Adobe’s unique vantage point into the world of creative and visual trends gives it invaluable insight into the social, cultural, and artistic movements driving the direction of visual arts—from photography, illustration, motion graphics, cinematography, and 3D effects.
Of course, Adobe’s Stock team shares visual trends they see every year, but for 2020 they’ve applied the same insight to design and motion trends, including it into the comprehensive 2020 Adobe Visual Trends Forecast.
The world continues to get smaller as it gets more connected and trends and ideas go from being regional to global, from politics to internet memes, the web and social media have created a worldwide lingua franca that both challenges creative professionals to keep pace but also presents an opportunity to be inspired by founts previously unknown.
We continue to redefine their relationships with brands, expecting companies to connect their customers on ideals and principles such as inclusion, sustainability, and authenticity. Younger consumers are placing more value on experiences while also rewarding brands that hold the same values and provide more than just a product.
Adobe’s 2020 Visual Trends shows how inclusion isn’t limited to showing diverse faces, but presenting a more authentic image beyond stereotypes and traditional ideals. Cosmetic diversity isn’t good enough anymore either; real inclusion is a legitimate visual representation of the diverse world we live in.
OK, Boomer, You’re In Too
According to the United Nations, globally, the population is getting older, and by 2050, the UN projects that 1-in-6 people in the world will be aged 65 and older. Advancements in medicine and science, as well as telecommunications, have given seniors a greater voice in the global discourse, and the continued purchasing power and political influence have brands on notice—seniors aren’t the frail and helpless caricatures the media portrays them as.
Hit Them In The Feels
While some of your favorite Instagram accounts portray a life of leisure and globetrotting indulgence, most folks express a range of emotions on social media, from anger, sadness, and frustration to joy, elation, and accomplishment. Conventional wisdom would dictate brands steer clear of anything that construed as negative, but consumers today are looking for authenticity because most lives are both sweet and salty.
Makeup Isn’t A Mask
Makeup is no longer something one uses to hide flaws but rather an instrument of self-expression and artistry, which isn’t limited by gender. Makeup isn’t about fitting in, it’s about standing out, and millions follow top makeup artists (MUA) on Instagram and YouTube, for inspiration, tutorials, and recommendations.
We’re All In This Together
People want to share their money with brands that hold similar values and support the causes that are vital to them. While the notion of “conscious consumer” conjures up images of woke Millenials and Gen-Zers, folks of all stripes expect brands to take a stand. Images of community and reflective of positive lifestyle choices connect most with consumers.
Adobe Design Trends
In addition to releasing their annual visual trends, Adobe Stock partnered with Behance and Adobe Creative Cloud Marketing to identify this year’s design trends, which include handmade humanism, art-deco, modern gothic, and semi-surrealism. Although these are disparate design aesthetics, the overall meta-trend focuses on the blending of the real with the imagined, classic with contemporary, organic and synthetic, allegories of humanity’s fondness for nostalgia while it continues to accelerate towards a more connected future. Adobe Stock plans to go further in-depth into these design trends later this year.
Adobe Motion Trends
Also new for 2020, Adobe Stock will dive into motion trends. Sustainability looms large, with environmental documentary footage seeing an uptick. Eye-catching neon and motion response are also seen as becoming more dominant, as they serve to engage with audiences. Finally, the pendulum is swinging away from the functional and geometric towards fluid, organic, and abstract.
The full Adobe Stock Trends can be found here, with more on design and motion trends coming later this year.
