The COVID-19 pandemic and other events of 2020 have certainly left their mark on creative industries. Each year always brings about new creative trends and best practices, but this year, companies will truly need to transform their strategies to meet the demands of a post-COVID-19 world.
We will be exploring the 5 new creative trends of 2021, according to a report by Depositphotos, which is the leading visual content marketplace. The Visual Trends 2021: Living a New Reality report outlines some themes that graphic designers and content creators should be following. Digital and physical wellbeing, optimism, nature, earthy tones, and snackable videos have become a top priority.
Let’s look at the creative trends for 2021 in detail now.
The past 12 months have been filled with their fair share of crises, isolation, and insecurity. As a result, people are now responding much better to certain colors and imagery that symbolizes hope and wellbeing. Barely-there or muted color palettes that induce nostalgia or reassurance can help create a feeling of freshness and calm that people are looking for.
Both individual and public health are at the forefront of 2021 creative trends. Millions of people suffered last year, fostering a sense of helplessness and a collective loss of control. Visuals that promote healthy spaces and healthy living can help better convey the tone of recovery, balance, and wellbeing.
Digital empathy in a world where we all felt more alone was only possible thanks to technology. 2020 forced brands to leverage the digital space on a whole new level, with teams discovering more and more ways to offer empathy through their screens. A lot of these tactics are here to stay, post COVID-19. Designers need to continue this trend of showing empathy and engaging with their audience through virtual content.
Consumers find solace in visuals of nature – no surprise here. One major outlet for people over the past year has been outings into nature, where they can maintain a social distance while enjoying the fresh air and a change of scenery. Nature has offered a breath of fresh air for people who were able to go for a walk, hike, or short vacation into nature. Graphics and visuals with nature scenes will bring them comfort and put them at ease.
Quarantining and countless hours at home have drastically increased the amount of video content consumed online. Again, no surprise here! Endless scrolling through Instagram and TikTok are more common than ever before. Videos are also a major source of information while we have all been stuck inside. With snackable videos, you can leverage both these behaviors to entertain and inform your users.
When it comes to visual communication and creative trends for 2021, make sure you’re keeping human emotion at the front of your mind. Because at the end of the day, we’re all just people, and we’re in this together.
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