Brand Communication

Course

The communication landscape is undergoing radical changes, requiring agencies and businesses to adapt to market shifts and consumer-oriented branding. Today’s societal needs demand professionals with a blend of strategic, creative, and design skills. Our educational program is uniquely positioned to cultivate this skill set through the synergy of design, marketing, and branding.

For over 20 years, POLI.design and UNA – United Communication Companies (formerly ASSOCOM) have led the Master in Brand Communication – The Design, Construction, and Management of the Brand. The aim is to enhance and educate communication managers. The educational experience serves as a meeting ground for professional communication skills and innovations in the most dynamic sectors of the Politecnico di Milano. The Master consistently evolves its offerings to address changing scenarios, meet the coordination needs of brand strategic thinking, and create strategies capable of reaching diverse audiences.

Below are the activities outlined in the educational plan, designed to shape the future professionals in brand communication.

• Frontal lectures to learn the logic, techniques, languages, and dynamics necessary to address the coordination and management of the strategic brand project.
• Seminars and case studies with professionals from the communication world to connect with national and international agencies and companies.
• Collaborative corporate project work with real partners to implement positioning or communication strategies. Designing marketing and communication campaigns simulating competitive activities under the guidance of industry experts. Designing marketing and communication campaigns simulating competitive activities under the guidance of industry experts.
• Empowerment and Career Development activities to enhance awareness of the soft skills essential for shaping a professional and personal growth path.
• Internships in communication agencies or companies to put the skills acquired during the Master into practice.

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Didactics

Training objectives

The Master in Brand Communication aims to train individuals capable of merging strategic, creative, and design skills—professionals equipped to work in agencies and communication departments of companies. These are the objectives:

• Acquire the skills to address all aspects of the strategic brand design.
• Learn practical and theoretical competencies necessary for tasks such as marketing account and strategic planning, brand marketing strategy, creative strategy, and media planning.
• Engage with communication agencies and companies to understand their dynamics.
• Enhance a set of skills related to strategic communication processes in various roles: Account, Strategic Planner, Media Planner, Brand Strategist, Brand Manager, Communication Manager.

Didactic Plan

The Brand Communication Specializing Master is structured as follows:

• Classroom lessons, whether foundation or specialist, are taught by highly qualified faculty from the Politecnico di Milano, from communication enterprises to brand owners. This segment allows students to have a real approach to the work developed by the communication professionals. They will be able to understand the logic behind the different processes, the techniques, and the dynamics that are required for the organization and management of communication, which correspond to the real goal of the Brand Communication Specializing Master.
• Seminars with special guests, experts in the world of communication. Students can have direct contact with the leading figures of the communication enterprises.
• Project work (intensive workshop) the class is divided in small groups to work on communication projects through metadesign analysis and by making a brief. This segment introduces students into the actual project segment of the Master, through real simulations of communication campaigns and by using the proper marketing elements to achieve the given objectives. The aim of the project will be to identify the strategic concept of the brand. In this sense, groups of students, guided by experts, will compete to create the best marketing campaign.
• Internship enables students to transfer the skills acquired during the Master under the mentoring of experts with long experience as professionals in communication agencies.

Didactic Modules

The Master in Brand Communication includes a series of foundation courses (propaedeutic programs to fill any gaps in training) and all training activities that involve the release of CFU (frontal lessons, seminars, project work and internship). Below, the six modules the program is structured into:

Module 1
Culture
This module explores the key trends shaping brand evolution in today’s economic and cultural landscape. Topics include contemporary communication, market scenarios and drivers, and the ethical and value-based framework as a key factor in brand development.

Module 2
People
This module provides a space for dialogue, allowing participants to explore tools for managing design complexity. It raises awareness of the soft skills essential for personal and professional growth. The focus is on understanding competence and practicing what we call “transformative courage,” which includes emotional intelligence, leadership, lateral thinking, and storytelling.

Module 3
Market

The goal of this module is to establish a common business vision and analysis framework for all participants. It focuses on defining the correct approach – both methodologically and operationally – to strategic marketing and on creating the foundational strategic framework for integrating other modules essential to brand definition and development. Topics include: Introduction to strategic and operational marketing, business models, external analysis (scenario and market), and internal analysis (SWOT, value proposition, client product portfolio analysis); marketing strategies with a specific focus on sustainability.

The knowledge gained in this module will be tested through Digital Markstrat, a marketing simulation software that offers a risk-free platform for testing strategic theories and making decisions. This hands-on experience will allow participants to apply key concepts such as marketing, analysis, and strategy in a real-world context.

Module 4
Communication
This module focuses on understanding the principles of strategic thinking and developing the analytical skills needed to create, implement, and evaluate effective communication campaigns. These campaigns must be consistent with brand identity, positioning, and target audience. Topics include: integrated communication strategies, situational analysis, consumer insights, copy strategy, customer journey, and customer experience.
Participants will also explore a creative and strategic approach based on data, research, and storytelling to develop content and strategies that engage audiences. Topics include: creativity and Web 3.0, branded entertainment, gaming and communication, influencer marketing, events, and transmedia design.

Module 5
Media
This module covers the methods and tools for selecting the most suitable channels to achieve communication plan objectives. Topics include: media process stages, media types and audience measurement, media indicators, target analysis, the Italian and international advertising markets (key facts), scenario analysis, media planning, post-buy analysis across media, competitive analysis (Nielsen AdEx), media strategy, measuring campaign effectiveness, negotiation techniques, and programmatic media.

Module 6
Go-to-market
In this module, participants will learn the design-driven approach to building a digital go-to-market strategy. It covers the mindset of a digital designer, the stages and tools of digital strategy, and the principles of designing media and content for digital touchpoints. This year, a special focus is placed on AI and its practical applications in the digital landscape, with hands-on exercises. Topics include: introduction to digital, positioning strategy, digital listening, media strategy, digital advertising, content strategy, and AI for content production.

Title Released

Master’s Degree Diploma in Brand Communication – The Design, Construction, and Management of the Brand from Politecnico di Milano. The Specializing Master grants 60 CFU, equivalent to 60 ECTS

Employment Opportunities

The exiting profile is that of a communication professional capable of coordinating and supervising communication processes. Participants will engage in various realms of strategic brand construction and communication projects, acquiring skills for the following roles:

● Account
● Strategic Planner
● Media Planner
● Brand Strategist
● Brand Manager
● Communication Manager

Admission

Requirements

The Master’s program is open to candidates holding a Bachelor’s degree or V.O. Degree, Laurea or Laurea Specialistica/Magistrale N.O. in Engineering, Architecture, Industrial Design, Economics, humanities, or technical-scientific disciplines. For foreign candidates, equivalent academic qualifications will be considered according to their respective educational systems.

Selections will be made in chronological order based on the date of applications, until available seats are filled. The selection process will be managed by the Commission.

Candidates may participate in one of the online presentation/selection days scheduled throughout the year.

The formal evaluation of the study title eligibility is by Politecnico di Milano. As a consequence the formal application should be done on the website www.polimi.it (the steps are described in the following weblink).

In particular, the steps that you will have to follow are those mentioned from page 1 to page 8 (by clicking on the following link you will find yourself directly in the same page shown on guidelines).

Deadlines

To take part in the XXV edition of the Specializing Master in Brand Communication, starting on October 20th, 2025, applications must be submitted according to the following criteria*:

Italian qualification within 17/09/2025

STEP 1
1) Documents to be sent for preliminary verification to POLI.design

• Curriculum vitae
• Portfolio
• Motivation letter
• Copy of ID document

The following documents should be uploaded on this page

2) Documents to be sent for preliminary verification to Politecnico

• ID document copy
• Copy of the Diploma Supplement and copy of the degree diploma or self-certification on the appropriate form that can be requested to POLI.design (selezioni@polidesign.net)
• ANIS certification (access to the ANIS portal is via SPID or CIE from the following link)

The following documents are to be uploaded on this page by following the instructions at this link
____________________

European qualification within 11/09/2025 

STEP 1
1) Documents to be sent for preliminary verification to POLI.design

• Curriculum vitae
• Portfolio
• Motivation Letter
• Copy of ID document

The following documents should be uploaded on this page

2) Documents to be sent for preliminary verification to Politecnico

• Copy of ID document
• Copy of Diploma Supplement
• Photocopy of degree certificate

The following documents are to be uploaded on this page by following the instructions at this link

STEP 2
1) Documents to be sent for authenticity verification (within 20/10/2025)

• Diploma Supplement with a digital signature or verifiable QR code. Should the student lack a Diploma Supplement with a valid signature or verifiable QR code to verify its authenticity, the student will have to submit one of the documents required for students with a non-EU qualification (cfr. next item).

The following documents are to be uploaded on this page by following the instructions at this link
____________________

Non-EU degree within 31/07/2025 

STEP 1
1) Documents to be sent for preliminary verification to POLI.design

• Curriculum vitae
• Portfolio
• Motivation Letter
• Copy of ID document

The following documents are to be uploaded on this page by following the instructions at this link

2) Documents to be sent for preliminary verification to Politecnico

• Copy of ID document
• Degree in original language + Italian/English translation
• Original transcript of passed examinations + Italian/English translation

The following documents are to be uploaded on this page by following the instructions at this link

STEP 2
1) Documents to be sent for authenticity verification (within 20/10/2025)

• Enic/ Naric Certification or CIMEA
• World Education Services (WES) Certification
• Statement of value
• Copy of the visa application or copy of the visa

According to the timeframe provided for by Italian law, the details of the application for a residency permit must also be communicated as well as the residency permit as soon as it is issued.

The following documents are to be uploaded on this page by following the instructions at this link

*Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered at the discretion of the Scientific Committee.

Price

The cost of the University Specializing Master’s programme is € 13.000.00, broken down as follows:

• € 500,00 – enrolment fee to be paid to the Politecnico di Milano, no later than 30 days before the starting date following the procedures that POLI.design will specify;
• € 12.500,00 – participation fee for the University Master’s Course to be paid to POLI.design following the procedures that will be specified upon admission.

PROMO

FAMILY SUPPORT: -50%
A chance to gift your siblings the encouragement they need to invest in their future.

FRIEND TO FRIEND: -20%
An opportunity to gift to a friend to make education the foundation of their growth.

POLI.NETWORK: -50%
A promotion designed to strengthen the bond and identity among members of the Politecnico di Milano community.

BACK TO SCHOOL: -1.000€ on Specializing Masters
The discount for those who have already trusted POLI.design and Polimi, and wish to return to study and build their future.

SUPPLIERS

A 10% reduction to be applied on the participation fee (excluding registration fee or VAT) for suppliers and former suppliers of POLI.design. The reduction can be combined with other forms of discounts and/or exemptions*

*POLI.design reserves the right to verify the existence of the collaboration relationship.

PER MERITO
Intesa San Paolo supports talents and gives everyone access to training. Discover more details here.

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