Bill Gardner Releases New Book: Iconic Branding

Last year, Rockport Publishers approached Bill about writing a book on branding, largely because of the long arc of the LogoLounge Trend Report and the perspective it has built over time.

They saw an opportunity to expand that way of thinking into a deeper exploration of how branding evolves.

The resulting book, Iconic Branding, isn’t a case study book, and it’s not a victory lap of finished work. It looks at branding across three essential waypoints—where it’s been, where it is now, and how designers can intentionally move ahead of what comes next. At its core, the book aims to legitimize trend forecasting as a serious branding discipline, establish branding as a system rather than a collection of artifacts, and offer designers a new mental model—one that encourages intentional leaps forward, not just incremental refinement.

This book goes beyond just inspiration—it shows you how to understand trend trajectories, when to evolve or break tradition, and how branding is shifting with emerging technologies like AI, AR, and sonic identity. With more than 500 images, case studies, and a comprehensive look at branding elements.

“As designers, our job is to build magic by opening the door to what’s next.”

Bill Gardner

Iconic Branding includes:

• Expert insights from trend forecaster and LogoLounge founder Bill Gardner
• Case studies from visionary designers worldwide
• Frameworks for understanding trends and projecting future visual languages
• A global perspective from industries, cultures, and design eras
• Explorations of future brand environments, including AI, the metaverse, and sensory branding
• 500+ visuals, including logos, identities, timelines, and more