The Subaru Project
Every semester, students from Academy of Art University’s School of Industrial Design come together with students from diverse majors to work on a single challenge for the interdisciplinary design course IND494: Corporate Sponsorship Project. This year, the sponsor is automobile manufacturer Subaru. The challenge? Create a vision for the Subaru brand in the year 2030.
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In this 6 episode series, follow the students as they tackle every aspect of a real-world collaboration with a major industry leader, from concept to pitch.
Episode 1:
A Brand is Born
Episode 2:
Stop, Collaborate, & Listen
Students from the Schools of Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Advertising, Fashion, and Advertising form teams around new and innovative ideas for the future of the Subaru brand. As they work together on developing their concepts, they learn that design doesn’t happen in a vacuum and that collaboration is key.
Episode 3:
Midterm Madness
It’s midterms, and our students are well into the design phase of their projects. Each team is preparing for their first major presentations to Subaru’s design team, and the excitement is evident in their work. Still, it’s the first glimpse that Subaru will have of their progress, and tensions are high. Will the students succeed in impressing the Subaru designers
Episode 4:
Bringing Design to Life
The teams have pitched their best ideas to Subaru, and are ready to refine, finalize, and implement their designs as a cohesive story. Students describe the challenges and dependencies (surprises?) they have experienced while developing their storyboards, clay models, UX/UI, and advertising materials. A professional sculptor from Subaru’s studio visits and provides tips on how to bring a design to life.
Episode 5:
Time Crunch
The deadline for final presentations has been pushed up, and our students are feeling the heat. Teams are putting in 12-hour days and pulling late nights, but their holistic vision is coming together. Beyond the car design, the challenge has evolved into a cohesive lifestyle brand that looks to the future. With the major components almost finalized, it all comes down to the details now.
Episode 6:
The Big Pitch
A Brand is Born
Our teams are ready to take their work to the “Collaborate to Innovate” main stage. Students reflect on the pride they feel for their teams and amazing connections they gained through this learning experience. The time has finally come to present their hard work to Subaru’s design team.
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Will they be blown away? Will the students deliver on their challenge? It all comes down to this moment.
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Results
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19% increase in applications YOY
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Online students appls 120% increase
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Ave session duration up by 34%
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7% increase in new users