Now Trending: Min-Maxing, Millenial Kitsch, and the Multiverse
Chaotic and contradictory, 2024 promises to build on the uncertainty and restlessness that feels foundational to this decade - and we'll feel it across every sector of design.
But it's not all hopeless. People are craving structure, security, and solidity, but they're also yearning for freer design that's more expressive and more accessible. Good brands and businesses will need to harness great design to help them stand out visually, connect with their ever-more-online audiences, and build brand loyalty in spite of the ambiguous state of the globe.
That’s why we’re sharing a sneak peek into the first chapter of our 2024 Graphic Design Trends Report. Read on for more:
- Minimal vs. Maximal
As the 2020’s progress, we’ve seen more and more backlash to the minimalism that’s dominated the design scene for more than a decade - anybody else on “Sad Beige Clothes for Sad Beige Children” TikTok or just us? Maximalism embraces abundance and spontaneity, with conflicting themes, oversaturated color, and layers, layers, layers. Brands, especially in digital spaces, are making bold, polarizing choices that break with convention and make the most important messages unforgettable.
Minimalism isn’t totally out yet, but truly successful minimalist design will lean towards anti-branding, which feels more straightforward and authentic to consumers. In a world where products are no longer made to last, the most successful products are clean and sophisticated, but feel made by hand, with high quality finishes and packaging that markets itself on shelf and online.
2. All-Eras Nostalgia
As Gen Z continues to enter adulthood and embrace their purchasing power, the 90’s & early 2000’s have become vintage, baby! What we’re calling Millenial Kitsch - holographic gradients, vivid neon colors, screenprint elements and grainy instant photos - can be found across the digital landscape. But in packaging, we’re also seeing the psychadelic revival of the earthy, groovy 60’s and 70’s with extravagant, mystical patterns and illustrations, folksy botanicals, and art nouveau typography.
“Is nostalgia really such a powerful tool?” Design cycles are rapidly shrinking, and technology isn’t advancing quite as quickly as it once did - consider the colossal leap from CD player to iPod vs. the near-imperceptible nudge from iPhone 14 to iPhone 15. In a chronically-online world that’s been permanently altered by COVID, with no real end to uncertainty in sight, nostalgia offers consumers familiarity, escapism, and stability from those “simpler” times.
3. Surrealism & the Multiverse
We’re living in the future - but not necessarily the colorful fantasy the Jetsons once foretold. Our online experiences are blending ever more seamlessly into our realities. 2024 will see the return of Brutalism - futuristic visuals, heavy digital fonts, dark mode color palettes, mixed dimensions, and the growing gamification of our lives.
And let’s address the elephant in the room: We can’t talk about graphic design trends without even mentioning AI and it’s impact on the industry at large. It’s controversial, and the honest truth is that the world is still in reaction mode. Generative image AI is really just a drop in the bucket - even if it weren’t so inconsistent, it’ll always need a human touch and quality assurance. The real power of AI lies not in creating pretty pictures, but in how it will affect all aspects of life and technology, for better or worse.
Mertz Design is constantly auditing trends, refining our expertise, propelling us to push boundaries, and ensuring our designs are innovative and forward-thinking in the ever-evolving landscape of graphic design.
Download our full 2024 Graphic Design Trends Report to get all the details on what you can expect all year in design, color, and typography.
Maddie Schneider
art director
