Give a break to that pencil you’ve been nibbling on for weeks. Because the hot new graphic design trends for 2023 are here to give you some fresh ideas and approaches for your brand’s creatives. And compared to those of the last 2 years, these design trends feel a lot more optimistic (for obvious reasons).

Ads are now happy again! *claps*

 

So without further ado, let’s see what the new year’s marketing campaigns will look like. Here are the the top 10 design trends for 2023:

 

• Expressive Typography

 

Source: Jukebox

 

Never underestimate the power of catchy typography. If it’s bold enough, you may not even need any visual element in your design. While the primary purpose of text is to convey a message, designers are now pushing the limits on how much character (not characters) they can add to those letterforms. And now that font creation software is accessible, many new rule-breaking fonts have emerged. They’re quirky enough for the text to carry the creatives on its shoulders alone.

Pro tip: Use a tool like Glyph to make an original font unique to your brand and make it part of its entire communication. Sky’s the limit!

 

• 3D Design

 

Source: Jukebox

 

Thanks to the increasing demand for VR experiences and realistic graphics in movies and games, 3D design continues to emerge as a strong trend in all kinds of visual media and for all kinds of brand categories including retail, education, healthcare and travel.

3D graphics software has come a long way. Tools such as Cinema 4D, and even updated ones from existing software like Adobe, are making the 3D design process simpler every year.

And unlike last year, the trend this year is to break the barriers of realistic proportions in 3D art.

 

Source: UltraLinx

 

• Graphics in Motion

 

Source: Kimp

 

2023 will see a lot more motion graphic ads.

We all know videos are more attention grabbing and now we’ll see their popularity rise across offline media outdoors as well! Gone are the times when you needed big budgets to show your brand in motion. You can now place digital billboards at bus stops, outside of a mall, or strategically placed in a city square in almost every major city in the world. Don’t miss out! Get your graphics moving outdoors. You can reach us for impactful outdoor communication too, we’ve worked with brands like Shapoorji Pallonji, Vijay Sales and Fruit Of The Loom to create strong billboard campaigns across major cities in India.

 

• Minimal Vintage

 

Source: InDesignSkills

 

The good old days will never get old, and past artistic styles will keep making comebacks. Such as now, in 2023. The vintage design style takes us back to simpler times when creatives were made by hand with a keen eye for detail. And while the trend of minimalism has been around, vintage minimalism is gaining new traction. The hybrid approach makes the best of both worlds by losing all the fluff and retaining only the essentials. The result is a timeless, clean and sophisticated design.

 

Source: SEOClerks

 

• The Return of the Serifs

 

Source: Creative Market

 

The tide’s beginning to turn back towards serif typefaces, loved by minimalists, graphic designers and readability-conscious web designers alike. Especially so, towards the legendary Sans Serif, which works wonders in sales banners and as the primary typeface for new, emerging brands.

Serifs have always given a sense of professionalism, sophistication and reliability. But 2023 will witness designers adding unpredictability, playfulness and creative customisation to the mix for endless possibilities!

 

Source: GraphicMama

 

• Bold, Branded Illustrations

 

Source: Instagram

 

These are unique, hand-drawn custom graphics that are personalised for brands. Illustrated characters incorporated into a creative strategy can build empathy, boost engagement and create a unique brand experience. They can also help you communicate your brand story better.

Branded illustration styles should be original and unique enough to become synonymous with their brands, even without their logos. Spotify, for example, recently leveraged this design style in their wildly popular Spotify Wrapped, extending it to their December ad campaign. Another famous example is Google Doodles to fuel your inspiration for the same for 2023.

Source: PRINT Magazine

 

• Acid Graphics

 

Source: Dribbble

 

Also called Y2K grunge, acid graphics are some of the most rebellious artistic styles to exist. Inspired from the visual effects of consuming psychedelic substances (not recommended), this artistic style is exceptionally captivating in ads (recommended).

Common features are grimy textures, amorphous shapes, broken grids and chrome metallics. Born out of the gothic subculture in the late 90s, they evoke the feeling of a rare nostalgia that favours darkness over sweet memories. They fit in with adjacent styles like brutalism & anti-design, often using computer glitches, messy layers and distorted text.

Forever fascinated by trippy art? Well, now’s the time to use it in marketing.

 

Source: Oasis Cannabis Co.

 

• Kinetic Typography

 

Source: Creatopy

 

Kinetic typography wasn’t often seen outside of film and TV series title sequences because of how hard it was to create such dynamic text. Today, it’s everywhere – from websites to social media commercials, wherever we’re staring at a digital screen. You can use it where you need to emphasise an important part of the text in your communication.

Kinetic typography also opens up the possibility of designing animated logos! You’re going to see a lot more of them in 2023.

 

• Dark Mode Friendly

 

Source: Dribbble

 

Dark mode has become the theme of choice for those who stare at screens all the time. The reason is: It’s simply a lot kinder to the eyes. Some may even argue that it looks cooler than light mode, giving you the feel of a hotshot computer hacker from one of those slick heist movies.

Consequentially making designs suited for the dark theme is a good idea for marketing in 2023, be it for websites, apps or posts on social media. Consider it especially if your buyer persona indicates, your potential customer is glued to the screen for a large part of the day. And click here, to learn how to build your brand’s buyer persona. You’re welcome 🙂

 

• Mysticism

 

Source: 99designs

 

The tarot has predicted that it’s going to be in vogue in 2023. Yes, tarot itself will be a graphic design trend in 2023. This mesmerising style of design will incorporate iconographs from tarot cards, astrology and new-age spirituality. It includes a lot of symbols, stars, moons, zodiac signs, sacred geometry and feminine figures. Mysticism offers meaning, solace and hope, which is why it is so popular.

From a purely aesthetic standpoint, there is a unique kind of gentleness to these designs. The thin lines, organic curves and subdued, muted tone feel light, delicate and calming. And the imagery with meditative faces evokes peace and an escape from earthly concerns. Have fun working with this one!

 

Source: 99designs

 

That’s our list of predictions of the best design trends for 2023. Before you sit down and start designing logos, website banners, packaging and social media ads, make sure you revise the list above to get those creative juices flowing in the right direction.

Alternatively, you can always ask us to design for you. Pop Communications is a full service ad agency and creative design house with an expertise in brand identity and launches. Everything from your website design, logo creation, packaging design, invitation designs, menu design, creative posters and powerful ads – we do it all.

 

You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected] | Call: +91 98203 54646

And follow us on LinkedIn here.

We hope you have a super creative start to 2023. Good luck and happy advertising, y’all!