The branding trends of 2023 reflect how we respond to current affairs. People are demanding authenticity, transparency, and honesty from the brands with whom they interact after a few crazy years and growing unhappiness with their actions and—sometimes, even louder—inactions.

From seeking joy, comfort, and relaxation in previous times to connecting via values, laughter, and human encounters, these trends indicate that brands are attempting to meet people’s needs and provide meaningful experiences. And, while many factors may impact branding trends, one thing is certain: the future is about demonstrating why your brand lives its beliefs.

1. Embracing an era

Embracing an era is developing a brand that transports people to a different era in history. It might be as current as the 2000s or as far as the 1920s glitz.

When the current social, economic, and political landscapes become too chaotic and stressful, developing a vision centred on another time might provide an escape for people. It allows you to discover new places, relive golden days, or look back in time with rose-colored spectacles.

This approach creates an instant connection with customers by pulling on elements from the past that they are already familiar with, such as a wide and curved font from the 1970s or a bright colour scheme from the 1990s.

And, in a world when people and nations seem to be constantly divided, is it any wonder that we seek solace in the simplicity and familiarity of previous eras?

2. Overstimulated Brand

Overstimulated branding draws attention and captivates the senses by using visual images and eye-catching colour. This style applies bright colours, bold and distorted typefaces, and eye-catching icons or logos. Such brands appear to have a lot going on visually, thanks to the usage of patterns, scattered graphics, and maximising space.

Aside from capturing your attention, these companies also leave audiences with a feeling of joy due to the lively energy and bright colours in the designs. It delivers a memorable and uplifting experience that provides a welcome diversion from the bleak news cycle of war, hunger, and economic hardship.

3. Getting more done with less

Doing more with less is actually about having a bigger impression with fewer elements. It’s not about minimalism, which uses beige, white, and neutrals with a lot of white space. Instead, this style uses the fewest features necessary for a brand to convey the highest extent of expression and character.

These brands use one or two colours with large, readable lettering. They just employ what is needed to clearly convey the message, tone, and personality. This branding trend corresponds to the typical feeling of having too much when we can all get by with considerably less. In reaction to all of this excess, marketers are retaliating by doing more with less.

4. Branding on Social Media

The internet’s accessibility has opened the door for an always-on social media lifestyle. As a result, sites like Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram have become great spots for building your brand.

That said, you should be mindful of how you present your services and products on these platforms. A good place to start is to identify which sites your clients frequent and research the layout of each social network. After all, such platforms cater to many types of material. Twitter, for example, focuses more on written information, whereas Instagram relies more on pictures.

Consider employing social media monitoring tools to prepare posts & track the impact of each piece of content you publish. You can make your social media marketing more coordinated and data-driven this way.

5. Mission-First Branding

Most brands now realize that simply stating their support for social causes is insufficient. They must illustrate this by making an impact. These overt displays are no longer required. This is a trend we saw last year as eco firms decided to ditch the “eco” appearance, instead establishing their brand in various ways while remaining true to their ideals. We expect this to continue and develop into mission-first branding in 2023.

Brands are breaking free from preconceived notions of how a mission-first brand must look like and embracing the mission as an integral element of the brand. People no longer want to see brands respond to prominent social concerns.

They want to see these principles ingrained in the brand. It is all about incorporating your goal and values into your brand image and generating meaningful action around them. Set up recycling and reselling programmes rather than merely saying that your company is concerned about the environment. Then integrate that into every aspect of your branding and brand story. People have had enough of firms failing to help those in need and the environment. Firms must now deliver on their promises.

6. Eco-friendly

It’s encouraging to see that businesses are becoming more environmentally conscious and wish to help reduce waste. These initiatives have clearly helped organisations receive some positive attention, whether it’s by converting to recyclable materials or simply creating a video demonstrating why your business cares about the environment.

Brands that do not take initiatives to be more responsible will fall behind their competitors by 2023. We’ll see more firms launch campaigns centred on sustainability and environmental friendliness – think recyclable and recycled products and advertising materials, ethical supplier chains, employing renewable energy in your activities, and environmentally friendly packaging… The list goes on and on! Consider what your business and non-industry competitors are undertaking in terms of sustainability efforts, and then get on board with new ways of conducting business.

7. Using Sarcasm and Humour

We could all use a good laugh these days. And there’s no reason for companies to be so serious about themselves. They may discover that audiences are more responsive when they use humour to break through the stress.

People expect brands to be relatable now more than ever. They want to know that companies are suffering the same things as them, such as climate change, public health issues, and fragmented social systems. And utilising laughter and satire to develop that connection and bring us through difficult times is one way to do it.

For a reason, laughter is the finest medicine; it helps us feel good, reduces stress, and provides an unique time.

8. Using A Mascot To Humanise Brand Personality

In 2023, we’ll see a rise in strong brand mascots that are front and centre in branding. These mascots add a strong personality that uses human attributes, rather than merely being a strong design flare for a brand.

Humans crave connection, particularly in today’s broken socioeconomic landscape. From the tremendous battle for our attention on social media platforms to the severe reality and consequences of the economic downturn, individuals are searching for businesses that are more honest and truer. Putting additional character to your brand with a mascot provides a fresh layer of character and warmth that audiences can relate to and engage with.

The branding trends for 2023 reflect what people desire and require during uncertain and difficult times. Overstimulated, powerful, and enjoyable branding provide opportunities to engage with outstanding graphics. And mission-first branding, humanising brand personality, and humour are all effective methods to connect.

It’s critical to pay attention to the 2023 branding trends since they reveal what people want and how brands can give. The key takeaway this year is that people are looking for relatable companies that communicate with their customers in an indisputably honest way. Whenever done effectively, companies can offer an incredible experience full of joy, laughter, and connections that will not be forgotten.