President,
Design Force Inc., USA
Ted Mininni is President of Design Force, Inc., the leading package and licensing program design consultancy to the consumer product and entertainment industries. Ted has two decades of experience in developing creative strategies for package design and licensing program design.
Ted regularly contributes thought leadership articles and insights to many noteworthy trade and marketing publications, in print and online, such as Brandweek, Adweek, Playthings Magazine, Brand Packaging Magazine, Package Design Magazine, Packaging Digest, brandchannel.com, TheDieline.com, MarketingProfs.com, License Magazine and Shelf Impact!, among others. He is also an ongoing contributor to MarketingProfs.com’s “Daily Fix” blog, POP Online and Beverage World Magazine.
Follow Ted’s ideas on his blog at Design Force Blog.
Verbal brand communication tends to be the primary focus of marketers. Consumer product companies are fond of creating clever taglines. Producing advertising for print and digital media.
While it’s true that consumers are cost-conscious and more deliberate in their purchase-making decisions as a result of the recession, it’s also true that they’re looking for some bright spots in their daily lives.
Marketers know how to trigger children’s emotions; how to trip the “have to have it” switch on. One of the best, often-sought ways to endear brands to children is the use of licensed characters on kids’ products.
Marketers have increasingly directed their messaging at children. Even for adult brands. Getting kids to endorse specific brands of cars, food and beverages as well as other consumer products has borne fruit.
“For an average consumer the value of branding is down to making the right choice”

Sara Jones, Creative Director at brand development and packaging design agency Anthem Worldwide, shares her round up of the top five print innovations, which have the potential to create real standout, as long as they’re used to enhance –- rather than ‘be’ -- the brand idea.
If you had to choose the ultimate business super power, what would it be? Big budgets, global reach, an innovation pipeline full to bursting, a PR machine capable of generating positive press 24/7? Without hesitation, I answered “agility.”
Cheryl Swanson, Head of Toniq, once again explores the consumer trends for different age groups in the USA.
Before we had Apple Macs, Photoshop and a myriad of other programmes, design centered on tradition and craftsmanship, on the physical and the tactile. Yet now, we see the worlds of digital design and physical craftsmanship joining to create new expressions and celebrations of the power of making.
There’s a natural relationship between the style of our daily surroundings and how we feel. A great space can make us feel better, more hopeful and even more productive. And we often use our own space to express a vision of ourselves.

