To stand out from your competition, make sure you put on some creative hats. First, you may choose the hat of adaptability. Customers have adapted to the way they interact with the brands. It is high time that the companies do the same. The pandemic, political movements, and climatic events have paved a way for some unmissable branding trends to emerge in 2022. 

The job of branding is to define a business and set it apart from its competitors. Attractive visuals are no more a key in the era of digital affluence. “Relevance in the time of global crisis” is a major challenge faced by agile marketers. 

While the answer at this moment is vague, one way is to flex your muscle of adaptability. Learn, re-learn, and unlearn about branding strategies. Look around a little and the customers will tell you what they respond to.  Branding techniques of the past render irrelevant with changing times. For instance, when the pandemic hit, the consumers moved their focus from self-actualization and esteem to belonging and safety needs. 

Here is a brief list of emerging trends for your brands to prosper in 2022!

• Be Human 

No matter the audience you cater to - B2B or B2C, decision-makers are human beings and not systems. Does your brand appeal or repeal the human you are trying to reach? The way you love to be recognized, customers also have a desire to stand out in the eyes of the brand. Familiarity and comfort are key takeaways for any potential customer.

Add human elements to your brand approach. Social media and strong photography are add-ons. Incorporate your team members on social platforms. This drives engagement and resonance. 

• Adaptable logo 

Keep in mind, the platforms to market your business on have increased. This includes the traditional model of marketing (print media/television/radio) and online media of marketing (social media platforms). A clean and simple logo in varying sizes will find its place everywhere. 

Also, your logo can convey important messages apart from the brand identity. For instance, the International fast-food chain McDonalds changed its logo to promote social distancing. 

• Nostalgic Branding 

Nostalgia is a great way to reaffirm customers’ trust in your brand. Burger King’s rebrand to its old logo was a huge hit as it fostered customer loyalty and brought back good memories. Even if your business is pretty new on the block, you can still experiment with retro trends relatable to your brand.  

• Exclusive and Paid Content 

The pandemic resulted in a huge loss of jobs in the media industry. The era witnessed a rise of paid newsletters successfully led by Substack. The shift from algorithm-powered news feed to age-old newsletters is questionable but optimists have huge hopes. 

• Become Meme-worthy 

A study found that memes would take over the world just like the bubonic plague. This internet subculture has now permeated mainstream communications. Nonetheless, this tongue-in-cheek humor drives engagement. Leverage the power of “meme plague” to your benefit in the year 2022. 

Conclusion 

As a result of changing perception and the importance of holistic acceptance, brands need to be more thoughtful and conscious in their representation. Some trends pick up and stick around for long as compared to others. But the humanistic approach is to mainstay and no more a fleeting trend.