School of Design

Jamie joined the University of Leeds in 2004 as a Teaching Fellow in Graphic Design, and currently holds the position of Lecturer in Brand Communications.

After studying typography and graphic design, Jamie was employed as a design manager of an environmental graphic design company. His remit involved brand identity design, marketing communications, way-finding and signage systems. Alongside this role he continued his education in graphic design to postgraduate level, and subsequently formed a design consultancy partnership before later joining the University of Leeds. Throughout his 20 years of experience in the field he has worked with a range of clients, some of which are listed below:

Cadbury Schweppes, Department for Education and Employment, General Electric, Inland Revenue, Lockheed Martin, NHS, Nike, Northern Foods, Royal Mail, Swann-Morton, Virgin, Wildlife Trusts, WS Atkins.

Jamie’s research is situated at the intersection of three fields: brand strategy, graphic design, and strategic management. This research interest emerged from Jamie’s background as a designer, design manager and brand consultant, and is concerned with how design is used as a strategic signifier. His PhD, conducted at the Leeds University Business School, explored how the brand manifestations of large organisations were used to express dimensions of corporate strategy. This enquiry involved the input of senior executives from FutureBrand, Landor Associates, Lippincott and Wolff Olins. Other recent projects involved (1) the exploration of symmetry as a device for expressing brand values within the financial services sector, and (2) the use of packaging as a signifier of brand authenticity.

Jamie welcomes PhD proposals connected to branding and communication design. Email him directly with any enquiries.

During his 13 years at Leeds Jamie has been responsible for the design, delivery and assessment of numerous modules across the following programmes: BA Graphic & Communication Design; BA Visual Communications & Marketing; MA Design; MA Advertising and Marketing; MA Textiles Innovation and Branding; and the MA Corporate Communications & Public Relations. His current teaching is directed at level 3 (UG) and postgraduate modules in the School of Design and Leeds University Business School.

DESN3660 Independent Dissertation (Class size: 7)
DESN3765 Brand Communications (Class size: 25)
LUBS5432M Brand Management & Corporate Identity (Class size: 280)
LUBS5433M Brand Management & Corporate Identity (Class size: 180)
TEXT5302M Brand Design and Communication (Class size: 25)
TEXT5309M Dissertation (Class size: 7)

School of Design Examinations Officer (2010 – 2013)
Deputy Examinations Officer, School of Design (2009 – 2010)
Member of the PVAC Faculty Examinations Group (2009 – 2013)
Member of the School of Design Taught Student Education Committee (2009 – 2013)

Journal articles

• Marsden JL, Thomas BG (2013) “Brand Values: Exploring the Associations of Symmetry within Financial Brand Marks”, Design Management Journal. Design Leadership. 8.1: 62-71.

Conference papers

• Marsden JL (2016) Translating organisational definition into brand mark expression: Strategies for new organisations. Academy of Marketing Annual Conference and Doctoral Colloquium Conference 2016 Proceedings: Academy of Marketing Annual Conference Proceedings 2016
  Repository URL: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/101734/

• Marsden JL (2016) Understanding organisational expression: How brand marks change over time. 11th Global Brand Conference: Brands that do Good. University of Bradford School of Management, UK Proceedings: 11th Global Brand Conference Proceedings: Brands that do Good. University of Bradford School of Management, UK
  Repository URL: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/98974/

• Marsden JL (2015) Visualising global brands: The problems and prospects of classification. Brand2Global Conference, London 2015

• Marsden JL (2015) Corporate Brand Mark Expression: Towards a conceptual framework. The Academy of Marketing Conference 2015: The Magic in Marketing. University of Limerick, Ireland Proceedings: The Academy of Marketing Conference Proceedings 2015: The Magic in Marketing

• Marsden JL, Thomas BG (2012) Brand Expressions: Exploring the Visual Communication Strategies of Corporate Brand Marks. Leading Innovation through Design: Design Management Institute International Research Conference Boston, Massachusetts: Design Management Institute.: 250-258.

• Thomas BG, Marsden JL (2012) The Metaphorical Expressions of Symmetry within Corporate Brand Marks of the Financial Services. Leading Innovation through Design: Design Management Institute International Research Conference Proceedings: Design Management Institute Boston, Massachusetts: Design Management Institute.: 270-278.

• Marsden JL, Thomas BG (2012) Brand Values and the Perception of Symmetry. Bridges Towson: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science Proceedings: Tessellations Publishing Phoenix, Arizona: Tarquin Publishing.: 471-474.

• Marsden JL, Thomas BG (2011) Symmetry, Marks and Meaning: Observations from Brand Identity Design. Bridges Coimbra: Mathematical Connections Between Art, Music and Science Phoenix, Arizona: Tarquin Publishing.: 519-522.

PhD External Examiner, Cambridge School of Art (2016)
Reviewer for the Academy of Marketing Conference
Reviewer for the Global Brand Conference
Reviewer for the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland
Member of the Academy of Marketing
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Y.C. Huang, PhD (co-supervisor). The origin, classification and evolution of paper cutting. Completed 2014.

Jamie welcomes PhD proposals connected to brand management and communication design. Email him directly with any enquiries.

Marsden, J. L. (2013) The analysis of corporate brand marks and their communication strategies. PhD thesis, Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, UK.