In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing and design, staying ahead of the curve is essential for brands wanting to make an impact. Graphic design trends are constantly shifting, and embracing the latest styles can give your brand a fresh, contemporary edge.
Regularly reviewing your branding ensures it aligns with your company’s vision, audience expectations, and market trends. A brand review should happen at least once a year to assess whether your visuals, messaging, and identity remain relevant. Small updates - like refining your logo, adjusting messaging, or refreshing your colour palette are best done every 1–2 years, while a full rebrand is typically needed every 5-10 years. This approach keeps your brand dynamic, aligned with consumer preferences, and competitive in a changing market.
Let’s explore the most exciting design movements shaping the creative landscape — with a special spotlight on the resurgence of gradients.
Gradients: A Bold, Dynamic Comeback
Gradients are enjoying a well-deserved revival, and for good reason. These fluid colour transitions add depth, dimension, and energy to designs, making them perfect for brands looking to infuse their visuals with personality and versatility.
Brands have been quick to adopt gradients as part of their visual identity. London City Airport, for example, unveiled a vibrant gradient as part of their 2024 rebrand. The new design features sweeping colour transitions that symbolise movement, travel, and the airport’s connection to global destinations. By using gradients thoughtfully, London City Airport has managed to refresh its image, balancing professionalism with a sense of adventure.
At Adtrak, we’ve fully embraced the gradient trend as part of our recent internal brand development. We’ve updated our guidelines to incorporate gradients using our brand colours, and you’ll start to see them across our social media posts, marketing materials, and animation work. By doing so, we’ve added a new layer of dynamism to our designs — allowing us to experiment with colour in fresh, unexpected ways.
This shift in our branding wasn’t just about aesthetics — it was about signalling to our clients that we understand where design is headed and that we’re always actively evolving. It’s also given us a fresh canvas to experiment with different colour combinations, helping us stay creatively inspired and continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
For brands looking to evolve their identity without committing to a complete rebrand, gradients offer a simple yet impactful solution. A gradient overlay on social graphics, subtle colour transitions in typography, or animated gradient effects in videos can all breathe new life into existing assets. It’s an easy way to signal innovation and modernity, showing that your brand is in touch with contemporary design trends. We encourage our clients to explore how they could enhance their brand presence. Whether it’s through a gradual rollout or a bold new campaign, it’s important to keep your brand feeling fresh and relevant.
Other Standout Graphic Design Trends
While gradients are stealing the spotlight, they’re not the only trend redefining design right now. Here are a few more movements people are loving in both Graphic Design and Branding.
- Artificial Intelligence in Design: AI-powered tools are transforming the design process, from generating unique visuals to streamlining workflows. Platforms like Adobe Firefly and MidJourney enable designers to experiment with new concepts quickly, blending human creativity with machine learning.
- Retro Futurism & Y2K Vibes: The nostalgia wave continues, with designs inspired by the early internet era, metallics, and pixel art. Think bold, saturated colours, sci-fi elements, and playful, digital aesthetics.
- Craft & Handmade Elements: In contrast to digital perfection, there’s a growing appreciation for imperfect, hand-drawn elements, paper textures, and collage techniques. This trend brings a human touch to designs, making them feel authentic and approachable.
- Customised Typography: Unique, bespoke letterforms are on the rise, with brands using typography as a central design element. From exaggerated serifs to experimental, almost sculptural type, custom fonts help brands build a distinctive voice.
Ready to Evolve Your Brand?
If you’re looking to breathe new life into your brand visuals, now is the perfect time to experiment with these trends - especially gradients. Whether you want to make a bold statement or subtly enhance your existing design elements, our team is here to help you navigate the possibilities. Let’s create something great together.
