Why an Overtly Corporate Image Is No Longer Seen As Trustworthy.
Most people wanted to belong with brands, but today most people want to be the brands.
The period between 2010 and 2016 marked a cultural transformation driven by Instagram, with the rise of personal branding and the elevation of self-image through insanely curated content. Historically, it was the brands, celebrities, and politicians who shaped personas and marketed themselves to the world. Today however; That is all of us—every individual shaping their own narrative. So zooming out, what has this shift really done to our collective perception of brands as a society?
Following the tech boom, many brands adopted the strategies that helped position major companies as trustworthy. They embraced clean, minimal aesthetics, flawless imagery, and often a blandness trying to appeal to everyone. Unsurprisingly, this felt like an escape to a generation raised in a world of overconsumption fueled by the rapid take off of the internet. This approach held great appeal for a demographic who was completely over stimulated. Simple was selling and brands were listening. Maximalism was out. No wonder the millennial grey epidemic happened. No wonder putting in effort made you uncool.
A decade later, everything around us feels devoid of authenticity. This pursuit has made people afraid to show real personality, leaving us an artificiality that has everyone suspicious of anything different. The brands that will thrive are the ones that truly get how people feel and respond in ways that connect with them.
Today, we long for the subtle imperfections and informalities of the human touch that remind us of ourselves. People today crave playfulness and are drawn to brands who’s aesthetics remind them of a past we once took for granted—creating a nostalgia for techniques we’ve left behind. People gravitate toward brands who don’t feel like they are pretending to care about us, but that genuinely inspire us. We’re seeing deliberately imperfect content that’s polished enough to get its messaging across but not so perfect that it feels unrelatable. Unconventional websites with a 'zine-like grunge are also gaining popularity as everyone is craving an edge that’s been missing. The narrative goal has reversed. Now everyone wants to be perceived as humble, authentic, and quirky. This is a great moment for us to pause and reflect on how we’ve just witnessed a trend cycle come full circle.
It’s vital for a brand to have a foundation that is flexible enough to adapt to trends, but strong enough not to depend on them. Thankfully, authenticity is just as important as inclusivity which means room has been made for your brand’s personality to shine. As the era of corporate sterilization fades, we’re embracing a bit of organized chaos with design heading in a new direction. Our longing for nostalgia can coexist with evolving technology, because a world without it has simply become boring. Now the pressure is off from being perfect– at least until we collectively decide it’s back on.
- Blake Kinne