10 Design Trends to Look for this year
When it comes to your logo and brand, you don’t have to pay attention to trends. You’re trying to be timeless. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore trends. The best brands find creative ways to merge timeless branding with the latest trends.
Using elements of design trends into your branding can help you better communicate with your buyer personas in a way that resonates with them, improves user experience, and strengthens your brand identity.
While it's important to maintain a distinct and recognizable design style, keeping an eye on design trends and experimenting with new ideas can help you stay fresh, innovative, and ahead of the curve. Here are ten potential graphic design trends to watch out for this year:
1. Retro and Vintage
Trends seem to repeat themselves. It’s not super original, but my childhood vibe has made a sudden reappearance. Expect to continue to see retro and vintage designs pop up.
Brands are using bright colors and bringing back all the 90s vibes. Brands are even getting creative and in some cases even bringing back 90s icons.
For example, Rakuten used 90s nostalgia by bringing back the cast from Clueless for a Super Bowl commercial. See the commercial below.
2. Authentic Photography
Photography is an essential element in design, and in 2023, expect to see more creative photography, such as abstract compositions and unconventional angles.
Social media and influencers have created the need for brands to create their own unique photographs. This is not something that brands can ignore. Find a photographer that can help capture your brand in imagery for your website and social media channels.
RN Freeman Photography took photographs for the launch of the Watts of Change Podcast. These photos were used on social media, marketing materials and the Watts Change Agency website.
You can see the full case study here.
3. Abstract Art and Minimalism
With a growing focus on mindfulness and simplicity, abstract art and minimalism will continue to trend in 2023. Expect to see clean lines, white space, and muted colors.
Genuen’s logo is pretty minimal but striking. You can achieve a minimal look by using sleek fonts and under-case letters.
Check out the case study on Genuen here.
4. Gradients and Color Transitions
The use of gradients and color transitions have been popular for a few years now, and this trend will likely continue in 2023. Expect to see bright and bold colors, with smooth transitions between hues.
I like using gradients because it’s a good way to show change, growth and impact. Graphic design tools, like Illustrator, make it easier for graphic designers to create custom brand gradients for a big impact.
5. Hand-Drawn Illustrations
In contrast to digital illustrations, hand-drawn illustrations can add a touch of personality and authenticity to design. You can make your brand seem more authentic by working with an illustrator. If your logo is already designed, you could instead get hand-drawn icons instead.
One of my personal favorite artists is Timothy Goodman. His work is all hand-drawn, bold, and authentic. I’m seeing that people are a little tired of seeing perfect design. Hand-drawn illustrations bring a touch of humanity back to the world of design. If you want to come across as authentic, think about hiring an illustrator to help your brand out.
Timothy Goodman is an artist and writer whom I closely follow. His work is all hand-drawn, bold, and authentic. He drew the New York Times Cover in January 2023.
6. Sustainability and Eco-Friendliness
With the growing concern for the environment, sustainability and eco-friendliness will continue to influence design trends. Expect to see more eco-friendly designs that incorporate natural elements and recycled materials.
Patagonia is a great example of a brand devoted to saving the planet. Their website and social media channels all reflect their mission of creating a liveable planet. Last year, the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, transferred ownership of the company (estimated to be about $3 billion) to a specially designed trust and nonprofit organization.
After years of watching corporate greed win, brands are winning customers by fighting for good causes.
7. 3D and Isometric Illustrations
Expect to see an increase in 3D and isometric illustrations in 2023. These styles are perfect for creating dynamic and visually striking images, particularly for web and app design.
Below is a beautiful example of an isometric design for Microsoft Flip. These icons bring in retro design and isometric design in a way we haven’t seen before.
8. Dynamic and Interactive Design
With the increase in mobile and web design, dynamic and interactive design will continue to be a trend in 2023. Expect to see more motion graphics, animations, and other interactive elements.
SASE Creative’s homepage use animation and interactive design in a simple way.
9. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
With the increasing use of AR and VR in advertising and marketing, it's no surprise that these technologies will continue to influence graphic design.
According to HubSpot, the AR and VR market size worldwide is expected to jump by more than 220 billion dollars between 2021 and 2028.
But how are companies using AR and VR as marketing campaigns? Brands are leveraging VR in interesting ways. Many brands have created virtual storefronts to give customers a virtual experience.
Nike created Nikeland, a virtual theme park on the Roblox platform inspired by Nike products and branding. The game lets you explore various attractions like roller coasters and other rides, that are themed around Nike products and logos.
You can download Nikeland here.
10. Bold Typography and Colors
Typography has always been an essential element in graphic design. In 2023, expect to see more creative use of typography with bold, oversized letters, loud colors, and unique font combinations.
If you look at advertisements and social media posts, you’ll notice that brands are getting pretty loud. Especially if a brand has young buyer personas. Don’t be afraid to use the brightest brand colors this year.
Keep in mind that these are just predictions, and design trends can shift and change rapidly. As a brand, it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, but also to experiment and explore new ideas.
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