Motion: UK Trend prediction for 2022 — or at least for Spring.
These are chaotic times we are living in, and no more so than in the fast-changing expectation of our clients. Whereas before trends stuck around, for years in some cases, we have now been programmed to expect change, our informational challenge as designers is really about how to get people’s attention in all the noise. Being Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and with thoughts centered around how we can refresh our branding without throwing the baby out with the bath water. In other words, how can we tweek our brand, give it renewed life with out a complete do over?
One fast developing trend — motion. Motion in a brand logo or design piece forces one to think outside the box, while still keeping that box in mind. How will this logo I’m designing work with motion, while still keeping its advantage as a still graphic. As an example, my new JacciR Design logo, is refined, de-cluttered and very very simple. Can it work as a movable piece of art? That’s the challenge. So just as we put together a palette of colour or a family of fonts when designing a brand, we as designers need to also consider the possibilities around animation as a part of a brand development. For now, while this trend lasts, while still keeping the integrity of the design past that.
Trend: Movement or motion.
With the popularity of Tiktok and other new ways of seeing our world, we have all realised the attraction of ‘movement’. Be it a simple video, a smart little GIF or 15 second Tiktok videos, clients are asking for movement. Let’s be honest, we all interact with businesses that are digitally advertising which opens a whole new design avenue that we need to consider. It is the perfect platform to get your brand ‘moving’.
Martin Widdowfield, creative director at Robot Food has this to say. “It feels like static graphics aren’t cutting it nowadays — it’s move it or lose it! With the constant introduction of fresh and innovative digital platforms and the rise of virtual reality, brands are finding new ways of living online. This has opened up new possibilities of engaging consumers through motion and animation, and opportunities to better the way we approach storytelling.”
These guys are even talking animation in packaging. How — you might ask. QR codes. Imagine scanning a QR code and have the box unpack for you, right there in the shop!!! How brilliant is that? Seeing the product without even opening it. The options are endless, try before you buy, glasses, hairstyles, clothing? QR codes, making the unmovable, movable.
If you look at Brand Opus their portfolio is full of brands with movement, from simple flips when one moves the mouse over the image, to creating a moving element from a recognized part of a company’s existing brand. Bringing movement to design is fun, light-hearted and an easy way to breathe life into ones brand.
As Ellen Munro says about their design influence this year. “In a world full of seriousness, we are seeing brands move towards a more upbeat and light-hearted look and feel. On a deeper level, we see an uprise in brands anchoring their meaning and messaging around positivity and joyfulness.”
Movement does that, it forces one to leave the seriousness of this time behind and be light-hearted. Movement is good for us. Shakes us loose, ensures we stop taking ourselves too seriously. Surely that is a trend to follow!
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