Is art direction dying? 🎨
Plus, the downsides of minimalism, whispers of 80s jewelry trends and reality TV isn't slowing down.
Welcome back, Scanner!
How has your summer been so far? Have you hosted a café day at your place? Bought your apocalypse bucket? Or maybe you’ve been busy watching dating exposés on TikTok. We won’t judge how you spend the dog days of summer, as long as you’re remembering to watch for signals in the spaces you frequent (online and off). If your reading list is feeling a bit light right now, you’re in the right place. We’ve gathered up some of the hottest signals on our team’s radar into a juicy edition that’s ripe for the picking.
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Time to dive in! (Just not into the Seine)
📅 CURRENT
Tired of “Clean Girl?” Decadence May Be What You Need
What’s changing?
After years of minimalist makeup, outfits and social posts, excess is trickling back into some industries. First, we noticed the mob wife aesthetic in the fall. Now, the “1980s jewelry” trend is a whisper among those in the know. Instead of dainty jewelry, think big, bold pieces. Major luxury retailers are selling huge earrings, brooches are back and bangles are being spotted on the red carpet.
Why does it matter?
Fashion trends are often indicative of the larger consumer sentiment. When things are hard, we opt for longer hemlines and, perhaps counterintuitively, tend to accessorize more. We don’t need to yap about the current state of most of our finances, but it’s no secret that things haven’t been easy. Instead of leaning into the doom and gloom, people are finding ways to still have fun with their looks. We know fashion quickly trickles into other industries, so what should you watch out for as a digital marketer?
What could happen next?
Let’s zoom out of this signal a bit. There’s been an economic downturn, people still want to be fun and fashionable, little treat culture is all the rage… How can marketing and marketers speak to people who still want to express themselves but need to be cautious about spending? Can we both “add value” and help them be bold, fun and a part of something? Could we see maximalism continue to grow as a trend? What could this mean for social media trends? Or design?
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 📅 / 5
😲 SURPRISING
Are We Experiencing the Death of Art Direction?
What’s changing?
While we’re seeing some tricklings of maximalism coming back in, we’re still in the era of minimalism. As fashion brands continue to “sans-serify” their campaigns, art directors are losing the meaning of their roles. Brands like Yves Saint Laurent (now Saint Laurent), Balmain, Gucci and Valentino “helvetica’d” their logos to simple, sans-serif versions. Recently, Burberry pivoted away from their sans-serif font to a new one, but other fashion houses aren’t doing the same (yet). Once distinct and influential, campaign photos have taken on a very un-lifestyled, boring and simple look.
Why does it matter?
There's a reason behind this simplification; by removing distractions, products are front and center (and easily shared across social media and websites). But, we've seen signals around Gen Z, particularly caring less about how brands sell to them and more about what the brand stands for. If every logo and social feed looks the same, how can someone with digital fatigue find an ounce of care?
What could happen next?
Sans-serification. AI generators. Content online has all the tools to become very same-same across brands. That makes it hard for marketers to find inspiration that isn't also the same. It's easy to think that this could signal creativity's end, but we must remember that people get bored. We are already seeing a resurgence of 80s opulence, led by the fashion industry. This could be an excellent opportunity to stand out when everyone else is going bland.
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲😲😲
/ 5
🎯 SPECIFIC
Dating Horror Stories Are Taking TikTok by Storm
What’s changing?
Were you even on the internet in July if you didn’t encounter at least mention of Brooke Schofield and Clinton Kane? The former couple have taken to TikTok to share their sides of their (toxic) relationship. Inspired by Reesa Teesa’s “who the F* did I marry” series, Brooke and Clinton started their videos with variations of that (now iconic) line. Years ago, the “storytime” format was a YouTube staple. Now, we’re seeing it take on a life of its own on short-form video platforms.
Why does it matter?
We’ve wondered for a while when we’ll see a significant resurgence of long-form content. Platforms like Substack are gaining popularity and creators are flocking to formats like vlogs and storytime videos to share their lives. But we haven’t seen YouTube take off quite like it has in the past. Maybe it’s because we’ve been looking at long-form content wrong. Could it be that consumers really want LOTS of short, digestible content (that tells a bigger story) paired with an interactive format? Probably.
What could happen next?
Time and time again, we are reminded that people love juicy stories. It’s a big part of why reality TV has done well for decades without slowing down. Love Island USA was the most watched reality TV show in June and July; unsurprisingly, since they focus on excellent storytelling (that builds over time), a compelling cast and a LOT of content (we’re talking daily 1 hour shows). The interactive element social media adds to shows and content series these days is just the cherry on top. Will we see more brands and creators adopt the format?
Scan-o-meter: 🎯🎯🎯
/ 5
🔍 TREND REPORT IRL
Updates from our Trend Forecast
We loved sharing our first Trend Report with you back in January. As the year goes on, we’ll continue investigating signals that further the conversation around our forecast. Here’s what we’re watching this week:
People want close friends only: Smaller agencies are winning major accounts.
People want a whole new world: Writer shares their experience attending a Roblox Theater performance.
People want guaranteed value: Athletes don’t want Nike or Adidas anymore. They want brands that align with their personal values.
🤔
BEFORE YOU GO
To help keep these signals top-of-mind, we share 1 question to ask yourself (or your team) in each edition. Your question to mull on this week is:
See you next time 👋