Vibe Check: Heading into 2023, in light of the recession, consumer confidence is low. Cultural and cyclical events that occurred this year, such as the Olympics and the World Cup, will also impact forecasting ad spend budgets. The U.S. ad economy as a whole was sluggish for most of 2022, which will translate to 2023. Ad spending for traditional media will likely be low. On the other hand, retail media and ad-supported streaming video are expected to experience robust growth in 2023.
Consumer trends, insights, and priorities are all about to be re-evaluated in 2023. Predictive analytics is crucial in a time of new territory — this is where data, testing, and digital come in handy. Interactive content is predicted to perform better than static. Lastly, Artificial intelligence and the Metaverse have been more than whispered about recently. As two of the most talked-about trends in digital marketing, you’ll absolutely want to keep your eyes and ears out!
– Emily Alexander, Account Coordinator
Social Media in 2023
We spent much of 2022 discussing with our own clients the latest major shifts in social media. 2023 will be the year of letting these shifts influence actions and strategy – if you haven’t already. Across the board, many businesses have experienced a decrease in social referrals. This is largely because of 1. the platforms themselves and 2. user behavior.
Social media platforms, including Facebook and LinkedIn, don’t want you to link to your website. They want users to stay within their own site. To align with these algorithms (the notorious overlords of the social world), we will see a significant shift in social media strategy to reprioritize brand awareness rather than website traffic. It’s certainly a part of our strategy for 2023.
– Hayley Gilbert, Digital Marketing Coordinator
Creative Trends for 2023
Minimalism
Minimalism is not a new trend, but according to design experts, 2023 will bring a fresh take on the movement. We can expect to see Minimalism with vivid hues, simple geometric shapes, and fresh typefaces. The added flair of those visual elements will allow brands to show more of their personality without changing their entire look and feel.
Authenticity and Essentialism
Being a financially aware consumer will continue to be crucial amidst a global recession. We might start to see design choices that evoke a modest and empathetic brand vision and mission. This could also result in essentialist design, one that focuses solely on functionality and rejects any sort of excessiveness for a down-to-earth feel.
Surrealism and Futurism
Whether it’s the Y2K trend or retro typefaces, with every year comes a decade revival. Experts say we can expect to see Surrealist-inspired designs this year, and I agree. I think graphic AI art typically appears surreal and futuristic, so realistic that it looks unrealistic. I think the overlap of the two will result in some interesting design choices that I’m excited to see.
– Maddie Pullen, Junior Designer
Retro
SocialMediaToday predicts that retro styles are coming back around in the form of risographs and retro line art and illustrations. In my opinion, the retro look and feel has been trendy already. I see a lot of this on Instagram, with designers creating prints with grainy single-color or multicolor designs. Personally, I love this trend because the colors are usually vibrant, and the vintage look is refreshing as opposed to the minimalist neutral tones we have been seeing.
The other trend that is predicted for 2023 is retro line art and illustrations. Again, I have seen this start to pop up again in the past year or so. This 70s-inspired design is super colorful and nostalgic-feeling. Many artists and designers are starting to use this style in their work in many forms. We’ve seen this style on tote bags, t-shirts, prints, and even tapestries. I also really enjoy this style because it is so colorful and happy. It is refreshing to see these designs coming around after what feels like years of minimalist neutral designs. I am interested to see how these styles will spill over into 2023!
– Kathryn Tucker, Junior Designer
The marketing world has changed dramatically this past year. Different things matter to different types of people, which continues to change throughout the years. Consumer culture is booming, and priorities have shifted. Speed and convenience reign over all other categories – efficiency is key! Get to the next level in 2023 by implementing new trends and taking advantage of powerful marketing opportunities.