2024 Graphic Design Trends

In the time that our creative department has grown over the last few years, we have found that creative trends do indeed come and go. However, they often influence designers to truly look at a brand’s identity and solidify it further. Will the trend potentially work with the brand or not? Should a brand always have its own look, or can participating in a trend show that it is with the times and willing to adapt to its audience? With these questions in mind, let’s take a look at five of the 2024 graphic design trends that have been popular.

Bold Minimalism

This design concept has a “less is more” approach. It is often a cleaner type of design with simple type, lots of negative space, and letting the work speak for itself. In other words, it expresses a simple but effective method of communication. As seen in the examples above, it is often a smaller color palette and has fully legible typography. This minimalistic approach focuses more on embracing the promoted content rather than the design itself. However, a common criticism of bold minimalism is that it may give a brand a lack of identity. Are only simple text and graphics enough to convey a message? Maybe they are.

Vivid Coloring

On the flip side, we are also seeing an emergence of bold colors and having your designs stand out. In the midst of minimalism, some brands are taking a daring, eye-catching approach and making themselves more blatantly memorable. They ask for your attention not just in the promoted content but also in how the design looks. Take a look at the above examples to see how the use of color matches the brand and who they expect their audience to be.

Modern and Earthy

Many brands have also taken a naturalistic approach with their branding while still standing out. Colors are bright yet more muted with their tones. Retro- and vintage-inspired design is often used to invoke feelings of nostalgia. Perhaps taking inspiration from the peace and earth-loving movements of the 60s and 70s, this design style aims to promote honesty and an environmentally friendly vibe. See how the above brands have marketed their products with somewhat simple yet bright and appealing designs. This type of design is very common for cruelty-free/vegan beauty brands as well as natural and organic food and drink companies.

Illustrative Elements

Brands are slowly moving away from faceless personalities to adding more life and uniqueness to their branding. Fun illustrations promote authenticity and relatability, and when used concurrently across all mediums, they can have a powerful effect. It also makes for a more memorable brand when characters and/or art style become identifiable. By showcasing visual storytelling and individuality, this design style makes brands much more expressive and full of personality.

Photographic Emphasis

While photographs have always been used as part of advertising, brands are looking to have more dynamic images rather than simple stock images. In other words, these photos are meant to convey personality and truly tell a story about the brand. Businesses want to set themselves apart and evoke true emotion, and unique photos are a great way to do so. They can display new perspectives and lifestyles to appeal to the common person.

If you’re wanting to implement any of these 2024 graphic design trends into your own branding, reach out to our creative team at graphics@colortechinc.com.