Branding is something that evolves over time, like with many other aspects of digital marketing, and since 2021 is here, it is time to take a look at some of the top trends in branding for this year.

Humanize Your Company

People no longer want a company to be a faceless brand; they want to see the “man behind the curtain,” especially on social media. Allowing your customers to see the people in your company will help them relate better to your brand and help build trust and loyalty. Some companies will give glimpses into the company’s behind-the-scenes, sharing photos of daily life in the office, different office gatherings, and more. In contrast, other companies have a specific face for their brand. Either way, putting faces behind your company is a great way to build trust and credibility with your audience.

Specific Color Schemes

An important part of your brand is your coloring. However, you can expand the color palette a little to allow your brand to express itself a little more. If you open a new product line, including a new color scheme makes sense; that way, it distinguishes itself as something separate from your initial product. It can still be done in a way that is recognizable to your brand. Try using unconventional color schemes that are not typically paired together this year and see how it works for your brand.

Quirky Art

Adding unique and quirky imagery to your brand is a great way to set yourself apart from your competition and show that your brand is unique and has a certain personality. You want to use something unique that will have an impact on your audience.

A popular choice is anthropomorphic animals dressed up in some way. This art usually sets a brand apart from the rest, and if it is quirky enough, it can impact your business.

Show Flaws

Nothing is perfect, and some brands have embraced this to make their products look a little rough around the edges. They do this with scribbled writing, asymmetry, and disproportionate imagery. The younger audiences receive imagery that is intentionally imperfect by design well, so if they are your intended audience, this is something worth considering incorporating into your branding. If you are embracing the quirky imagery branding trend, this is something that could be incorporated into it fairly easily.

Use Geometric Patterns

Using different geometric patterns as part of branding is another 2021 trend to watch. The patterns are not replacing logos; they are being added to the brand imagery as a whole. Adding hypnotic geometric patterns to the background of a website or printed menu or adding it to your products can help expand your brand even further.

Try making the pattern imitate part of your logo somehow, or even turning your logo into that pattern, depending on your logo’s design.

Take a Stand

People may initially be drawn to your brand by what you sell, but what you stand for is what will keep them around. They want to support businesses that support the same causes as them, which means that taking a stance on some societal, political, environmental, or economic issues that matter to you as a company. If you begin publicly supporting causes, that can help bring in new customers who also support that cause. By making a cause part of your brand identity, you can build loyalty with your audience and possibly allow you to make a difference concerning that cause.

Minimalism

While minimalism in branding is not exactly new, it is likely going to be a big branding trend in 2021. To go for a minimalist branding strategy, use clean, thin lines, simple fonts, flat illustrations, and be willing to leave some space blank.

Dark Mode

This is becoming a popular trend for mobile apps and websites. Many people find it more comfortable for their eyes to look at a darker landscape when scrolling through their social media or apps, so offering this is a great trend to offer for your brand.

Adaptable Logos

You want your logo to be visible, but the same logo may not look good on a small phone screen, which is where adaptable, or shape-shifting logos come in handy. This means that you have different variations in your logo so that it can still be recognized, even if you are using a smaller, more simplistic version of it.

Nostalgia

Another popular trend is embracing nostalgia in brand marketing. Depending on your industry and how long your company has been around, this can be difficult or simple to do. You just need to determine if there are any ways that your company can bring up those feelings of nostalgia and how to make that part of your branding.One way that this can be done fairly easily is by using retro-looking fonts and color palettes, and even just using an old “retro” logo, if your company has been around long enough for that.

Optimism

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging almost a year later, adding optimism and playfulness to your branding can help you give your audience an uplifting feeling. If your brand is full of positivity and uplifting imagery, especially on your social media, this can help you connect on a deeper level with your audience in 2021. Last year was a dark year, so giving your audience some light can help them connect better to your brand and boost loyalty.

Community

2020 showed us how important community really is to people, and using your branding as a way to foster community can be a good way to improve your branding in 2021. Use visuals that show teamwork, community, and people working together toward a common goal.

Conclusion

Seattle Public Relations are experts in branding and can help you determine which branding trends in 2021 you should consider using for your branding efforts. Contact Seattle Public Relations today to get started!