As a business owner, we know your time is incredibly precious, and that keeping on top of the hottest trends in the design world might not be at the very top of your priority list. But whether you’re just starting out on a new venture or looking to amplify the amazing aesthetic you already have, it’s important to keep nurturing your brand as your business grows and develops.
Tapping into some of the year’s biggest colour, typography and design styles can be a good way to give your visual identity a bit of a refresh, and help you tell a brilliant brand story that resonates with your audience.
Here are a few of the biggest colour, typography and design trends that the creative community at 99designs expect to dominate in 2020, and that you can harness to help tell your story.
Warm neon gradients
Gradients are nothing new. But have you noticed they’ve been heating up lately? Taking inspiration from tech companies like Mozilla Firefox and Tinder, this incredibly versatile trend is set to evolve through 2020 as brands combine traditional gradients with warm neon hues that create a refreshing, futuristic feel. Perfect for logos but also web design and other visual brand assets, this trend is eye-catching without being overwhelming, and is a style that any business owner can tap into easily.
Refreshed Mozilla Firefox logo (L); Tinder (R) was an early adopter of this trend with its use of warm pink and orange gradients
Splashes of brilliant purple add visual depth in this web page design by spoon lancer on 99designs
Free-spirited typography
Typography has a lot to say in 2020. Breaking free from the constraints of ordinary serifs and sans serifs, brands are embracing lettering that delivers a strong message, but is also the visual focal point in its own right. This unique approach allows brands to express their personality in a striking and really memorable way, and is perfect for a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Hand-lettering is set to be one of the year’s biggest logo design trends but this daring visual style can be applied across a visual brand identity to great effect. It’s a style that breaks away from the norm, but is still legible and accessible to a broad audience, making it a perfect trend for brands to experiment with.
Little Moops logo by anapekic on 99designs (L); Fresh Beef podcast branding by nevergohungry on 99designs (R)
Avocado typography by Rafael Serra via Behance
Motion and animated graphics
Our eyes naturally gravitate towards movement: ocean waves, blazing fires and computer screens. Movement will be a defining feature of brand design in 2020, especially as more and more businesses take a screen-first approach with their visual branding.
Found everywhere from logos to micro-interactions and explanatory motion graphics, animation is a really powerful way to bring a brand to life, and designers are pushing the boundaries further than ever. In 2020, we expect that simple motion graphics will evolve even further, taking consumers on a visual journey through continuous sequences that really tell a story. One thing to note: as it’s a very specialized skill, good animation is an investment. If this trend is something you’re keen to explore for your brand, make sure you work closely with a creator who has experience and can show you examples in their portfolio, and be as clear as possible in your creative brief to ensure a good result.
A fluid hand-drawn animation by Konstantin Kostenko
A fluid animation via Le Cube
When you’re able to portray who you are and what your business stands for in a visually compelling way, your customers will react positively, and you’ll create brand-loyal followers. But whatever route you take, remember the most important part of what branding is all about: showing off and clearly communicating what makes you, you.
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