In today’s world, a properly created brand is the key to the success of the entire business. Branding provides companies with a personality that goes beyond products and services. A unique image is created that connects the company and consumers. Whether you own a business or work on a client project, you need to create a strong, relevant and recognizable brand. Only in this way will the business be able to grow organically and gain a loyal, scalable customer base.
In this article, we will talk about what branding is and the main trends in 2022.
What is branding?
Branding is all about researching, developing, creating and repeating your brand image so that it accurately communicates your vision, mission, identity and purpose. Branding includes everything from visual elements and design elements to messages and tone of voice. Branding is the external perception, ideas and concepts that distinguish your company from competitors. Click here to see some examples.
With branding, you can stand out by having a unique selling point. New products are an ongoing process, so it’s always important to create the “right” first impression. The brand is your “representative”, the link between you and consumers. Properly executed branding will make your business successful and popular, increase the quality of what you sell. The brand will work for you by keeping existing customers engaged and attracting new ones.
Branding trends 2022
Interested in how to update your brand with a trendy twist? Or do you want to create something completely new? Either way, you need to be aware of the major branding trends this year.
Brand activism
Brand activism is not a passing trend or fad. Now, more than ever, it is important to be sincere with the audience, to literally show them the “soul” of the company. It is necessary to show that you really adhere to the position you are talking about. Customers want to partner with brands that share their beliefs. Brand activism will give you the opportunity to claim that you are making positive changes and seeing things through.
Now it is important that the brand “fit” into the ideological ideas of consumers, consistent with their belief system and lifestyle. Sales depend on these nuances. What mission and purpose a brand carries influences the decision of people to cooperate with it or not.
Minimalism
With the help of less you can express more – this is the mantra that fully corresponds to the concept of minimalism. It is based on using only the basic elements: basic shapes, plain text, limited color palettes, and white space. This creates a laconic aesthetic.
This trend of graphic and web design has organic elements that are great for brands looking to go back to basics while conveying a simplistic identity. In this way, the products can speak for themselves.
Minimalism is a great way to make sure the viewer notices exactly what you want them to notice. By leaving open space and thinking of only one focal point, you can give the main subject a lot of influence. Minimalism will come in handy for projects that include beautiful photographs. In this case, the images speak for themselves. In branding, an unusual font can be a highlight.
Fancy branding
Fancy branding is a whole complex of elements. Hand-drawn illustrations, whimsical images, overlapping elements, asymmetries and chaotic designs provide real scope for creativity. This trend has been embraced by many brands. Among them there are also participants in traditional industries – for example, financial and medical companies. Quirky branding breaks the established rulebook with unexpected elements that create a sense of fun and uniqueness.
Using DIY elements, collages, unusual images or artwork, fun typography, illustration, clashing elements, bright or clashing colors and distorted shapes, whimsical techniques are a great way to help brands make a statement. In addition, quirks are fun and exciting, they bring the brand closer to the customers. Illustrations will add a whimsical touch to your branding. A good number of firms are using strange people of all shapes and sizes in their branding, in keeping with the illustration trend commonly referred to as “weird bodies.”
Strange bodies are the new normal. Having a wider range of representations will clearly benefit any brand. Diversity and inclusiveness are now being promoted everywhere, which is changing design for the better.
Bauhaus
Bauhaus is a design direction originally from Germany. It arose at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its main feature is geometric shapes, clear lines and sharp corners. The Bauhaus is characterized by a minimalist, modern and functional style based on retro design. It is great for branding.
An example is the branding of UKO (online platform). It has many distinctive elements of the Bauhaus. For example, bold shapes and thin lines. The combination of static images and animated illustrations demonstrates that the company helps to solve various problems through organization and interaction.
So, we have described several branding trends for 2022. We hope that some of them will suit your brand. Good luck!