Mara Ellison
Design director for fifteen years
Works across products and brands at every stage, from early concept to scale. Known for seeing the system behind any single decision — how it plays out across brand, product, and business.
Courses/Brand Systems
- Next Cohort: Sep 1, 2026
- Branding
- 4 Modules
- Intermediate
Brand Systems
Build positioning, messaging, and visual frameworks that hold — across products, teams, and time. Taught by Adrian Cole & Nina Brooks.
$290
Course overview
Brand Systems is a course for people who are done designing one-off marks and ready to build the thing that holds them together. You'll learn how to define a positioning strategy that survives contact with a roadmap, write messaging frameworks that scale across teams without losing their edge, and construct visual systems flexible enough for a hundred future touchpoints you haven't designed yet. This isn't brand-as-decoration — it's brand as infrastructure.
Skills you’ll learn
Positioning strategy & differentiation
Define unique market positioning and identify key differentiators to stand out.
Messaging architecture across audiences
Craft tailored messaging frameworks to resonate with diverse audience segments.
Visual system design
Develop a comprehensive visual language that extends beyond logos to include color palettes, typography, and imagery.
Governance & documentation for scale
Establish clear guidelines and documentation to ensure brand consistency as the organization grows.
Translating strategy into team-wide guidelines
Develop comprehensive frameworks that enable all teams to align with the strategic vision of the organization.
Auditing and evolving an existing brand
Regularly assess brand performance and adapt strategies to stay relevant in a changing market.
Topics
- Positioning
- Messaging Frameworks
- Visual Identity
- Design Systems
- Brand Governance
- Team Alignment
Who this course is for
Founders Building From Zero
Set the strategic foundation before the visual layer exists, so design decisions have somewhere to stand.
In-House Design & Brand Leads
Turn a scattered identity into a system your whole team can execute on consistently.
Marketing & Creative Directors
Build messaging that holds across campaigns, channels, and the people who write them.
Agency Principals
Deliver brand work that clients can actually scale in-house, not just admire once.
Course Module
Module 1: Positioning — Week 1
- Why Identity Isn't a System
- Category, Audience & Differentiation
- Writing a Positioning Statement That Holds
- Module Homework
Module 2: Messaging Architecture — Week 2
- Core Message vs. Audience Adaptation
- Tone, Voice & Vocabulary
- Messaging Docs Teams Actually Use
- Module Homework
Module 3: Visual Systems — Week 3
- Systemizing Color, Type & Layout
- Designing for Flexibility & Scale
- Governance & Documentation
- Module Homework
Module 4: Rollout & Application — Week 4
- Rolling the System Out Across Teams
- Applying Your Framework to Real Work
- Final Test
Earn a certificate of course completion
Included with every plan
Meet Your Tutors
Adrian Cole
Curator, Brand Strategist
Focused on positioning and brand systems. Breaks work down to its core: what is working, what is vague, and the smallest change with the biggest impact.
Nina Brooks
Curator, Design Director
Focused on creative process and critique. Champions clarity over polish, and decisions that can be explained, not just shown.
Student Stories
The greatest benefit of completing a course is gaining the confidence to lead, create, and shape your career according to your own vision.
“The biggest shift wasn’t in my portfolio—it was in how I think. I learned to present ideas with confidence, lead conversations with clients, and make creative decisions that have real impact.”
Emily Carter, Senior Brand Designer at Studio Halvern
“The biggest shift wasn’t in my portfolio—it was in how I think. I learned to present ideas with confidence, lead conversations with clients, and make creative decisions that have real impact.”
Emily Carter, Senior Brand Designer at Studio Halvern
“Before this, I focused on making things look good. Now I know how to build work that solves problems. Every project feels more intentional, and clients trust my recommendations much more.”
Daniel Brooks, Product Designer at Arvelo Digital
“The feedback completely changed how I approach design. I stopped second-guessing my decisions and started explaining the thinking behind my work with confidence.”
Sophia Nguyen, Freelance Brand & Web Designer
Join the Cohort
Cohort
Brand Systems
A cohort-based course with live weekly reviews. No subscription, no tiers — one price, everything included.
- Full access to all modules + lessons
- Weekly reviews with your curators — live feedback
- Downloadable templates & frameworks
- Direct access to your curators throughout the cohort
- Certificate of completion
- Lifetime access to course materials
$290
one-timeSpots are limited to keep reviews personal.
Enroll in the cohortOne payment. No recurring charges — ever.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you enroll.
Your Next Creative Chapter Starts Here.
Whether you’re building your first portfolio or leading international teams, the right guidance changes how you think—and what you’re capable of creating.