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Assignments with AI: Conduct a Brand Audit


In this sample assignment, students use NotebookLM to analyze a “brand’s performance and market position.” Through this process, students learn how to conduct a brand audit and develop critical thinking skills to evaluate AI outputs.


AI Tool


Summary

Students conduct a brand audit using NotebookLM. Students select and upload materials from a brand they are investigating, then work with the Notebook to assess the brand.


Assignment Description & Instructions

Task: Conduct a brand audit using NotebookLM and evaluate the quality of the AI-generated audit. 


Step 1: Select a Brand

Choose a brand that you like – it can be from any industry: coffee, travel, luxury items, sporting gear, etc. Imagine that the brand has hired you to conduct an audit to identify strengths as well as opportunities to improve performance.  


Step 2: Create a Brand Notebook 

Create a Notebook in NotebookLM (NYU login required). Select and upload materials from your brand that showcase:


  • Visual identity as expressed through advertising, online presence and other materials (e.g., logo, colors, fonts, visual “style”) 

  • Messaging as expressed through website copy, marketing materials, and social media

  • Consumer sentiment data, if available 


Step 3: Initiate the Audit 

Interact with the Notebook to draw out insights and information to include in a brand audit. Consider the following areas of inquiry:

 

  • What are the main messages or themes of the brand? 

  • How might different demographics experience the messaging (for example, high school students vs. working professionals)? Who are the likely target audiences based on the marketing and messaging? 

  • Do any of the materials conflict with the brand’s key themes or values? 

  • IMPORTANT: Save your chats to the noteboard so you don’t lose a record of your interactions with the AI Tool. 


Step 4: Compile Findings 

Organize your key takeaways and insights into a brief. The brief should include questions you would pose to the brand and 1-2 suggestions for improvement based on what you found. 


Step 5: Peer review with a classmate 

Meet with a classmate and review each other’s work. Discuss where NotebookLM was beneficial, what it might have missed, what a human would look for that an AI might not, and the usefulness and general experience of the tool. Post a summary of your discussion in the appropriate course site Discussion Topic. 


Submission Requirements:

  • Your Notebook (use the share feature, NYU login required) 

  • 1-2 page write up on how Notebook materials were selected and the success (or lack) of the collaborative AI approach to drawing out insights about the brand

  • 1-2 page analysis of results from NotebookLM, including any necessary fact-checking and evaluation of quality of outputs and results 


Additional Files


Options for Adaptation 

This process can also be adapted to create a brand brief for a new product or to focus more directly on one element, like using NotebookLM to focus on consumer sentiment or visual identity, etc.


Contact the Nexus team at nexus@nyu.edu for assistance setting up this assignment or adapting it for your course.

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