Are Trends Any Good For Branding?

Brand Impact Awards chair Nick Carson discusses the role that trends play in branding with previous BIA winners and judges

However hard agencies fight against it, branding has always been subject to stylistic trends. Whether brands embrace or resist the status quo, the fact that some kind of aesthetic benchmark exists remains significant.

Arguably, there’s some value in a new launch sharing certain visual characteristics with the rest of its sector. It helps build familiarity and trust, as a sort of visual shorthand for consumers. There’s no denying that standing out is always easier if you position yourself against the grain of a trend, but you must work a lot harder to do so successfully.

For WolffOlins’ chief creative officer Chris Moody, co-chair of this year’s Brand Impact Awards judges, it’s clear which route to take. His view is that trends are to be avoided at all costs. “House styles suck, trends suck, looking like your competitors sucks,” he says.

“I rate originality and distinctiveness above craft – sometimes even above practicality,” Moody goes on. “Creative movements are circle jerks that only satisfy those in them. Designers should care less about what other designers think, and more about exciting, surprising and energising the end user.”

It’s a rousing call to arms, and few designers worth their salt would disagree with the notion that the end user should be front and centre for key design decisions. However, trends still have their place in some designers’ creative processes.

“In their early stages, trends can be useful to help align you with a style of work, a movement,” says Rob Coke, an executive creative director based at Output, which was a winner at last year’s BIAs for its BBC Sport rebrand. “The brand benefits from being seen as contemporary, part of the culture. It’s possible to be part of it and yet put a different spin on it.”