NS High School Students Learn Social Media Advertising and App Icon Design
With millions of ads and apps on all the social media platforms, how do we create advertisements and app icon’s that are well designed, unique, and easily recognizable?
In Ms. Laura Green’s Graphic Design class at North Shore High School, students were taught the skills necessary to develop social media advertising using their own designs for a current business within the North Shore community. Utilizing Adobe Illustrator’s software and advanced tools including gradient, pen, opacity, & effects, Ms. Green’s students created advertisements and App icon design that either sold a new product or made the consumer be called to action.
Ms. Green said, “I wanted to create an opportunity for my students to experience authentic learning that focused on designing an online advertisement like the kind you see on Facebook or social media for an existing North Shore community business. Facebook advertising attracts approximately 1.9 million viewers alone! This project helped my students appreciate their own individual aesthetics while continuing to develop, modify, and hone in on their design skills.”
Some essential questions that she asked her classes to think about were:
Why do businesses need to advertise?
What is online advertising and app icons?
Where and when do these ads show up on social media?
Describe what happens when someone taps on your app icon?
Compare a call-to-action ad to a introducing a new product ad.
How can we make our design stand out?
The Project Requirements included:
1. Select a North Shore Business to create an ad and app icon
2. Decide on a call-to-action ad or introduce a new product
3. Hand sketch one of your ideas to scale
4. Use Adobe Illustrator to create your design
5. Use bold text, color, and images to grab the audience attention
6. REMEMBER TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE NORTH SHORE BUSINESS
7. Be creative and research your business
8. When complete, place your online advertisement on the 3D Apple iPhone
you created in Adobe Illustrator
9. Present your work to the class describing your thought process
Students in the Graphic Design class include Dan Aziz, Antonio Barbetta, Azure Harvey, Patrick Martin, Michael Morello, Greg Morton, Jack Petralia, Preston Sanchez, and Gus Vasilakis.
Ms. Green concluded by saying, “I wanted my students to realize the power of online advertising through social media. Millions of people across the globe are impacted by online media on their digital devices. As numerous ads come across our screens whether on a cellphone or computer every second of the day, it is important for them to recognize that it is the easiest way to connect to today’s online shopper. Even more meaningful is that they understand what attracts and keeps the audience attention… which I believe is GOOD DESIGN!”
Banner by Ms. Laura Green
Article written with assistance from Ms. Green
Photos by Shelly Newman
