Trends come and go, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to follow them while they are still ‘in’. In the corporate sphere especially, this tactic can just leave you looking as though you are jumping thoughtlessly from one bandwagon to another.
The following graphic design practices are currently trendy — but which of them, if any, would help to hold your specific business in good stead for the long haul? The answer depends largely on the company’s objectives.
Minimalism
One big risk with minimalism is that, in jettisoning so many elements you might otherwise have seriously considered, you are left with plain, bland graphics barely distinguishable from those of many other businesses — possibly including direct competitors of your company.
To save yourself from falling into this trap, you might want to adopt a somewhat reverse-engineered strategy — by putting more conscious thought to what you decide to include (rather than leave out). Basically, make sure each element you do put in conveys as much of the right meaning as possible.
Retro revival
“Your graphic designers were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should,” Jeff Goldblum’s Jurassic Park character Ian Malcolm might have told you if you opted to weave retro elements into your visual branding just for the purpose of evoking nostalgia.
In practice, though, not all vintage motifs should be deemed dinosaurs worth leaving firmly in the past. For example, if you run an ‘80s-style bar, neons from that iconic decade could easily chime with your target customers.
Experimental typography
Don’t be surprised to see more and more instances of ‘handwritten’ text in graphic design this year. However, while going down this same avenue can certainly lend your own designs a down-to-earth, playful feel, you can go too far — such as by rendering the text too difficult to read.
Besides, the typefaces you do choose should remain in line with your company’s established vibe. You should probably shy away from becoming too elaborate with those fonts if you are seeking to publicise, say, a law firm…
Nature motifs
We have mentioned before about the British public becoming more eco-conscious — and you can capitalise on the demand for sustainable goods by getting your own products certified by globally renowned organisations like the Rainforest Alliance and the Forestry Stewardship Council.
Your company’s graphics can also take inspiration from nature, e.g. by incorporating shapes of leaves and sea waves as well as such hues as greens, blues and browns. We could even design you a website complete with a beach-themed background and clickable buttons resembling pebbles.
The ‘hand-drawn’ look
We mentioned ‘handwritten’ text earlier, but what about ‘hand-drawn’ images as well? They could even literally be hand-drawn, such as with an Apple Pencil on an iPad Pro.
Regardless of exactly how illustrations are made, though, they have the power to endear in an age where anxieties about AI — and its potential implications for human creativity — have intensified. Why not get in touch with our graphic designers to learn more about how they would be to serve your marketing pursuits?
