It’s a new year, and branding is more complicated than ever. What are the latest brand trends you need to follow in 2019? Here are the top 10 brand trends to follow this year.
- Influencer marketing is an important brand trend this year. Typically, influencer marketing means paying someone with a significant following on social media to promote your brand. This person should be credible and have the power to influence the buying decisions of their followers.
Old Navy launched an influencer campaign to boost Black Friday sales and promote social good at the same time. The company partnered with former Yankee Alex Rodriguez to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club of America. This tactic worked, with the brand raising $1 million on Black Friday alone. - Instagram is an increasingly popular platform that marketers should pay attention to in 2019. With millions of users, this highly visual social media platform should be a key part of your marketing mix this year.
- Corporate social responsibility is another brand trend. Millennial consumers, in particular, are looking for brands to stand up for social causes. They want to support companies who are making a difference in the world. Choosing and supporting a good cause is something all marketers should consider in 2019.
- Video marketing is also an increasingly popular trend. According to Digital Branding Institute, videos outperform other forms of content time and time again. With shorter attention spans online, videos are effective, efficient ways to educate consumers about your products or services. A powerful example of video marketing comes from Always and their “Like a Girl” campaign. This emotional commercial turns the insult of “like a girl” on its head, by showing what doing tasks like throwing and fighting look like from the perspective of young girls. By tapping into women empowerment, Always won many awards for this commercial.
- Voice search is another example of a brand trend this year. With the popularity of voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, marketers will need to pay attention to the impact on voice search on their businesses. In particular, this will affect search engine optimization (SEO), as search queries will become more in line with speaking patterns.
- In terms of visual branding, minimalism is key in 2019. Brand designers will rely on ample use of white space to get their message across in the design of websites, posters, and other marketing collateral. Combined with vibrant colors and bold typography, minimalist design will define this year’s brand aesthetics.
- Serif fonts will make a come back this year. In all forms of branding, designers are returning to serif fonts, after many years of sans serif dominating the graphic design space. Many people find serif fonts nostalgic, a return to earlier days of typography. Serif fonts also stand out among an array of sans serif logos dominating the landscape.
- Artificial intelligence is a key brand trend this year. Specifically, chatbots dominate company websites. Powered by AI, these friendly bots can chat with customers 24/7, improving customer experiences.
- Content marketing continues to be an important brand trend in 2019. Whether you invest in blog posts or white papers, content is king in terms of branding this year. Brands rely on high-quality content to help convert potential customers into lifelong brand loyalists.
- Virtual reality is another trend to watch out for this year. Businesses can adopt this technology, as consumers get used to using it in their everyday lives. In the same way, augmented reality will also be a push for marketers in 2019.
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