In most industries, trends come and go. And marketing is no exception. In fact, we see more shifts and swings than many. Because digital media accelerates the pace of our industry, it’s in a constant state of evolution.
To keep your branding relevant so you can continue to connect with your audience and further your brand reach, it’s essential to stay current on graphic design trends.
To help keep your marketing effort up to date, here’s what’s hot in graphic design in 2022.
Inclusive visuals.
Diverse and inclusive marketing will take center stage in 2022. More than a trend, the inclusive movement speaks to a larger audience of potential buyers by looking past preconceived notions of gender, age, race, income, sexuality, language, and religion, among other things.
Image source: Inclusive Recruiting
Forbes sums it up: “Communication is effective when it is relevant and reflects the people consuming the content.” The brands already showing diversity and inclusion in their graphics and on social feeds are ahead of the curve—and it’s paying off in ROI. According to Forbes, 77% of Millennials and 76% of teens have taken action related to a product or service after seeing an ad campaign that was inclusive or diverse.
Bold backgrounds.
From striking colors to bright neon hues, bold backgrounds draw attention to your graphics. They also create a sense of whimsy and playfulness that makes your brand more approachable. From a practical standpoint, the contrast between a bold background and neutral design elements help make your brand message easier to read and remember.
Colorful icons + illustrations.
Color in advertising is a trend for 2022. Bright, colorful graphics attract the reader’s attention and stand out among the scroll of photo images on social media channels. Colorful illustrations can also help readers better digest important information.
Image Source: Urban Eat by Robot Food
Serif fonts.
Designers are using serif and even handwritten fonts to evoke a sense of calm and nostalgia for a feel-good brand impression.
Image Source: Apothekary.com
Custom-branded graphics.
Custom visuals are a break from traditional photo imagery, so they tend to stand out and command attention. Not only are custom illustrations and graphics memorable, but they’re also shareable, making them a great addition to social media feeds, blog posts, etc.
Branded memes.
Who doesn’t enjoy a funny meme? Not only are memes insanely popular, but they’re also relatable and easy to understand. Incorporating branded memes in your marketing mix can add a bit of humor to your branding and help make a personal connection with your existing customers. And because of their universal appeal, memes can also help you reach a wider audience. You can either use existing (think trending) memes or create your own.
Image Source: Frito-Lay
Fun data visualizations.
Infographics are a great way to present data in a manner that makes it easier for people to understand.
Geometric shapes.
Graphics that take inspiration from classic design—clean shapes, geometric compositions, and bright primary color palettes—are on-trend in 2022. These simple, elemental shapes are associated with approachability and transparency, making them ideal for brand-building graphic treatments.
Image Source: Google
Eco + nature imagery.
From product packaging to website design, soothing and responsible eco-inspired graphic design remains relevant this year. Why? Natural beauty is calming. By adding peaceful elements to your graphic design, people associate with those feelings of serenity and bliss.
Image source: Venngage
You might already incorporate some of these graphic design trends into your current branding. But hopefully, this post will give you some other ideas to make stronger brand connections with your audience this year.
