ICONS!

I saw this post about Young-Dro's cover art on Fader.com today and it made me remember to write something here that I wanted to write a while back. Marketing people should realize that the public generally can identify and remember an icon more than a phrase or a written word. If you think about it in graffiti terms, people like KAWS, DALEK, SHEPARD FAIREY, MISS VAN and a host of others are famous not for their "graffiti", but more so for their image. They each have a character that they have made famous and can now be associated with them as artists.

When getting the word out/spreading buzz about a new artist, it helps to have a catchy logo or image that can be associated with whoever is being marketed. Think about the "Angry Snowman" from Young Jeezy's last album that found its way onto every kid's shirt in the hood. When you see the Wu-Tang clan "W" you immediately think of the group. Here are some great images that have been used over the years to push hip-hop artists. Holler if I forgot anyone.