DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION -TASK 1
Design Principles | Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Digital & Social Media Communication COM61804
TABLE OF CONTENT
MODULE INFORMATION BRIEF (MIB)
LECTURE NOTE
Week 1: Understanding Digital and Social Media Communication
In Week 1, I was introduced to the basic concepts of digital and social media communication. Before this module, I mostly understood social media as a place where brands post content and customers react to it. However, the lecture helped me realise that social media communication is not only about posting frequently. It is also about understanding the audience, choosing the right message, and creating communication that fits the platform.
One important point I learned is that effective digital communication requires strategy. A brand needs to know who it is speaking to, what message it wants to deliver, and how the audience is likely to respond. This made me think differently about brand content online. Instead of only looking at whether a post looks attractive, I started paying more attention to the purpose behind the content and whether it creates a connection with the audience.
Week 2: Data Collection and Brand Research
In Week 2, we learned about data collection and how it supports communication planning. I understood that research is the foundation of a strong proposal because it helps us avoid making decisions based only on personal opinions. Through data collection, we can better understand the brand, its target audience, its competitors, and the communication problems it may be facing.
The lecture also helped me understand the difference between data, information, and insight. Data refers to raw facts, such as likes, comments, followers, and views. Information is when those facts are organised and explained. Insight is the meaningful understanding we gain from analysing the information. This was useful for our group project because we had to move beyond simply collecting screenshots or numbers. We needed to understand what the data actually suggested about the brand's communication.
I also learned about different types of data, including quantitative data, qualitative data, primary data, and secondary data. For social media analytics, both numbers and audience responses are important. Engagement metrics can show us how people interact with the brand, while comments, reviews, and content patterns can help us understand audience perception more clearly.
TASK 1
Group - Brand Information
Group Members
- Lin Lexuan (0370729)
- Ngo Zhe Xuan (0375005)
- Fann Wong Jing En (0382237)
- Wong Li Jie (0383175)
We analysed Bask Bear Coffee as a Malaysian coffee and food brand under Loob Holding, the company behind Tealive. Bask Bear is known for its affordable coffee, toast, and convenient grab-and-go meals that suit the fast-paced lifestyle of modern consumers.
The purpose of our research was to study how Bask Bear positions itself in the competitive coffee market through its branding, visual identity, social media presence, and audience engagement strategies. We also explored how the brand communicates values such as convenience, affordability, and local identity to attract young Malaysian consumers.
Our research covered several areas:
- Brand overview: This helped us understand Bask Bear Coffee's current position as a local coffee and food brand.
- Brand story and background: This section allowed us to study how the brand was developed and what makes it recognisable.
- Products and services: We looked at the food, drinks, and grab-and-go options that the brand offers to consumers.
- Vision and mission: This helped us understand the brand's goals, values, and long-term direction.
- Target market: We identified the main audience groups that Bask Bear is trying to reach.
- Consumer behaviour: We studied how customers interact with the brand and what influences their purchase decisions.
- Competitor analysis: We compared Bask Bear with similar brands to understand its strengths and weaknesses in the market.
- Social media channels: We observed the platforms Bask Bear uses to communicate with its audience.
- Content analysis: We studied the types of posts, visuals, captions, and messages used by the brand.
- Engagement analysis: We looked at audience responses such as likes, comments, shares, and interaction patterns.
- SWOT analysis: We identified the brand's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
- Strategic insights and content direction: We used the research findings to suggest a clearer direction for future communication.
Through this research, I learned that brand analysis is not only about describing what a brand sells. It is also about understanding how the brand presents itself, how audiences respond to it, and how its communication compares with competitors.
Research draft:
One of Bask Bear's strengths is its strong accessibility through physical outlets and delivery platforms. This makes the brand suitable for people who want coffee, toast, or snacks without spending too much time or money. The brand also has good visibility among young consumers, especially through Instagram content and food delivery promotions.
However, I noticed that Bask Bear still relies heavily on promotional content, such as menu launches, discounts, and limited-time offers. These posts can attract short-term attention and encourage purchases, but they may not be enough to build long-term emotional connection. When compared with competitors like Starbucks and ZUS Coffee, Bask Bear's lifestyle storytelling is not as strong yet.
Competitors such as Starbucks and ZUS Coffee often connect their products with lifestyle, community, daily routines, and personal moments. This helps audiences remember the brand beyond the product itself. From this comparison, I think Bask Bear has an opportunity to develop more emotional and lifestyle-driven content so that customers can connect with the brand more deeply.
Bask Bear has already started building a more recognisable identity through elements such as its mascot, Brader BLE, and campaign-related content. I think these elements have potential because they make the brand feel friendly, local, and memorable. However, they need to be used more consistently in social media storytelling.
Audience and Persona Insights
Our research showed that Bask Bear Coffee mainly appeals to young consumers who value affordability, convenience, and reliability. These audiences often include university students and early-career professionals who buy coffee or food as part of their daily routine, such as before class, during study sessions, while working, or during short breaks.
This part of the project helped me understand that affordability is important, but it is not the only factor that affects purchase decisions. Young consumers are also influenced by visual presentation, lifestyle relevance, peer recommendations, reviews, and social media trends. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are important because they influence how young audiences discover, evaluate, and share brands.
Based on the personas we developed, different audience groups may have different needs. A student may look for affordable and convenient food during a busy campus day. A young working adult may prioritise speed, reliability, and convenience. A content creator may be more interested in whether the product is visually appealing and suitable for sharing online.
These personas helped me understand that a brand should not communicate in only one general way. Instead, the message should be flexible enough to connect with different audience needs while still maintaining a consistent brand identity.
Content Planning and Strategy
After analysing the brand and its competitors, I think Bask Bear Coffee should focus more on lifestyle-driven content rather than relying mainly on promotions. Discounts and offers are still important because Bask Bear's audience values affordability. However, promotional posts should be balanced with content that shows how the brand fits naturally into everyday life.
For example, Bask Bear can create content around study sessions, campus routines, work breaks, morning coffee moments, and casual meetups with friends. These situations are relatable to the target audience and can help the brand become part of their daily lifestyle.
I also think user-generated content and creator collaborations can help strengthen authenticity. Young consumers often trust real experiences more than direct advertising. If customers share their own Bask Bear moments, the brand can build a stronger sense of community and participation.
The proposed content strategy can be organised into three main pillars:
1. Everyday Student and Young Professional Moments
This content should show how Bask Bear fits into studying, working, commuting, taking breaks, and meeting friends.
2. Real Value, Real Experiences
Instead of only showing prices and discounts, the brand can highlight how customers enjoy affordable products in real situations.
3. Community and Participation
Bask Bear can encourage audiences to join trends, share content, respond to interactive posts, and participate in campaigns.
By shifting from product-focused communication to lifestyle storytelling, Bask Bear can create stronger emotional connections and improve long-term customer loyalty.
Design Compilation and Presentation
After completing the research and analysis, our group developed a presentation deck to show our findings, creative direction, and recommendations. The deck helped us organise the research clearly and present our ideas in a more visual and structured way.
While preparing the presentation, I learned that design is not only about making slides look nice. It is also about arranging information so the audience can understand the research problem, the key insight, and the proposed solution. A good presentation should guide viewers step by step from findings to strategy.
This process also helped me practise teamwork. We divided the research among group members, and each person was responsible for different sections. After collecting the information, we combined our work into one report and presentation. Through this process, I learned how to communicate with group members, compare ideas, and refine the direction based on research.
Presentation Slide:
FEEDBACK
After the briefing session, we were asked to form groups of four for the assignment. Once the groups were confirmed, Mr. Max helped assign and confirm the research topics for each group. This helped us better understand the focus of our upcoming research and gave us a clearer direction for our project development.
Through this process, we collected information about the brand, audience, competitors, social media platforms, and communication strategies. This division of tasks helped our group work more efficiently and allowed everyone to contribute to the project equally.
Once the report was completed, we submitted it to Mr. Max for feedback. After reviewing our work, he advised us to include more clarity on our design direction and strengthen the development of our proposed ideas. This feedback helped us understand what needed improvement and gave us a clearer direction for refining our work in the next stage.
After our presentation, Mr. Max provided feedback on our work. He pointed out that our “lifestyle” direction was not strongly supported by sufficient research data. Because of this, it was difficult to clearly justify or develop the idea further in a convincing way. He advised us to strengthen our supporting materials and collect more relevant information if we wanted to continue exploring the lifestyle approach in our project.
REFLECTION
This project helped me understand the importance of research, analytics, and audience understanding in digital and social media communication. I learned that social media analytics is not only about checking likes, comments, or followers. It is about understanding what audience behaviour means and how those insights can guide better communication strategies.
For Bask Bear Coffee, my main takeaway is that the brand already has strong accessibility, affordability, and visibility among young consumers. However, it can further improve by building a stronger emotional connection with its audience. More lifestyle-based storytelling, community content, and relatable daily moments could help the brand become more memorable and meaningful.
This assignment also changed the way I look at brand communication. I now understand that every post, caption, visual, and campaign can shape how people perceive a brand. Good communication should not only attract attention for a short time, but also help audiences remember, trust, and build a relationship with the brand in the long term.
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