication strategy and competitor analysis to media relations, influencer work and speaker preparation.

Brand communications: what the program includes

• Brand and competitor communication analysis, SWOT and a one-page strategy.
• Building a brand communication strategy and a brand model.
• PESO-based planning, work with media and influencers.
• Community building, speaker preparation and crisis communication basics.
• Documents: communication plan and an updated CV.

Instructor with brand communications background

Anastasiia Humeniuk — PR and communications specialist (6+ years). Experience: PR for educational projects at a Ukrainian IT company; communications at the Ministry of Digital Transformation (Diia.Business, Diia.Education); co-founder of the charity community cheriti.feriti; “Thank You with Heart” information campaign (partners: Silpo, OLX, McDonald's, COMFY, Planeta Kino, Tabletki.ua, Darnytsia); communication strategies for SMEs; work across public sector, creative industries and business.

Guest lecturers in brand communication

• Taissia Kudenko (Head of PR and Communications, balbek bureau): speaker preparation for events in the USA, UK and Germany; publications (incl. The Telegraph) and talks.
• Sasha Mozhova (Creative marketer, BetterMe): communications and marketing; strategies for Shell, BestNuts, Lifecell, Payoneer, Hilton and others.

Who brand communications fit / who it may not suit

Best fit

• Students and graduates in marketing and PR.
• Marketers, brand strategists and PR specialists with up to 1 year of experience.
• PPC, email marketers and SMM managers integrating brand communication into their work.

May not suit

• Those seeking ready-made templates without independent work.
• Those not planning to work with analytics, texts and briefs.
• Those needing only narrow tools without a strategic view.

Brand communication problems → working outcomes

• Scattered channels → structured PESO plan.
• Unclear target audience → segmentation and audience maps.
• Weak news angles → topic calendar and selection criteria.
• Media challenges → interaction flow and prepared materials.
• Unprepared speakers → checklists for talks and interviews.
• No measurement → basic KPIs and communication metrics.

Comparison with brand communications alternatives

• Self-learning: flexible but lacks structure and feedback; significant time for source curation.
• General marketing courses: broad overview without depth in brand communication.
• Ad-hoc SMM: tactical actions with no cohesive communication strategy.

Outcomes after working through brand communications materials

• Prepared brand and competitor communication analysis (SWOT).
• One-page strategy and channel map via the PESO model.
• Target audience descriptions and an interaction plan.
• Basic press materials, news angles and topic calendar.
• Speaker guidelines and workflows for media and influencers.
• Communication plan and an updated CV.

Session structure: brand communications from intro to plan

• Session 1: introduction to communications; overview of soft/hard skills.
• Session 2: the brand and its role in communication.
• Session 3: communication strategy; competitor analysis and SWOT; one-page strategy, PESO channels.
• Session 4: brand vs communication strategy; brand model and brand activity.
• Session 5: channels and tools of brand communication.
• Session 6: workshop on building a brand community.
• Following sessions: news angles, media work, influencers, crisis basics and documentation.

Brand communications tools

• PESO model: Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned channels.
• Audience matrix, PR calendar, press kit, speaker guide.
• KPIs and baseline metrics for evaluating brand communication.