Amanda Cheng
Amanda Cheng
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Amanda Cheng *
Meet Amanda
Amanda is the kind of person who doesn’t believe in sticking to one lane. At Duke University, she’s shaping an ambitious, multidisciplinary path that brings together computer science, design, and brand strategy. She’s already built a full brand identity for Merigold Nutrition and draws on years of competitive dance to bring focus, collaboration, and intention to everything she creates.
You’re studying Computational Media at Duke. How are you finding the course so far, and how does it tie into your interests in design and marketing?
I'm a first-semester freshman, so I haven't had the opportunity to take some of the more specialised courses in the Computational Media major, such as Experimental Interface Design, Web Based Multimedia Communications, or Digital Imaging. I'm super excited to get my prerequisites out of the way and start taking the more advanced Computer Science and Visual Media Studies courses. Outside of that, because it's a more niche major, I'm grateful to have been able to chat with upperclassmen majoring in it for course and professor selection advice and general career advice. I hope that the Computer Science courses within the major give me technical, backend knowledge to bring to future UI/UX or web design roles, and the Visual Media Studies courses give me more conceptual knowledge for brand strategy and marketing roles.
You’ve competed and performed as a dancer. How has that experience influenced the way you collaborate creatively with others?
Dance definitely shaped my approach to collaboration and teamwork immensely. Before I started training and competing with my dance team, I honestly preferred working and being alone, both for dance (solo pieces) and outside of dance, because it was so much simpler. Over the pandemic, my dance studio stopped in-person classes for nearly a full year, where I almost went insane taking classes online. There was an opportunity for a small group of the girls my age who remained committed to come to the studio and all train together (with masks and everything of course), so I took it. With that group, we trained intensively weekly for over 10 hours and slowly grew closer and closer. We ended up competing regionally and doing really well, so we ended up being able to travel to Florida and New York to compete against international winners at finals. Through that team, I learned that working with others leads to new ideas and new possibilities in ways I couldn't imagine before. With a group of people all on the same page, we learned to support and uplift each other in times of hardship. I quickly understood that yes, teamwork was complicated and oftentimes frustrating, but I developed exponentially as a dancer and a person because of it. I've taken all of these skills outside of dance, and I think I cherish opportunities to discuss new ideas and collaborate with others, especially at Duke where every single classmate offers such unique experiences and skills. So even though I'm not as involved in the dance world anymore, I understand that almost everything in life is a team effort in one way or another, and everything changes the second you view your surroundings as peers and collaborators, not as competition.
You designed everything from the logo to the packaging and website for Merigold Nutrition. How did you make sure all those elements felt consistent and told one cohesive brand story?
At the very beginning of the project, I sat down with the company founders and we thoroughly discussed everything they wanted the brand to be. In that first meeting, we created a brand statement, goals, and target customers together, so that the work I created for them would always align with their original vision. After that, once I had a very strong grasp on what they wanted and almost forced them to clarify every part of their creative vision, I got to work drafting and creating options to send to them. With every version of the logo, symbols, colour palettes, and fonts, I had super open communication with them to make sure we remained loyal to the initial goals of the brand.
What brands are you really loving right now, and what is it about their storytelling or design that stands out to you?
I'm loving Rhode, Gentle Monster, Frankie's Bikinis, and Cult Gaia. Rhode and Frankie's Bikinis do such a good job at keeping in touch with their target audience of younger women and girls, both utilising campaigns like Rhode's phone case selfies and Frankie's Bikinis "Summer in the city" campaign. I think both of these brands understand their customer base and the lifestyles their brand aligns with, while maintaining that effortless and chic image. On the other hand, I think Gentle Monster and Cult Gaia have more innovative, avant garde images that pioneer more risk taking strategies. Gentle Monster storefronts are eye catching and bold, representative of how the brand wants its customers to feel in their products. Cult Gaia has a Schiaparelli-esque feel and stays grounded and cohesive with their curated storefronts. Overall, I really love brand storytelling that makes very specific choices, unafriad of risk or straying from norms. In an industry so overly saturated, I think brands that stand out are ones that make their own decisions and balance staying on trend with staying unique, rather than just being "trendy" or a trend follower.
For students just starting university, what advice would you give on building skills or projects outside of their coursework to prepare for the working world?
For me, I think it's been really helpful to use projects from class as launching points or inspiration for other projects and endeavours I want to pursue outside of class. I frequently used art projects from high school as visual inspiration for branding or marketing projects I was working on, or even just to touch up on skills. I also use things like Pinterest, local museums, and artists on social media to stay creatively inspired. I'm also super grateful to have joined the Duke Business of Retail Society, which teaches me a bunch of professional skills like email etiquette, networking, and more.
Looking ahead, what kind of creative path do you see yourself on, and what types of projects or industries are you most excited to explore next?
Looking ahead, I'm super open to anything creative. I'm excited to explore projects where I can work with a team, rather than by myself, and I also want to work more in the beauty, wellness, or fashion industry. I hope to hone my current skills, develop new ones, and talk to more creatives.