01 Jun Designing for a post-pandemic world

3 trends shaping our industry now

As COVID-19 upended every corner of our society over the past year, we knew that it was only a matter of time before we would see this upheaval reflected in the world of design. Like everything in our lives, we are learning to evolve and adapt as we help our clients stay relevant in a post-pandemic world. Here are a few of the prominent design trends that we see shaping our industry right now:

1. Cultivating calm
In the wake of sweeping change, designers are unwilling to take as many risks. And in many cases, they are working with more conservative budgets as developers reign in spending in uncertain times. As a result, you’ll see more design composed of images and elements that evoke a sense of calm, understanding, and positivity in our chaotic world. The use of muted colors, heavy fonts, and minimalist landing pages are part of this trend.

2. Aspiring to authenticity
With chaos comes uncertainty, distrust, and a general backlash to anything that feels fake or disingenuous. As buyers yearn for authentic connection, designers are shelving stock photography, slick ads, and staged commercials in favor of interactions that reveal real customers and team members in an imperfect, charming, “home-movie” style. If there’s one for certain, brash claims and in-your-face marketing isn’t going to work now or in the future.

3. Diving all-in to diversity
The social justice movement has finally blown the lid off of conventional design targeted to narrow markets. Design that speaks to minorities visually and figuratively in a culturally-relevant way is gaining ground in mainstream media across all channels––a welcome change that honors and elevates these important voices.

Would you like to learn more about the future of design? Reach out to us at Idea Associates 770-234-9407 Ext 15 or sfreides@ideaassociates.com