“If it makes sense to develop icons or symbols for specific brands, they need to firmly relate to those brands and deliver their values. Creating icons related to licensed properties and showing licensees how to fully leverage them helps to reinforce their emotive power with consumers. Both help brands to stand out from the clutter. They build relationships and that, in turn, builds equity. That’s how superstar brands are made.”

Ted Mininni, President of Design Force, Inc., describes how icons can be used to power brands.