Trends in Visual Identity Design 2009

Every year new trends in design emerge. Some reinvigorate approaches that have previously been used while others create completely new perspectives on design. Here are a few of the trends we observed in 2009.

Simplified with Sans Serif
It seems that in 2009 corporate and brand marks have been leaning toward the “simpler is better” side of the design scale. We are seeing lots of sans serif fonts. MSNBC, Target’s up & up brand, Barnes & Noble Nook, Interbank and bing are all using this approach in their new marks. A specific category of sans serif fonts called Humanist offers variety and personality, as demonstrated by ConAgra and Meredith. Many marks are continuing to use all lowercase, which is a style we’ve seen a lot in the last few years.

Dynamic Identity Design
We live in a fast, mobile and ever-changing world. The identity systems we’re seeing in 2009 reflect that. Historically, corporate identity has been all about consistency. But today identity balances fluidity and transformation with consistency.

The identity for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver is an example of this. A memorable logo is paired with a rich tapestry of brightly colored imagery and graphics that ebb and flow varying by event. This approach is tremendously flexible and recognizable, triggering immediate connections back to the event, even when only a fraction of the graphic collage is visible.

Another approach to this is Aol. While the logo remains consistent, each time a page refreshes on its website, a new background image appears, keeping the identity as dynamic as the plethora of content Aol covers.

Many of the identities we design thoughtfully and intentionally use elements that allow consistency and flexibility (Valspar, 3M). At the core of this process is determining those design elements that should be static and those that are dynamic. Once that balance is created, the visual identity system quickly becomes a valued tool for the entire organization.

Bright, High Key Colors
Vivid color is a prevalent element in many new identity systems. In the unpredictable economic environment of the past year-plus, bright color seems to symbolize the promise of better days ahead. Target completely rebranded their in-house brand to become the up & up brand. The system uses bright colors to make its logo pop and also bring life to its packaging. Kraft Foods updated their mark (more than once) this past year, bringing in bright hues, a stark contrast to its traditional red, white and blue palette. Another example we’ve seen is the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Transparency
Overlapping colorful, transparent shapes is a trend that never goes away but is ostensibly more prominent in the past year. There seem to be two directions that this can take. One is a sense of transition from conceptual “Point A” to “Point B” (Nimaya). The second is focused on the new, unique shapes and colors that are born out of the union of transparent elements. This is a familiar visual path but certainly can be an effective one as we see it implemented on both abstract shapes (for Art Gallery of Alberta, MasterCard and City of Melbourne) and on contiguous letterforms, such as Bausch+Lomb.

Overall Modifications
In this down economy, more and more brands are fighting to stay fresh and relevant. Look at any shelf in a grocery, convenience or value store, and you will find a number of brands that have received a makeover. The past year a multitude of well-known brands have updated their look to simpler (Nickelodeon, Expedia, Audi) or more fluid marks (Scope, Glade, Crystal Light, Healthy Choice, Michaels).

Reviewing the trends in identity design is part of objectively observing the brand identities around us—from the ones we manage to the ones we use to the ones we create—to ensure thoughtful design rooted in strategy is propelling our companies and brands in the right direction.