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The year 2021 took some of the trends with it, making room for the new ones in 2022. Some trends are being updated, some are transformed to meet current needs, while others will be unexpected and new for everyone. Last year has brought major changes in the way people live. These transformations will continue in the field of communication and in the way we buy and sell.
The epidemic subscription was prolonged for another year. It has forced many companies to rethink their positioning, update their brand message and fundamental values. Due to the new consumer habits, the whole world has learned how crucial e-commerce has become to us. This trend will be relevant shortly and may never lose its relevance again. But no marketplace can replace a real shopping experience. Or maybe it can? Emotional design in 2022 will focus on providing a new, more immersive product experience.
1: Design for e-commerce and real world stores
As a result of the pandemic in 2020-2021, the number of orders in the e-commerce segment has increased dramatically. Take-out meals have become especially popular, and large and medium-sized supermarkets have organized their own delivery services. Uber Eats, Yandex.Delivery and Yandex.Lavka, Bolt, Glovo, Amazon Fresh are all at their peak right now. In 2022, product manufacturers and shipping companies will have to prioritize packaging that delivers both the best possible delivery and maintains a unique unpacking experience.
2: Environmentally friendly packaging
The development of modern technologies also implies modern solutions for more sustainable methods of packaging and delivery of goods and food. Try to remember the delivery a couple of years ago – a thousand plastic bags, when everything could be packed in two or three paper packs. Responsible brands strive to reduce the consumption of resources and materials that will leave a deep carbon footprint. Sustainable companies get additional USP when they care about the environment. For many consumers, this can be an important buying driver as well.
3: Transparent packaging
Eco-cellophane and glass packaging, transparent food zones – that is what allows you to quickly access the product visually. So buyers can get a good idea of the general appearance of the product, some of its functional and emotional features. This way you can pack fresh fruits, vegetables, meat products and frozen or chilled convenience foods. It is important to remember that packaging design plays a key role in ensuring the safety and protection of the product. In promoting the brand as well. Despite the transparency, the packaging must be reliable, sustainable and have sufficient branding opportunities.
4: Retro packaging
Time passes quickly during the pandemic. Many people look back and ask themselves where two years are already disappeared. Nevertheless, when we talk about vintage design – today and soon there will be a certain trend towards “retro”. Retro aesthetics saturate the entire design, from the choice of typeface to the choice of colour and even the texture of the packaging itself.
5: Flat illustrations
Among all trends, flat illustrations are the most recognizable and popular. People are used to minimalistic, flat interfaces. Because of the info buzz, we have learned to look more into minimalism, so our desire for clean designs is reflected, among other things, in such trends. In this style, shapes are simplified and colours are accentuated. When artificial volume, complex illustrations and gradients disappear from the design, it becomes sharper, more understandable and easier to read by the audience. Flat-type illustrations give the perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics in our designs.
6: Simple geometry and solid colors
Another graphic design trend that is shaping the world of packaging is simple but vibrant geometry. This design is predominantly built on straight lines and sharp corners, combined with bright, rich colours that attract potential buyers. Geometry looks both simple and aesthetically pleasing, looks good on a shelf and even on a small smartphone screen. Solid colour is the best friend of simple geometry when there is a minimum of graphic elements and fonts.
7: Seasonal and limited edition packaging
Brands need to be more flexible so that they can respond quickly and inexpensively to current news and events. This is another significant advantage of modern printing technologies – the ability to print seasonal packaging. Thanks to this flexibility, it is possible to be creative in defining “seasonality”: to create unique packaging in connection with the victories of national teams in competitions, in connection with current memes and TV shows, news and the changing seasons.
8: Humor in packaging, in design, in copyright
Nothing sells better than intense emotion. Humour is a strong and positive emotion. You can use different approaches to humour and achieve your goals using completely different tools. Make a funny design, write catchy copyright or make a product naming that will amuse and will be remembered. This works both in e-commerce and in real stores. The product that made people laugh will ensure the possibility to reach it out on the shelf, to take a closer look and even take a photo to share on social media.
To summarize, the packaging design is overgrown with new trends, but we should not forget about the trends that come from universal human values. In 2022, ecology, personification, healthy lifestyle and responsible consumption will be no less relevant than today. Therefore, one of the difficult tasks for designers will be to find a way to speak about the same, but in a different language, to find new words, new visual images and techniques.
Date of publication:
January 20, 2022
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