The world is rapidly changing, influencing how customers act and buy. Staying updated on these global contexts is a tough task for brands, as it requires them to constantly follow what’s happening in culture, fashion, ecology, politics and the economy.

In its trends forecast for this year, titled Creative Trends 2023: Ready to Escape?, Depositphotos has distilled its creative insights into seven key themes to watch, summarised by the idea of escapism as a new customer mindset.

Recent years have been turbulent, and even now no one can predict when the hard times will end. To adapt to our new reality, people search for support in memories, nature and fiction.

On one hand, imagination and a love for life have become factors that support us. On the other hand, innovative technologies provide us with crutches in the form of AR, VR, and AI to challenge reality. Let’s take a closer look at each creative trend to see which one might work best for you.

ANIME THRILL

“What fascinates us most about anime is the message of positivity that exists in most of them,” say Brazilian creative duo Monga D. It’s hard not to agree. No matter what distant worlds Japanese cartoons feature or how unrealistic their characters look, their core stories are simple and universal.

Anime immerses millennials in their childhood dreams, which may help businesses targeting this audience build an emotional connection with them. The illustrative style is also inexpensive and allows you to stand out from other brands, as most still use photos and videos.

BACK TO THE WILD

Traditional tourism is losing followers. Modern travellers prefer to be spontaneous, delve deep into local culture and stay in closer touch with nature. Moreover, each of them wants to be a pioneer and see something that no one has before.

In recent months, content images, music and videos that fall into categories such as ‘outdoors’, ‘backpacking’ and ‘rewilding’ have at least doubled in demand. And in terms of user interfaces, we’ll see more mobile-first designs developed for those who are often on the road. 

A WONDERFUL AGE

The average human life expectancy is increasing, which means the number of campaigns targeted at older generations will increase too. And what we have now is a growing percentage of older celebrities and a large pool of newly minted influencers on social media, with Dinner and Dance and Shirley Curry among them. Their audience goes far beyond people of their age.

“Older people deserve the same high-quality and highly customised services we typically address to others. Perhaps we should … realise that it is true innovation – societal and cultural – that we need well before design,” says Nic Palmarini, the director of the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing.

ETHEREAL WORLD

During times of uncertainty, many want to fantasise about the possibilities of magic. In 2023, 20th-century magical realism concepts and visual illusions are becoming popular again, appearing everywhere from digital art to fabrics.

Blurring, for example, is a popular method of image and video post-processing. It uses ‘dreamy’ contrasting pairs, such as purple and green, deep shades, and futuristic shapes.

EYE ON SUSTAINABILITY

“Design with standard paper formats, minimise paper weight, use recycled paper, reuse or recycle the waste you generate, print double-sided,” advises Núria Vila, a creative director and designer who aims to achieve a positive environmental impact from her work.

With climate change still being one of the most challenging global issues today, more and more creators, opinion leaders and brands have joined the zero-impact movement, using the issue in an effort to engage their audiences.

WELLNESS UPGRADE

As evidenced by the growth in searches related to ‘meditative music’ (+660% over the last year) and ‘calming backgrounds’ (+600%), modern healthcare businesses are aiming to surround their customers with care and support wherever they are by using multimedia technologies, including AR and VR.

The development of the immersive wellness business also creates a specific demand for designers: now, they have to work on projects that combine online and offline experiences.

Nohlab, a studio focused on producing interdisciplinary experiences around art, design and technology, says: “Being in an immersive environment makes people experience an art piece in 360 degrees. This puts the person directly inside the wellness experience and helps them feel more relaxed, calm and rejuvenated.”

A BLAST OF JOY

In recent months, social media has been flooded with content that romanticises each small aspect of life. Add to the mix the popularity of feel-good activities and so-called ‘dopamine dressing’ – where people wear clothes that boost their mood – and the concept of modern hedonism becomes clearer.

Food, home decor and outdoor experiences are important aspects of enjoying life. However, it all starts with the clothes you wear in the morning. “Maximalism is … dressing in a way that is the truest version of yourself and showing how multifaceted, eclectic and fun we are. It is bold and brings joy to the wearer, and on occasion it brings joy to those around you,” Thalia Castro-Vega, personal stylist and maximalist content creator, tells Depositphotos.

Explore more insights, view statistics and read expert opinions here: Creative Trends 2023: Ready to Escape?