5 Trends Brand Managers & Designers Need To Know About Now
Breaking away from the every-day and creating an outstanding campaign is far more achievable when graphic designers and brand managers are in the loop with current trends, argues DesignCrowd’s Jo Sabin.
A close look at the most successful ad and web designs since the start of the year reveal five key trends to embrace now: real-life photography, motion video graphics, flat page designs, soft colour schemes and bold, textured fonts.
1. Photo: Real-Life Imagery
Instagram filters have taken the social media world by storm and are leaking over into all areas of visual design. Posters, magazine ads, email ads, landing pages and website designs often include photographs of both people and food that have instagram’s vintage/retro look to them. For example Burt’s Bees Baby, as seen below, uses light and colour filters in the majority of their web advertisements and even crowdsources banner ads through Instagram contests.
Another interesting visual design trend is the depiction of real people in real-life scenarios. Companies like Xero, the accounting software platform, and Google Analytics present real, mostly untouched, images of customers on their home pages and these often resonate with users in a more meaningful way than stock images of flawless models pitching products.
This is not new in the sense that Dove’s famous ‘Real Beauty’ campaign and many other consumer brands have adopted real-life images in their packaging and brand advertising campaigns since then. Advertisers are adopting imagery that is more believable and realistic. In January, Aerie, American Eagle’s sister brand, launched an “Aerie Real” campaign featuring ‘un-retouched’ photos of ordinary women – with fantastic results:
2. Video: Motion Graphics
The combination of smartphones and video sharing through YouTube and Vimeo has made online video especially popular. Many landing pages, ads and website designs are now incorporating some form of motion graphics. Trends in motion graphics include full screen video backgrounds, flat designs, gifs, compositing and real-object stop-motion graphics.
In March, Yahoo! Launched Yahoo Motion Ads, a new ad format that couples high-quality brand images with subtle animation to create ‘high-impact’ experiences on their login page. Google introduced a similar landing page with the launch of Google Now and AriZona Beverage Company followed suit by incorporating motion graphics on its homepage.
3. Illustration: Flat Design
The flat design trend that took off last year is still going strong in 2014, especially in illustrated visuals, such as full-screen backgrounds and videos as mentioned above. Flat designs take the minimalist approach by dropping many of the traditional and often extraneous interface design techniques that give objects a three-dimensional appearance including drop shadows, gradients and textures, which at its height was symbolised by Apple’s skeuomorphic iOS user interface design.
Havaianas Sandals and Oreo both use flat design to place all of the attention on their products:
4. Colour: Soft Pastels
Radiant Orchid (18-3224) is Pantone’s colour of the year and leads the pastel colour trend for 2014. Even many flat designs, which usually incorporate bold colours, seem to be transitioning to a softer palette this year.
Backgrounds, videos, photographs, fonts and other graphic elements in web and print design alike seem to be sporting subtle colours. This strategy ‘pops’ when combined with HTML 5 interface design that differentiate between content blocks by colour, enabling easy navigation for users and reducing scroll fatigue.
Pantone is prominent across the colour schemes of big brands like Cadbury and Crest:
5. Typography: Textured Fonts
Print designs have always had the advantage of dynamic, textured fonts over flat fonts found in web design. Now, typography design can be as influential in conveying identity as the photography, video and illustration techniques outlined above. Textured fonts — inspired by food or anything really — can push the boundaries on normal, two-dimensional designs and give new meaning to brands, as they did for Chipotle and Triscuit:
From magazine ads to website design, these are the visual design trends of 2014 that you should embrace now. The next time you take on a new design project, consider how real-life imagery, motion graphics, flat illustrations, pastel colours and textured typography can elevate your brand to stand out from the crowd.
Jo Sabin is community manager at DesignCrowd, an online graphic design marketplace.
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.