Take inspiration from all these booming industries and start connecting to new clients!
Online Dating
Before the pandemic, online dating had seen a decline in popularity. As it seemed to become a societal norm it seemed to put people off. However, the pandemic left singles without many other options. There was a 32.5% growth in dating app users in 2016 but this reduced to just a 5.3% increase in 2019 but then saw an 18.4% increase during the early stages of the pandemic. When it comes to design, online dating apps are very diverse as it depends on the target market; over the 50s, LGBTQ+, young, sexual or seriously romantic. A consistent colour theme and round font (as to suggest the casual nature of the app since most often it is not professional but personal serviced being offered) seem to sit centre stage.
Cannabis
The world’s most used drug is soaring in popularity. 50% of Americans believe that it should be fully legalised and thanks to the medical properties of CBD, cannabis is becoming more and more accepted. Verena of Gossamer – a CBD product in the US – remarks that “what’s interesting about CBD, and obviously cannabis, on the whole, is how broad the demographics of our consumer is {…} What it means to identify with cannabis has expanded from a certain type of person to anyone from my parents’ friends who, if you asked them two years ago, would have said ‘no, not for me’. If you look at a fair amount of CBD or wellness brands, you’ll find lots of white models, white women laughing, white women on the beach. Verena continues that “there is a course correction that needs to happen from a design perspective to make sure that people are being represented in the fullest form in terms of who consumes drugs across all races, all genders and all socio-economic, geographic backgrounds.”
Mushrooms
Random right? Yeah, we thought so too but did you know that from 2019 to 2020, the demand for mushroom product branding and design rose 100%. Why exactly? Well if we look back at the trends of 2019 and 2020 we can see that the health industry has been booming and with the US’ legalisation of cannabis in many states, the properties of shrooms are also being desired. A recent global study of 4,000 consumers revealing that 62% of people are open to trying mushroom-based products for their health benefits. Mushrooms are beautiful and unusual plants that lend themselves to attractive marketing aesthetics. Expect to see illustration-style imagery, modern geometric patterns and an overall “modern, edgy health product” look and feel.
Alternative Alcohol
Due to its poor impacts on physical health, mental health and aging, many Millenials and Gen Z are choosing to ditch or at least avoid alcohol for the most part. Requests for alternative alcohol designs rose 257% in the past three years, shooting up 215% between 2019 and 2020. Virgin cocktails and spirits are becoming less ‘geek’ and more ‘chic’ by the month. Where alternative meat has hit the market big time, with chains like Wasabi offering vegan salmon and chicken katsu options, we are seeing alternative alcohol go in a similar direction. When it comes to the graphic design and illustration surrounding alcohol alternatives, the design isn’t straying much from its naughtier cousin; alcohol. It stays true to chic shapes and misty finishes using high-end designs that are either extremely modern with bold shapes and colours or classically gorgeous with intricate gold accents.
Digital Health
2020 and its pandemic enforced us to learn how to make do of everything online. GP checkups moved from the clinic to the phone, personal trainers worked over zoom and yoga classes were replaced by Yoga with Adrienne’s YouTube series. 93% of people who have used digital and online health services in the past year are planning to continue using them in 2021 and beyond. Over the past three years, the demand for design work in this space has risen by 176% and the use of green sits centre-stage encouraged by the more time needed to spend outside caused by lockdowns.
