Exploring Graphic Design Trends - The Human Touch pt. 2
In part 1 of this series, we talked about how brands have begun integrating Playful Aesthetics into their identities to feel more approachable. Let’s pick up where we left off and dive in to part 2!
The next approach of this “Human Touch” trend exploration is all about Tone-on-Tone color palettes. Gone are the days when a brand’s logo needs to be shown in stark black or white when placed on a colorful background.
Implementing this strategy can soften a company’s branding in the eyes of their consumers, as well as give the brand some much needed versatility when it comes to their packaging - this trend seems particularly strong amongst consumer goods with so many new brands fighting for shelf space and more importantly, the average consumer’s brain space.
Remember, the key goal of this overarching trend is to create a brand, a product, or a company that feels approachable, human, and friendly.
A few indicators that a brand is hopping on the Tone on Tone design trend:
High contrast headlines or logos are replaced with tints or shades of the original hue
Updated brand standards featuring an expanded color palette
A need for versatility in packaging & marketing to better communicate product variations
Emphasis on analogous colors within color families
While adopting the Playful Aesthetics technique may make sense for some brands, others may want to take a different approach - to lighten up their identity by simply redefining their color palettes. Approachability is important to today’s consumer, but so is being taken seriously. It takes the right balance of whimsical and reliable to build an identity consumers will turn to again and again.
When I think of examples of this trend, I personally don’t have to look too far for a great example - there is one particular product I use every single day that has executed the Tone on Tone design strategy flawlessly.
From the first day my dog Daisy came into my life, many dog-related products, toys, and accessories have come and gone to keep her happy and healthy.
My fellow #DogDads (and #DogMoms !) know - from the days of peepads, puppy chow and teething toys, to harnesses, leashes, supplements, and of course T-R-E-A-T-S; we've gone through more brands and products than I can count.
Now, almost 8 years later, one particular brand has endured the test of time - one brand that has earned my loyalty through it all. A strong, reliable, enduring brand that dog parents turn to in times of need.
Yep - we’re talking about Earth Rated poop bags.
Earth Rated dog products have been around since 2010 - but a few years back, the team at LAYER performed a masterclass in rebranding - it is no small task to take a company built on a foundation of dog poop bags and build it into a brand that every dog owner in America knows and relies on.
And yet, 15 years on, the Earth Rated brand is feeling fresher than ever, with a fully cohesive line of beautifully crafted products, packaging, and marketing that (almost) makes you forget you’re holding something steamy and foul in your hands.
The Earth Rated rebrand didn’t just sneak a cute silhouette of a dog into the negative space in its type-based primary logo. It re-evaluated the weight of each color in it’s palette - and in doing so gave the brand a cohesive look that still has some breathing room for product differentiation without any one SKU feeling off-brand.
Even more recently, creative agency LOVE took a similar approach to revitalizing the identity for Back to Nature foods, but rather than be tied down to any one particular primary color scheme, the new look for the snack company is completely agile - each product they put on shelf stands out with eye catching Tone on Tone colors, yet never loses synergy across the entire range.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that their recent rebrand incorporated some Playful Aesthetics into their typography - opting for a west coast inspired block letter typeface with a fun arch and a subtle leaf worked into the “K” to bring just the right amount of youthful energy to the 65 year old brand.
With a brand identity this strong, the drool-worthy product shots of their wide array of snacks adorning their packaging are the icing on the cake (or in this case, the fudge striped cookies).
This is the kind of versatility many brands are seeking when bringing new products to market. Whether your product or service is sold online or in a brick-and-mortar location, the fact of the matter is there are simply too many products on the market today for a brand to survive without being approachable and memorable.
These are just a few of my favorite examples from this rising trend in the design world. The slides that accompany this post also showcase a few other examples I’ve curated to showcase this growing trend.
What other examples of this trend have you seen? Have you implemented this design trend into any work of your own? Feel free to share some examples of your own in the comments below. Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion of this series - The Human Touch pt. 3 - coming soon to an internet near you!
Thanks for joining me on this installment of my design blog. I’ll be sharing trends like these, insights, thought experiments, and my personal projects here on my website, as well as on LinkedIn.
Let's get to work!
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