Brand Design Roundup: Five Key Trends for 2019

Visual design is a key element of effective branding, helping to create and reinforce brand perceptions and consistently communicate brand differentiation and positioning. As we head into 2019, here are five trends that can help your brand stand out:

Custom illustration:
There won’t be anything else out there like it. Underscoring your brand’s authenticity and originality, custom illustration can replace the proliferating use of stock imagery. With roots in the maker movement, custom imagery can set your brand apart by showcasing its unique style and brand voice, and has been used effectively in categories ranging from trucks to technology to beer.

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Vintage details:
These visual touches evoke nostalgia and emphasize quality, thoughtfulness and handcrafted attention to even the smallest detail. Vintage imagery communicates the time and care that your brand has put in to make sure everything is just right, and can help convey authenticity, high quality and luxury depending on its application.

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Authenticity in imagery:
Photoshopped perfection is everywhere. It’s the imperfect and the real that stands out and catches the eye. Posed, plastic pictures can make your brand seem inauthentic; the use of real-life imagery communicates a sense of authenticity around your brand and what it stands for, helping customers believe in your brand and its claims. With social media influencing user expectations and sensibilities, authentic imagery is not only more acceptable but also desired in this age of fake everything.

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Serif typefaces:
Sometimes more can mean more. Modern, contemporary and fresh doesn’t necessarily mean sans serif, minimalistic and white space. Serif typefaces can help for a variety of reasons, creating a rich feel that adds depth, softness and sophistication to your brand’s visual system across platforms and media.

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Bold visual palettes:
Embrace color! In a strong move away from the minimalist white space trends of the past few years, 2019 will see vibrant and unexpected color combinations that can help your brand pop in both print and digital settings. A rich and bold palette evokes a rich and bold brand that is strong and risk-taking.

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Be sure to build on design trends that communicate your brand’s unique style and authenticity through bold, eye-catching elements that present a complete and vivid picture of your brand story and help you stand out and stay there.

As you consider your marketing strategy going forward, how will you use design to best showcase your brand?

To learn more about this topic or to discuss an issue impacting your business, contact Bailey’s Vice President of Client Services, Jamie Gailewicz, at 610-818-3103 or click here to contact us via [email protected].