Trends to dress your brand to impress
Last week one of my brand story mentors hosted a webinar about the marketing trends of 2022. So exciting! New ideas? Future? I am always in! The webinar had tons of value and was on message (more about that in future emails). But, after a while, something was picking my brain…
They were talking about marketing strategies for the new online age. Well, so far, so good! But the visuals were kind of stuck in the ’90s, and the photos were used a million times before. Talking about the future while having an outdated brand? I was virtually transported to my grandparents’ or old auntie’s living room. It didn’t feel proper nor unique instead, it was a message-to-visuals misalignment!
The online marketplace changed so much in the past decade. There’s more noise and clutter than ever before. Everybody is competing for attention, but Michael Drew once said: “Before you can win someone’s money, you have to win their time.”
The sad reality is that nobody will give a second of their time if you don’t give them a reason to do so. So, you’ve got to grab their attention… and keep at it. This is the most challenging part nowadays. But, unfortunately, being great at what you do, as I know you are, it’s not nearly enough to stand out. It’s the beginning.
Let’s learn a bit more about what the year ahead has in stock for us regarding design. And, then take it up a notch and start your own branding company.
Change has been in the air for a while now
Audiences have changed. You changed (even if you don’t even notice yet). Online business and internet marketing are maturing, audiences are getting more sophisticated. Any ol’, overused graphics, photos, colors, and even words will not work for much longer.
So, stay ahead of the game and rise above other businesses. Give your visual branding some TLC. You don’t have to be 100% different; 1-10% uniqueness is sufficient. Also, you don’t have to go over a significant re-branding if you didn’t change your business model.
A few tweaks are enough for your audience to tune in to your visuals faster than anything else, quickly noticing eye-catching colors and design. These high-quality images are an extension of your message and value. Then, they will recognize how good you are and instantly trust you.
To help you stand out in this crowded world, I am sharing a few design trends for 2022. The exciting part is that most are old concepts, revisited and updated for the 21st century. So, you too can take what you already have in the brand you love and bring it to this new and fun stage.
Design trends for 2022. One for everyone’s style
Everything’s in motion
With virtual reality development, brands realized that animation and motion are now more appealing and attractive to their audience.
Brands, products, and small details in motion are what capture people’s attention. Combining 3D with 2D will also be a great way to elevate static images.
Muting colors
Revisiting the nude trend with colorful options is a great way to make a design more playful and vibrant without using flashy and more aggressive colors. Muted colors in the background also blend well with the text, spotlighting it. In addition, they give a more natural feel to the design, which pairs well with the eco-aesthetic trend, for instance.
Typography made fun
Playing around and having fun with typography and letters is the new way to go. The idea is to make typography expressive, whether it is bold, squeezed, vibrant, heavy, the end goal is to make it eye-catching and fun. Text-heavy videos are also a great way to play with typography and create appealing videos.
Keep it elegant with a new Serif
Serif fonts are the holy grail of nostalgia, authenticity, and elegance. Remaking the traditional serif fonts can change the design, making it blunter, exquisite, but still with a touch of vintage elegance and luxury.
The new 20’s Deco
A modern yet classic style, with solid lines and shapes, strong color palettes that mix well with muted colors, and bold typography. Mosaic patterns are also a big part of this style. An elegant and exciting style, great for details, packaging, and logo design.
Eco-conscious aesthetics
With environmental concerns rising in our society, it is essential for brands to show their support and how they are doing their part. Using sustainable materials and a natural raw design is the way to go.
Back to the ’90s
The idea with anti-design is to avoid the traditional design principles. Starting with color clashes and ending in illegible typography, in anti-design, everything is valid. Layering objects, using unedited design material, making it chaotic with a touch of 90’s nostalgia, is the idea of this adventurous style.
