The graphic design industry is always changing, with new trends appearing on a regular basis. The turbulence that is currently sweeping the globe is just hastening this consequence. Here, we examine eight of the most eagerly awaited trends for 2024, as predicted by professionals in the field.
Right now, the globe is in a difficult place. The good news is that graphic design will still be in demand in 2024, if not more so than before, regardless of the state of the economy.
Effective design will be essential to a company’s ability to stand out visually, engage people, and build the much-needed brand loyalty as they fight to survive the impending global upheaval.
However, knowing that is insufficient. It is imperative for graphic designers to have knowledge about potential job locations, necessary talents to acquire, and optimal areas to concentrate their efforts. In order to bring you some insight into the future of graphic design, we’ve spoken with industry luminaries as we get closer to an unpredictable new year.
Follow our Insta to Learn More Instagram
Trend 1: Agency employment based on subscription
Our first two trends are more about a more basic innovation in the way agencies operate than they are about a specific visual style or graphic design method. The scene is set by Primary’s Nick Pattison.
“Right now, we’re living in a rapidly changing sector, with many designers still working from home and others opening up side practices or small studios,” he says. Simultaneously, AI and design technologies are speeding up the creation, communication, and delivery speed of these designers.
“Clients expect increasingly more in less time, and designers are seeking new ways to service these clients while generating more regular, predictable income,” he says. “Consequently, productisation, where designers have simple price packages around fixed deliverables, is on the rise.”
The ‘design subscription’ agency model has been extremely popular this year as a result. “This model has clients pay a fixed monthly fee for unlimited design work,” says Nick. “Nearly every website design firm I know now offers this.” Superfried’s creator and designer, Mark Richardson, has also seen this trend. “These subscriptions have been marketed via huge boasts with regards to the money being made and the minimal time invested,” he writes. “Which is confusing, as I would have thought this would infuriate their clients!
Second Trend: Brand sprints
In the end, Mark hopes that by 2024, the trend of design subscriptions will be over. “However, with the continued improvement in AI, perhaps it will become even more alluring and grow as a potential model,” he says.
Nick, on the other hand, suggests a different strategy. “Other studios, like ours at Primary, are finding success with a different twist on productization,” he says. “After years of offering various services, we now just offer one service for one fixed price, called ‘brand sprints
Trend 3: Sustainable luxury and de-packaging
Numerous contemporary design trends are being driven by climate change. Nonetheless, a noteworthy development has been the increasing dedication of brands to ecological responsibility in the creation and production of packaging.
What does this entail for the artwork that is attached to it, then? “With brands experimenting with package-less packaging, edible packaging and paper-pulp outers, the graphic real-estate on pack is becoming increasingly smaller, challenging designers to think more creatively on ways to create standout, convey brand messaging and storytelling in a way that feels authentic,” states Chris Wilson of STCKMN.
Enroll Today
“Sustainable material choices coupled with responsible manufacturing processes will continue to play a key part in design for 2024,” according to him. “It becomes difficult to communicate brand and product details when on-pack images are limited. However
