Shopping trends and the dominant visual design elements develop hand in hand. They are the method and the message. The way we shop determines the requirements for the structural elements of a package, setting limitations and creating opportunities. Visual design elements then play a role in accentuating the highlights of the experience and articulating the emotion we feel at first glance and touch.
In this special report, we analyze 5 visual design trends through specific case studies that lay the groundwork for what will continue to define design in 2017. From there we extrapolate these learnings to explore 8 emerging consumer shopping trends. These trends affect the way consumers experience and interact with a product which, in turn, shapes how packaging is conceived and designed.
When analyzing the trends present across the increasingly dynamic design landscape, there was one unifying idea. Despite the diversity of styles exhibited, the different messages and slogans, and the variety of products, they were all connected by a similar philosophy. As each movement rebels against the one that came before it, we gain an understanding of what fuels these trends. We also learn more about our culture and the spirit of the time as it is expressed by some of our most important visual communicators—packaging designers.
