Evolution is inevitable in the world of branding. Much like all brands we love and know today, branding trends tend to switch it up every so often to stay fresh and relevant to the market. Trends that were once considered bold and contemporary branding trends have now become outdated and mundane.
Branding strategists and marketers alike need to stay up to date on the latest trends circulating the market and pinpoint the ones that leave a lasting impression.
Incorporating Geometric Patterns
This branding trend has been growing and evolving for some time now. But in 2021 it’s back and it’s bigger than ever. Designers are incorporating geometrics patterns into branding designs and ads in a subtle yet stimulating way. While this doesn’t take away from any of the brand’s original branding elements, these repetitive blocks and strips add enough distraction that it’s stimulating to audiences while making it subtle enough so as not to take away from the brands’ identity.
The best way to incorporate this branding trend into your branding strategy is by adding geometric shapes and elements that are similar to your brand and logo and complementing it.
Putting a Face to the Brand
We’re no stranger to this second branding trend. Brands we love have incorporated this into their strategy at one point or another. Humanizing your brand helps to add a touch to Take for example McDonald’s with their iconic family-friendly clown Ronald McDonald or George Clooney charming audiences with his wit in Nespresso ads.
However, in 2021 designers are putting a little spin on this with illustrated characters and humans. This allows for more flexibility and control over the end result and incorporates different styles into your concept, particularly things that resonate your brand’s message.
Expand your Colour Palette
While many traditional branding strategists and marketers will be screaming from the rooftops about this, this branding trend might just be the way forward. While it is important to utilise and be consistent with your main colours so that your audience can connect them to the brand, we’re seeing a shift in colours.
Designers are shifting away from the restricting rules of brand manual and identity and spicing things up for audiences with more colours that express your brand’s true and authentic personality. This year is all about colours that are intense and add personality to each of your products making your brand stand out more.
Tell Your Story
Think of your favourite book and how you felt as you were reading it…
This is the exact same emotion brand strategists and marketers alike should be delivering to their audience. The best way to genuinely connect to your audience and create that emotional connection is simply through the art of storytelling.
Audiences are looking to brands that captivate, mesmerize and stimulate them. Good storytelling can become a catalyst for engaging with audiences and developing a deeper, emotional, more meaningful connection.
Provide an Immersive Experience
Much like the previous branding trend, this one goes hand in hand with connecting to your customer. As mentioned before, audiences are looking to be captivated and taken through a journey of storytelling. Providing an immersive experience to complement that brand story and really taking them on a vivid ride through your brand’s world will surely make your brand all the more memorable.
Immersive experiences are all around us and you can appropriate this through real-life experiences or through the digital lens. From attractive and unique packaging concepts designed around the experience of unboxing to the AI incorporated online shopping allowing customers to personalize their products, the potential to create experiences is all around us.
Honesty is the Best Policy
Ever ordered a big mac and noticed how they don’t look the same as they do on the billboards and menus?
The term “honesty is the best policy” has been around for decades yet we are only starting to see the immense potential authenticity brings to a brand in recent years. When thinking about a brand or product it’s important to show connection, authenticity, and most of all transparency to really get audiences to trust your brand and become loyal advocates.
While making products or brands look attractive and visually striking is an important part of attracting attention and awareness, it is important to be mindful of what realistic expectations you want to communicate and what is just downright false advertising.
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