2022 Marketing And Design Trends Your Brand Can Use
In this month’s newsletter we’re discussing some of the marketing and graphic design trends that will influence the look and communication strategies of businesses in 2022. Many of these ideas were around in 2021 – like the use of Instagram Reels or the growing importance of social responsibility – but their influence continues to grow.
Leading marketing trends for 2022
1. ADD INSTAGRAM REELS TO YOUR SOCIAL MARKETING STRATEGY TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT
In August 2020, Instagram introduced Reels after seeing the meteoric rise of Tik Tok and brands’ increasing – and imaginative – use of its video format to promote their message. Today, Reels are used by everyone from major sports franchises and retailers, to fashion and cosmetic brands to engage their audiences – NFL teams that post Reels get 67% greater engagement than they do with regular videos. Instagram recommends Reels content more than any other form of post as a way to attract attention and get people engaging with your content.
What does this mean for your business?
If you’re marketing on social, video should be part of your strategy. Today, we’re only going to talk about Instagram but, of course, other channels like You Tube, Tik Tok, Facebook and Twitter remain.
Successful Reels are likely to be featured on Instagram’s Explore page, giving you an opportunity to expose your brand to new followers. (The general Explore page is visited by more than 50% of Instagram accounts each month.)
Reels allow you to create a video up to 60 seconds long and, like Tik Tok, add music, on-screen text, closed captions, and visual effects. To stand out, your content should be attention-grabbing and engaging – viewers are looking for content that’s entertaining or educational, or a mix of both, and they’re attracted to authentic content over content that looks scripted or formal.
2. USE INFLUENCERS TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES FOR YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Influencer marketing is evolving from a trend to a common marketing tactic – it’s not just for large brands who can afford to fly influencer superstars to exotic locations.
What does this mean for your business? There are plenty of local, affordable influencers you can use to extend your reach on social media and attract potential new customers. You can target your audience precisely, and estimate its size with account insights, follower counts, and engagement trends, and then structure your promotion to track the sales each influencer brings you.
Last year, we used six Metro Vancouver influencers to extend the reach of a local restaurant chain. The campaign grew the brand’s following, and this year we’ll be adding a promo code to that campaign to measure the effectiveness of each influencer we use.
3. CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN YOUR WORKPLACE
In the last couple of years, companies have come under increasing scrutiny for not walking their talk. It’s one thing to release inspiring messages around diversity, inclusion and sustainability, but consumers and journalists are taking a harder look at what that really means in the day-to-day practices of businesses – and whether the messaging is actually reflected in the staffing numbers, production methods, materials and policies of a company. Corporate social responsibility is no longer optional, it’s essential to maintain the trust you’ve built with your audience.
What does this mean for your business?
After a year of climate-driven disasters, environmental action is at the forefront of many consumers’ minds – and many of them are ready to shift their support to brands that practice sustainability, and pay more for products and services that are part of the solution.
One of our homebuilding clients is constantly pushing the envelope of what it means to be a sustainable builder. They have been exploring energy-efficient technologies for years, and last year they collaborated with a client to “deconstruct” their teardown and divert most of the waste from landfill. Fixtures were taken to Habitat for Humanity and all of the wood was repurposed. The bonus? Once the value of the recyclable materials was appraised, the homeowners received that value as a tax credit, which substantially offset the cost to deconstruct.
Leading design trends for 2022
Visual trends – colours, forms, fonts and images – across the field of design in 2022 are resonating with our need to find pleasure, meaning, and reassurance in difficult times. This translates in various ways in the hands of creators around the world, but here are some of the leading trends we see:
Colourful Minimalism
A minimalist approach isn’t limited to black and white anymore, it can mean a wide colour palette with no unnecessary visual elements.
Expressive Typography
Designers are enhancing standard text – extending lines, manipulating curves, adjusting sizes, colour and shapes – to create more unique and engaging styles. After years in which sans serif fonts dominated, we’ll see the return of more serif fonts.
Geometric Shapes
Geometric shapes are showing up in designs where abstract shapes once ruled –they’re clean, simple and eye-catching, making them a great fit for logos and branding.
Visuals That Show Diversity And Inclusion
Brands will continue to increase representation of diversity in their messaging, showing a full range of genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, ages and abilities.
Nostalgia
“the past made new” is a theme that looks different in the hands of different designers, but the emotional takeaway is all about optimism, escapism, reassurance, and fun.
Looking for help with your branding and communication goals for 2022?
Indalma Creative is a full-service design and branding studio with the strategies and skills to help.
Give us a call or drop us a line, we’d love to talk!
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