Indeed, the digital marketing landscape we know today would not be as diverse and powerful without graphic design. The integration of modern visual arts in most digital channels such as websites, search, social media, and mobile has set forth a new avenue for companies that want to engage their audience beyond plain text and words.
From small startups to established brands, more and more companies across industry spectrum realize the power of using mind stimulating visualizations in their business. In the small businesses sector alone, 49% rated graphic design as very important to business success.
Like other arts and concepts that evolve through time, the field of graphic design also presents new trends and shifts that business owners and digital marketers alike should be aware of every year. To help you get started with these shifts, we detail in this infographic the top trends in graphic design that you should prepare for in 2019:
1. Purpose Driven Design
With purpose-driven campaigns starting to become a focus in the digital marketing world, it’s only a matter of time until most well-known brands start to integrate the same philosophy into their graphic design efforts.
In this day and age where most brands are expected to stand for something they believe is worth striving for, the role of graphic design as a medium that interprets that core values of the business has become more critical than ever. Moreover, as such, we can all expect that in 2019, most brands will utilize their graphic design skills and assets to make it known to their audience and customers that they are one of them.
2. Disruptive Typography
While readability is one of the fundamental criteria when designing a graphic work with text, it doesn’t always apply in some materials, especially if the brand is trying to push their creativity to its limits. From weird typefaces to distorted fonts, disruptive typography is an experimental concept that uses typefaces as the core design feature of a material.
For companies that think Helvetica and Futura are too bland for their brand identity, embracing disruptive typography may not only be the means to stand out but can also be the way to make their target audience slow down and think deeply about the message they want to convey.
3. Duotones and Gradients
From smartphones to mobile apps, it cannot be denied that duotones and gradient color design have become the norm these days.
This trend started to peak in 2016, when Instagram changed their logo by using gradient color palettes. Spotify also used duotone gradients in their playlist covers to emphasize the emotions of each playlist they create for their users.
In 2019, we can predict that this trend will continue to evolve, with some companies even combining chunky gradient colors with stronger or flatter colors to make their graphics stand out among the rest.
4. Vintage and Moody Tones
Those brands that find gradient palettes too powerful for their brand will seek comfort in moody, vintage tones. Now that lo-fi photography has risen again from its ashes, companies that seek to connect to the old-school nostalgia of the past are expected to incorporate a touch of vintage, muted tones into some of their digital graphics assets.
5. A pictogram in Logo Design
Graphic design has always been about sending the right message clearly and concisely. That is why for the past recent years, we’ve seen many brands using icons as their logos. In 2019, however, we can expect a shift from icons to pictograms as the latter is more capable of expressing a concept or theme more symbolically.
One example of an organization that has been using pictogram logos is the Olympics. By using pictograms to represent each event, such an international event can communicate effectively to all participants regardless of their native language.
6. Isometric Design
The isometric design is one of the few methods that allow brands to convey more visual messages in a limited real estate. While it may sound too technical, this technique only involves the designing of any 3D object into a two-dimensional object. The resulting concept is a clean graphic works that is a lot more tactile and warm in the eyes than the flat design.
7. Augmented Reality (AR)
The massive success of AR-based games and applications in 2018 will make AR more of a norm in many industries in 2019 – and graphic design is no exception.
While some independent designers and programmers have already experimented with this idea, more tech-giants are also making significant developments in this field. Just recently, Adobe Project Aero, a new AR authoring tool that can help graphic designers to create more “immersive content.” With this new tool, designers will be able to create AR content using tools they already familiar with, such as Adobe Photoshop CC and Dimension CC.
While still in its infancy, it’s been predicted that this new medium will provide a new way for companies to reach their mobile audience in a way that they have never achieved before.
In conclusion, the field of graphic design is steering more towards bold, vivid color, fonts, and patterns as a way to capture the mind of the audience more effectively. Keep in mind, however, that following these trends isn’t mandatory; just ensure that your visual assets remain true to your overall brand and values, and you will be able to utilize some of most of these trends to the fullest.
Jomer B. Gregorio is a well-rounded expert when it comes digital marketing. Jomer is also known as a semantic SEO evangelist and practitioner. Check out our Digital Marketing Services today and let us help you in achieving positive and profitable results for your business.