How Branding Will Change Due to Trends in 2022

What's a business without a brand? Not much. At the end of the day, the brand is the heart and soul of a business - something that gives it a near-human identity and makes it unique. That's why businesses continue to invest heavily in branding, as they hope to stand out from the crowd in the eyes of their target audiences.

However, branding is an ever-changing and ever-evolving concept. Over the years, many branding trends have emerged - some have stayed and some have faded. These trends have changed how businesses look at and approach branding. The same can be said for 2022, as new trends have emerged this year as well. To know what they are and how they're set to impact branding going forward, read on.

1. Shapeshifting logos

There was once a time when businesses would make do only with single logos. However, those times aren't around anymore. Today, a plethora of branding channels have emerged, and a single logo across all of them simply won't work. That's why businesses are turning to shapeshifting logos, i.e., logos that businesses can scale up or down depending on the channel they'll be used for.

Take Chanel, for example. The French luxury fashion house has 4 different logos - 1 primary logo and 3 offshoots that share similarities but which, at the same time, are different. On the official Chanel website, you'll find the primary logo working its magic. But as soon as you go beyond the website, you'll find the scaled offshoots.

So, if your business has been using just 1 logo, it's time to hire some branding experts and make some changes. The benefits include maintaining brand consistency across different platforms and providing visual variety to your audience.

2. Branded hashtags

Hashtags have played an important role in social media, especially Instagram and Twitter, for a long time. That trend is set to continue and become even bigger in 2022, as it's quite well-known now that hashtags can seriously increase the reach of social media posts.

There are three main benefits to using hashtags:

• Your brand recognition will skyrocket
• You'll be able to observe the perceptions and sentiments of consumers, which will allow you to improve different aspects of your business - from branding to products and/or services to customer support and more.
• You can find user-generated content (UGC) and share it to promote your business for free.

However, if you want to make branded hashtags work, you've got to first create something unique. Next, you have to encourage subscribers and followers to use the branded hashtag whenever they have something to say regarding your business. Additionally, you have to consistently include it across all your posts, so eventually, it becomes something that your audience automatically connects to your brand.

3. Activism

These days, there's a general expectation that businesses should be more than just money-making machines - they should also support social, political, and environmental causes for making the world a better place. As a result, many businesses are incorporating their show of support into their branding.

One of the causes that businesses are increasingly supporting is sustainability. There's growing awareness about climate change and its consequences (if it's not reversed). Consumers are beginning to prefer purchasing from businesses that are making efforts to reduce their impact on the environment.

That's why it's vital for your business to identify the core values of your target audience and the causes your buyers support. Incorporating those elements into your branding can help your business to retain your audience in the long run. From statistics to informative videos to blog posts - there are various ways to show your audience how you're contributing positively to the most pressing issues facing our precious planet.

4. Nostalgia

For many businesses, the past has become an endless source of branding inspiration. As a result, many branding elements from the 1970s right up to the 2000s are making comebacks. The biggest benefit of using these past branding elements is simple - they're instantly recognizable. Additionally, they show audiences that the businesses using them for marketing their brands aren't afraid to do something out-of-the-box.

Over the last 2 years, the nostalgia factor has yielded fantastic results in branding, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic's raging waves, lockdowns forced people to stay indoors, and many turned to their favorite movies and TV shows from the past. Many businesses saw this as an opportunity and embraced it with open arms, and audiences were treated to branding that felt safe, secure, and comfortable.

As we collectively march onwards into the future, the past is set to become more prominent in the world of branding. It's also set to create a new wave of branding - one where the past, present, and future meets and creates something truly unique.

5. Disruptive elements

Many businesses are betting on disruptive branding to work its magic for them. Disruptive branding refers to the use of amateur-level artwork, jumbled-up words, and messy layouts to create unique identities. The lack of finesse may be seen as somewhat risky. However, the fact is that when consumers see something out-of-the-ordinary, they're bound to look again.

Using disruptive branding elements may upset the conventional consumer who prefers something more aesthetically pleasing. However, if your business's target audience consists primarily of younger folk, disruptive branding can work wonders.

However, it's important to remember that excessive disruption isn't good. For instance, if you're jumbling the words up, you shouldn't jumble them to the point where they become illegible. In such a situation, the standard reaction would probably be one of ridicule instead of one of amazement.