TREND REPORT

TREND REPORT
2007
FONTS
SANS TRENDS
kinds of information. The usual result is simply irritating. But some of the
By John D. Berry, creativepro.com contributing editor
recent examples do seem to work, against expectations.
One trend, of course, that just keeps picking up steam is the one that I
Flyers and programs in the last couple of years from the San Francisco
devoted my most recent two columns to: the widespread use of humanist
Museum of Modern Art have used as many as three different sans-serif
sans serif typefaces, and the creation of more and more new fonts to
typefaces in the same piece, which is usually an invitation to chaos; most
satisfy this demand.
of the time, though, the result has, somehow, worked. The “New Yorker”
magazine has been using in its printed pages the old-style serif typeface
At the same time, the use of naïve industrial typefaces, designed to look
“undesigned,” seems to be, if anything, accelerating. The clunky look of
Sabon for its “fine print,” including for quotations within a column of their
normal text face, Adobe Caslon. This is startling to those of us who know
highway signage is in style on the page. Font Bureau’s Interstate has
something about the history of typefaces (although both are 20th-century
been popular for years, and the original German industrial standard DIN
typefaces, Sabon’s roots are two centuries older than Adobe Caslon’s), and
Schrift has been augmented by FontShop’s FF DIN. Mark van Bronkhorst’s
it’s certainly not the choice I would have made if I’d been designing the
studiedly untutored ITC Conduit has been expanded recently into a very
magazine’s pages, but it works better than you might expect. (Of course,
large type family. Typefaces of this general style are being used all over, not
the “New Yorker”’s typography is haphazard enough that this is not one of
just as an accent but also as regular text and display type in extended use.
the most irritating of its typographic nettles.)
Perhaps it’s just a sort of corollary of this trend, but Matthew Carter’s
functional screen font Verdana, with its stripped-down but legible serifless
design, is popping up in uses far from the computer screen—ads,
brochures, book covers, billboards. (I haven’t seen his companion serif face,
Georgia, used anywhere near as much off the screen.)
And I’ve seen more and more unusual mixes of typefaces in the same
piece—not contrasting styles and not obviously complementary ones, but
different faces of the same general kind, mixed up and used together. As
a rule of thumb, this is something to avoid, because it can so easily lead
to confusion; the differences are enough to be subconsciously noticeable,
but not enough to make a real contrast and differentiate between different
FONTS
MYFONTS.COM
FONTS
VEER.COM
PANTONE.COM
COLOR
Spring 2007
Silver Peony
Carafe
Golden Olive
Tarragon
Burnt Ochre
Spring Crocus
Opal Gray
Chili Pepper
Rococo Red
Golden Apricot
Stargazer
Pink Mist
Hollyhock
Shale Green
Croissant
Green Sheen
Dusk
Freesha
Grapemist
Green Moss
Cantaloupe
Café Cremè
Lemon Curry
Daiquiri Green
Strawberry Ice
Cashmere Rose
Snorkel Blue
Sky Blue
Purple Wine
Silver Gray
Fall 2007
Spring 2008
COLOR
COLOR
PANTONE’S “COLOR OF THE YEAR” FOR 2008
HOT COLOR & BACKGROUND TRENDS FOR 2008
Pantone has selected its “Color of the Year” for 2008:
Color Marketing Group, based in Alexandria, VA, has for decades sought to
forecast color trends years in advance, giving its members a better chance
to get their production schedules in sync with consumer tastes.
Blue Iris Pantone 18-3943
The company said the blue-purple blend
combines “the stable and calming aspects of
blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities
of purple,” and suggested this hue “satisfies
the need for reassurance in a complex world,
while adding a hint of mystery and excitement.”
SIGNATURE COLORS
According to CMG, environmental interests, politics and technology
continues to play out:
Looking “Green”: People want things they wear and things they use
now to look “green,” no matter what color they are. In 2008, looking
stylish means looking natural. Materials will look hand-made, un-dyed
and unbleached. Products will look more like what they’re actually made
of, with lots of texture and all the natural imperfections proudly showing
through. Off-whites, sandy and linen-y colors, rock and soil colors,
brownish-greens—the colors of nature are seriously fashionable now.”
There’s News in Blues in 2008: The “trust me” color will continue to show
up on candidates’ ties this election year. But in all areas of decor, blues
that remind us of sky and water—inspired by environmentalism—remain
prominent, even in the kitchen. New next year will be the emergence of a
much blacker blue inspired by technology—a deep, vibrant navy so dark
you’ll swear it’s black.
Specialized Finishes, Warmer Metallics: Advances in technology have
made shimmery, specialized finishes really hot. But in 2008, metallics will
go warmer. After so many years of brushed chrome and nickel, look for
warmer shades—coppery, bronze-y tones—to prevail.
More Ethnic Accents: Globalism continues to inspire our love for ethnic
accent colors. They’re coming to us from India, China and Latin America.
To Moroccan reds and glowing oranges, add rosy pinks, sunny golden
yellows and lots of turquoise. Already here in fashion and home design,
these ethnic accents will show up as “punch” colors in hotels, restaurants
and retail environments, too—often paired with rich browns as neutrals.
LOGOS
2007 TRENDS
By Bill Gardner, logolounge.com
The full 2007 trend report follows. Whether we are noting social, conceptual
or aesthetic trends, remember that none of them exist in a vacuum or in a
At LogoLounge.com we look at A LOT of logos and see plenty of trends:
single moment in time. They are results of many trends before them and
Some are aesthetic, some conceptual, and some cultural. As the internet’s
are developing taproots as we speak. Also, you will note some amount
largest database of logos—over 50,000 to date—you can’t help notice the
of aesthetic crossover between trends. For instance, the Dos Helix and
evolution of design—and trends.
Ribbon trends do show similarities. But with these categories and all
others, we are more interested in the difference between their fundamental
For instance, we have seen many more 3-D logos that are designed to be
concepts. Our observations are just that—observations. They are not
in motion, never still or flat. These designs have completely shaken the
recommendations. Finally, they are presented in no particular order.
earthly bonds of CMYK and exist only in ethereal RGB: The old logo design
rules just don’t apply to them.
Another development: Today, for many trends there is now a countertrend—
and this is not only the case for logo design. The public and its likes
and dislikes have become fragmented across the spectrum. Companies
DOS HELIX
who need logos and designers who create logos are forced to respond
Deoxyribonucleic acid really sounds like the last thing that could influence
accordingly. It has become increasingly difficult to simply look in one
design until you knock it down to the initials DNA. It’s the root of life and
direction or the other.
the code responsible for the past and the future of any living entity. The
double helix strand has now transcended the field of science and, over the
It is also becoming disturbingly clear that logo design has become a public
last generation, moved comfortably into the field of pop culture.
sport. As the public controls their own media more and more—Tivo-ing this,
blogging that, YouTube-ing and Googling everything else—people are no
longer satisfied to simply consume what is placed before them: They have
Hollywood has turned DNA into the glow-in-the-dark plot twist of CSI
“insert city here”. The design community has latched onto the twisting
opinions they want to share. So when a large corporation reveals its new
double helix structure as the public now sees this shape as a spark of life
identity, there are hundreds of internet sites flinging their opinions back at
or the signature of an individual. Representing the genus or the seed of
it. Even when the village board of Remote votes on a new logo for its two
life, health and longevity, a family tree, a code, a mystery, or an unbroken
police cars, citizens take to the streets waving pitchforks and copies of
sequence, these strands have a certain symbolic power that can be agreed
their own designs. Committeecide seems to be rampant.
upon by science or religion alike.
LOGOS
RUBBER BANDS
ECO SMART
Invista, one of the world’s largest integrated fiber businesses, most
The loudest drum for the corporate world to stay in step with continues to
succinctly laid claim to this look in 2003 with “the rings of innovation”
be sustainability. In one form or another, our ecological welfare has been
designed by Enterprise IG. It’s easy to imagine the global aspect of the
the crux of a trend in every report LogoLounge has released. The fact that
company and the interlinking products and efforts with the bisecting fiber
we are still reporting its influence is not an agenda but is testament to the
like rings. (though to the public or an untrained eye, this may well look like a
sustainability of sustainability. These Eco Smart identities are simply getting
random assembly of rubber bands in your top desk drawer). This is a trend
smarter. Trees and leaves are still there, but the application has taken a
that connects directly to directions from previous years—Natural Spirals
more intelligent approach. It could be that some prior adopters of green
and Cave Rings, specifically. This is chaos and geometry coming together.
identities were merely giving lip service to the cause. It’s not just about
adopting the color green. These logos are blended with an application and
an ethos, more sensitive to the environment.
RADIANCE
Not since the introduction of day-glow ink has there been this kind of
illumination in the design industry. The brilliance of light is pervasive, and
it seems to have found new ways to manifest itself. Radiance comes from
the sun, but it is also beaming from water, pearls, books, and even the
LIT
X-Box in an alien sort of way. The diversity of application ranges broadly
Designers continue to play havoc with the remnants of the rules set forth
from transparent overlays, gradients, and reflections, to lens flares, and
years ago for logo design. Production limitations are no longer relevant
animation. These marks have a certain warmth that conveys comfort not
as marks vault into CMYK. In addition, many designers and clients
to dissimilar from the light at the end of the tunnel. This glow may become
have figured out that they will never, ever print their logos in the Yellow
more prevalent as we try to convey optimism, purity, warmth or escape. But
Pages – so producing at least one version that is 2-D and one-color is not
the fallback position for this much wattage is still a guiding light or source
necessary at all.
of knowledge.
LOGOS
shelf clutter, enshrined in nearly every designer’s desk collection. First
made popular in Hong Kong by Michael Lau in the 90’s, these imaginative
imps have become highly collectable and have entire stores, KidRobot and
magazines, Super 7, dedicated to their notoriety. The art of Tim Biskup may
PSEUDO CREST
start on canvas but it soon translates to designer vinyl characters.
Mix a little nose-in-the-air, overly stodgy, family coat of arms with a sharp
tongue-in-the-cheek, Napoleon Dynamite liger, and you have something
that approximates a Pseudo Crest. For the high school and college
market, Jason Schulte’s firm, Office, built a best-of-class brand for Target
with the Independent Studies line. At first glance, most of these look like
they’ve been lifted from a heraldry 101 style book, until you scrutinize the
HUBS
composition elements. Only at this point are you likely to see wrenches,
Last year, Apurba Sen from India contacted LogoLounge after he had
guitars, penguins, shoes, cell phones and anything else you’d never expect
taken a few hundred Web 2.0 logos and arranged them based on the
to find in Camelot. This is a youth anthem; and designers have identified
trends recognized in LogoLounge reports over the last 3 years. It was
this as a source language for fashion culture and the music industry. In fact,
an interesting experiment and served to confirm several of our previous
this is a modern trend you will see everywhere, despite its roots in heraldry
categories. But one abundant group of these logos that found no harbor
and even other intricate patterning like Victorian wallpaper.
with previous trends was the Hub.
DESCENDING DOTS
URBAN VINYL
With very few exceptions, these logos are made out of a series of dots
Charlie the Tuna and the Jolly Green Giant, these are not. Advertising
either ascending or descending in scale consecutively. Most of these logos
characters have danced the line between logos and mascot for years. Even
depict motion to help advance their message. Imagine using this language
the Cingular Jack was a bit of a hybrid with a personality that animation
as a shorthand for static animation. It’s basically the Eadweard Muybridge
played out beyond the printed page. Urban vinyl is a subculture that is
stop-motion freeze-frames-turned-logo, except each earlier frame is a bit
starting to cross over into design. These small characters are ubiquitous
dimmer or smaller than the next.
LOGOS
FLORA
OVERLAP
Let’s just make the assumption if you water a logo and give it adequate
In some respects, this is an evolution of last yearís Overlay trend and a
sunlight, it will start to grow a rhythmic crop of vines, buds, blooms and
definite continuation of the strong transparency genre in logo design. While
other fantasies of a botanical nature. These may be further evolution
still relying on relatively flat color overlay–like so many layers of colored
of last year’s Embellish trend, or they could just be another subset of
lighting gels–this direction is more concerned with linkage. These logos
a larger trend. This would be a direction that uses borrowed remnants
describe sets and subsets as an analogy for the literal connections within
of a patterned, Victorian era to attach a delicate human quality to the
a corporation. Remember that transparency is a strong buzzword in the
hard outer shell of an other wise sterile logo. Detail of this nature is
corporate world: The need to be fiscally and otherwise transparent to the
inherently engaging and asks the consumer to participate visually in a non-
public, employees, and investors is an essential trait.
confrontational fashion.
3D
HALF
For years, logos have been taking on more dimensional characteristics as
An optimistic outlook will assure us these logos are half full. Engaging the
they have become puffier, reflective, or glassine. But in general, these are
public to participate with the identity has always been a strong method
more of an affected surface treatment, as opposed to an all-out “Here’s
of building a tie to a logo. That “aha!” moment, when clever information
what my backside looks like.” As soon as a logo takes on full three-
assimilates and comes into focus, is the moment we take ownership in
dimensional qualities, unanticipated questions start to arise. If I spin the
an entity. The secret here is not to bury the punch line so deeply that the
logo a quarter turn, is it still my logo? If I zoom in on it from an angle that
consumer never gets to it. Here, the missing half of a visual element tells
obscures, is it still my logo? If I turn the lights down on it, is it still my
the story.
logo? If I go through traditional trademark channels, can I register this
dimensional object from any perspective?
LOGOS
OTHER TRENDS THAT ARE HERE AND EMERGING:
Animotion: Noted at the start of this article, these logos are designed to be
in motion as opposed to logos that are designed flat and then animated.
OPTICALINE
Wreaths: Lots of elements, sometimes so delicate that they would not
Who doesn’t stop mid-step when confronted by an optical illusion? We just
have previously been considered to be part of a logo design, assembled
feel compelled to give it a second look and evaluate it. Whether we look at
into a patterned whole.
these as a challenge or an amusement, they demand our attention. Optical
illusions are generally linear in nature and have an M. C. Escher quality
Rainbows: Possibly growing from the buzzword “inclusiveness,” likely
to them that challenge the laws of physics. Or they may seem innocent
emerging from clients’ greater tolerance for brighter colors, but definitely
enough until they rotate on you, or dip into a new perspective on your
fed by RGB.
second glance.
Numbers: Inserting a numeral into a word in place of a letter, ideally to
further the meaning of a wordmark. Text messaging and IM-speak (instantmessage) is everywhere.
Holes: Designers are playing with the apparent surface of the paper.
Designs appear to disappear into or emerge from sinkholes or cuts.
RIBBONS
There are surely entire cities in China that owe their existence to the export
of magnetic cause ribbons. When did cause ribbon become a punch
line? Yes, we want to show we care, but the literal rainbow of causes have
become so diluted with this icon that its soul is on the verge of extinction.
There is not a lack of concern for these causes as much as a recognition
that we have been gorging ourselves at the ribbon trough too long and
maybe it’s time to purge.
Dragons: Lots and lots of dragons.
Big Benday: Hyper close-ups of benday dots. These dots overlap and
randomize. (Benday dots are a printing process which combines two (or
more) different small, colored dots to create a third color. Benday dots were
Roy Lichtenstein’s trademark, who was one of the leading pop artists of
the sixties with his comic-strip paintings, which were distinguished for thick
lines, bold colors and thought bubble.
Cartouches: Look for more and more shapes that are bracketed in one
way or another. (Example on the cover.)
LOGOS
11 TRENDS THAT DEFINED LOGO DESIGN IN 2007
By logoorange.com
Everyone wants to set the curve when it comes to style. No one wants to
REFLECTIONS
design out of a book of trends, but nevertheless, they emerge.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, what’s the hottest trend of all? It might just be
reflections. With Apple leading the way, looking like all their graphics were
set on a shiny table, others are sure to follow. Dubbed by some as “the new
drop shadow,” reflections are taking over, especially on the web.
TALK BOXES
This is an outgrowth of last year’s trend, even though these boxes have
been around a few years now. We don’t quite know who’s doing the talking,
RECTANGLE
but whoever it is, their bubble is popping up all over. This logo symbolizes
In a graphic world where you can do nearly anything, some companies are
communication, whether it be from the company or between its customers.
keeping it simple with shaded rectangles. Their logo, in a contrasting white,
LifeLogger, for instance, uses a speech bubble with a smile in it to illustrate
pops out from the background. Shadow boxes have historically been a sign
how users can communicate through them to friends. They continue the
of amateurish design, but this new generation of effective logos has shown
use of three-dimensional speech bubbles in creating avatars for their users,
that good design will always be in style. With the popularity of rounded
as illustrated to the right. In this way, the idea of communication represents
corners, these logos stand out with (oh no!) sharp edges and right angles.
the person themselves, showing the importance of contact.
CLOUDS
3D PUFFIES
Everyone remembers a time when they laid on their back in the grass,
Now that the industry has overcome the production issues of gradients,
staring at the clouds daydreaming or finding images in their puffs. Clouds
designers seem to prefer air-popped graphics to the flat drawings of yore.
are a powerful logo, conjuring imagery of dreams, creativity and playfulness.
Even desktop icons these days seem to have a rounded feel, like you
Sometimes clouds are combined with thought bubbles to invoke feelings of
might pop one with one good hard double-click. It’s a 2D world out there in
dreaminess. The clouds can be a 3D bubble or take on a flat feeling. Many
Internet land, and these 3D images really make Web pages and logos jump
of these cloud logos represent new ideas, hence the thought bubble.
out of the page.
LOGOS
HOT DOGS
These cute little Tic Tacs of color are popping up all over the design world.
TRANSPARENCY
Like many abstract symbols, the hot dogs can be used to mean many
Transparency is still hot. Many may gasp at the mere thought of using a
different things. Sometimes they denote movement or sound, such as in
shadow, but this updated version is nothing like the shadow boxes that
the logo for Snap. These lines, reminiscent of those drawn out of shocked
have plagued generic design. These invoke images of blending together.
cartoon people by children everywhere, can denote an idea, a feeling or
a literal meaning. But no matter how they’re used in design, they are a
powerful symbol of an upbeat emotion.
OUTLINES
Many are finding that nothing brings a logo to the next level like a
TRANSMISSION BEAM
With satellite tv and radio and wireless everything all the rage in the new
millennium, a transmission beams are a quick way to show that they are on
the cutting edge of technology. Many companies who use this logo trend
deal in internet information. The transmission beam, starting with a single
professionally done outline. These surrounding lines or shades can simply
run around the text or seem to encapsulate it in a bubble, as seen in the
picturecloud.com logo. These outlines can take text and make it seem as
though it’s one unit. Nicely done, these effects add sophistication and a
third dimension to logos.
dot (to represent the user), shows their ideas spreading out. It’s the perfect
symbol for publishing companies or blog sites.
PUNCTUATION
From smiley faces to complex illustrations, every day punctuation has
PEOPLE
gained a new life in the tech typing world of the internet. While some used
For companies that bring people together, these genderless little people
to only be used to denote the f-word, they’re now used in the young on-line
are shown in pairs or groups. They provide a visual indicator of coming
world on instant messaging, e-mailing and teen-speak in general. Now,
together. Others show just one of these symbols, usually as an avatar for
these symbols have jumped out of instant messaging and onto billboards
their customer. Anyone looking for other people can be sure they’ve found
as of late, with their meanings left to the imagination of customers.
them when they see a logo with a buddy.
COLLATERAL
DESIGN TRENDS 2007
By Nancy Bernard, STEP Inside Design, March/April 2007
VARIATIONS WITHIN THEMES
BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK
LET’S GET HORIZONTAL
DISCIPLINED TYPOGRAPHY
SHINY, SHINY TEXTURES
VISUAL NARRATIVES
HIPPY PICTURES
COLLATERAL
COLLATERAL
COLLATERAL
CATALOGS
ILLUSTRATION
ILLUSTRATION
PACKAGING
EVENTS
PACKAGING TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2008
By Steven DuPuis, STEP Inside Design, November/December 2007
Because packaging is so closely linked to consumer preferences, it
EN
U
E
IN
C
FL
EN
sell products. However, package design is also where the adoption of
T
PA
C
TREND
MIGRATION
T
IM
C
PA
VISUAL &
DESIGN
TRENDS
• Global
Networking
• Oversaturation
D N
EN TIO
TR RA
IG
M
• Color
• Typography
• Imagery
• Structure
• Form & Materials
M TR
IG E
RA ND
TI
O
N
SHRINK SLEEVES
IM
T
we see large brands begin to use specific trends, we know that it is a
trend that is toward the top of the bell curve.
• Portability
• Sustainability
• “Alternative” Solutions
• Convenience
• Good Corporate
Citizenship
MEDIA &
MARKETING
TRENDS
PACKAGING
TRENDS
RETAIL &
DISTRIBUTION
TRENDS
• Total Retail Experience
• Billboarding
• Private Label
• Lack of Brand Loyalty
CAUSE
while it may take years before big brands catch on to a trend. When
CAUSE
influencers coming from small start-up brands that have less at risk,
• Personal Voice
• Sustainability
• Emotional Reaction
• Virtual Identities
• YouTube & Blogging
T
AF
C
In packaging, trends tend to grow slowly, because there are longer
PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
TRENDS
FE
FE
and it’s promise.
AF
ARTISTIC
EXPRESSION
TRENDS
need to be applied with careful consideration of the product’s brand
• Mass
Personalization
• Media
Delivery
Systems
C
target consumer. Too late, and it’s seen as old news. So visual trends
INFLUENCE
a trend can get complicated. If you are too early, you can miss your
lead times in product development cycles. We see early adopters and
U
that trends are transformed into functional applications—they help
• Aging Population
• Health Consciousness
• No One Common Narrative
• The Environment
• Altruism & Moral Conscience
FL
C
provides a clear way to evaluate the stages of various trends. It is here
E
HOW TRENDS WORK IN PACKAGING:
CULTURAL
ECONOMIC
SOCIAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
TRENDS
(CONSUMER)
IN
• Time-starved People
• Celebrity Mania
• Internet
• Globalization
• Cultural Restlessness
& Identity Crisis
PACKAGING
GOING GREEN
This trend spread very quickly and has caused concern among all
brands because it affects all aspects of a package—from materials to
shipping to reuse through recycling.
LIGHTHEARTED WHIMSY
STORYTELLING
Understanding the origin of a product gives the product more credibility—
not to mention the fact that, as humans, we connect to stories and
remember them. The story has become part of the design. Narrative copy
is an engaging vehicle to involve consumers emotionally.
BOLD EXPRESSION
HANDMADE (EXAMPLES NOT SHOWN)
PACKAGING
SHOW DON’T TELL
The Show Don’t Tell trend is one that focuses on the product itself and
not the brand or copy that is confusing that lists every feature and
benefit. The packing shows you why you should buy this product by
romancing the product.
LESS IS MORE
Within the packaging world, this approach has come to imply a quiet
elegance, an uncluttered freedom from gratuitous embellishment and a
focus on conveying only key ideas.
PACKAGING
LIFESTYLE
BORROWING FROM THE PAST
FREE EXPRESSION
ID
TEN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN TRENDS
YOU CAN’T IGNORE
Source www.forbes.com
Trends slip through the industrial design world like threads through a loom.
“On some levels, design is always in transition,” says Steve McCallion,
executive creative director of Portland, Ore.-based Ziba Design. “It’s a
series of trends and countertrends.” But even though things change quickly,
experts say certain trends are sure to be particularly important over the
coming year.
Today’s most dominant industrial design trend has no less lofty a goal than
saving the Earth. Ami Verhalen, director of industrial design at Madison,
Wis.-based Design Concepts, says consumers are increasingly interested
more for green design because they want to openly acknowledge their
environmental sensitivity.”
Another global trend concerns consumers living outside of designers’
usual markets. Experts say we can expect to see more products and tools
created specifically for developing nations. A current exhibition at New
York City’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, titled “Design for the
Other 90%,” highlights some of these designs, including the South African
Q Drum, a rolling container that allows one to easily transport 75 liters of
water; a bamboo treadle pump, produced in Nepal, which allows farmers
to access to water during the dry season; and a press that makes charcoal
out of sugarcane, used by residents of Haiti.
“Design today is targeted at 10% of the global population,” says Anthony
Pannozzo, vice president of design strategy at Waltham, Mass.-based
in green, environmentally friendly products. So designers like Yves Béhar
design firm Herbst LaZar Bell. “The next five years will see an explosion
for Herman Miller (nasdaq: MLHR - news - people ) and Harry Bertoia are
of design aimed at the needs of those in emerging markets like Africa and
designing eco-friendly products like an energy-saving desk light and a
Southeast Asia.”
sustainable outdoor chair, respectively.
Other design trends focus on form more than function. Take personalization.
Consumers aren’t the only ones taking a closer look at the size of their
Consumers have more control than ever over the look of the product they
environmental footprint. Manufacturers are increasingly using sustainable
are purchasing. And this trend is more than just monogramming an L.L.
materials, focusing on cleaning up the production process and considering
Bean camping bag: Nike’s (nyse: NKE - news - people ) iD custom shoes
the environmental impact of shipping and production. In furniture design,
allow users to choose their own colors and materials, and embroider their
for example, products certified by the International Forest Stewardship
name on their “kicks.” Or kids can visit the Build-a-Bear Workshop to
Alliance are made by manufacturers that make the best use of forest
construct their own stuffed animal, even including a custom sound chip.
resources, reducing damage and waste and avoiding over-consumption
and over-harvesting.
“Companies are connecting with their customers by bringing them into
the design process,” says Pannozzo. “Terms like ‘mass customization’
“After years of years of ‘lip service,’ people now value green, demand green
and are willing to pay for green products,” says Verhalen. “People will pay
have given way to a YouTube culture of self-expression and individual
differentiation.”
ID
The do-it-yourself movement is an extension of this trend. Publications
SIMPLEXITY
like Ready Made magazine encourage consumers to put their own spin on
Steve McCallion, executive creative director of Portland,
things, all the while cutting costs. And designer Wendy Mullin’s book Sew
Ore.-based industrial design firm Ziba Design, says there’s
U teaches readers to recreate her moderately priced clothing line (Built Buy
a trend toward “simplexity,” products that have many
Wendy) for the cost of a book, fabric, needle and thread.
functions but are approachable, ergonomically correct and
easy to use—like Apple’s iPhone. The baby boomers have
D.I.Y. may always be popular among a certain customer base. But Ziba
also propelled simplexity; as the generation ages, the need
Design’s McCallion believes there will eventually be a mass customization
for easy-to-use, at-home medical equipment becomes
backlash. “We’re tribal beings,” he says. “I think that the effort that goes
greater. Ami Verhalen, director of industrial design at
into personalization and customization will soon become tiresome. Besides,
Madison, Wis.-based Design Concepts, says that in-home health care will
it’s not the shoes you wear but how you wear them. True personalization
be a huge driver for product innovation in the upcoming decade.
comes from individual style.”
Regardless of whether or not consumers have a hand in designing
their own gear, industrial designers will be in higher demand than ever.
“Industrial design used to be a value-added service. You didn’t need one,”
says Verhalen. “Now, every talked-about product has a specific function
and a meaning, not just one or the other. Industrial designers are essential
in defining the where and why of a product.”
PERSONALIZATION
From Nike ID shoes to Build-a-Bear teddies,
retailers are adding a “build your own” element
to brands. Do it yourself—or DIY—serves as an
important element of this trend. Publications like
Ready Made magazine and books like designer
Wendy Mullin’s Sew U encourage consumers to put their own spin on things.
DESIGN FOR A CAUSE
Companies including Herman Miller and American
GLOBALIZATION
Apparel are promoting their ideals through design.
Like other industries, outsourcing has affected international design. Today a
Yves Béhar’s leaf lamp for Herman Miller (shown) uses a
designer in Delhi might be working with a manufacturer in Columbus. Steve
biomorphic grid of LEDs, which consume 40% percent
McCallion says that the globalization of product design has created Internet
less energy than fluorescent lights and last for 100,000
communities that enable more people to participate in the design process.
hours. And Nike plans to make its entire footwear line
Companies like Kid Robot can employ toy designers from Tokyo to Tucson
out of sustainable materials by 2010.
with greater ease than ever.
ID
ORNAMENTATION
MASS IMPERFECTION
In fashion design, we’re seeing a return to
Some designers are creating intentionally flawed pieces,
minimalism, but in home decor, ornate details
like designer Jason Miller’s duct tape chair or Bodum’s
are in fashion. For the first time in decades,
Pavina glassware collection, which uses mouth-blown
wallpaper is in fashion, and the details are
double-walled glass, giving each piece a slight variation in
rich—brocades, velvets and jewel-tone colors.
height, thickness and weight. Whiskered and weathered textiles—on denim
Long-forgotten textile designers like Florence
as well as furniture and tapestries—are more recognizable examples of
Broadhurst and Vera Neumann are receiving
intentional imperfection in production.
attention from a new generation of design-savvy consumers.
CRAFT
POLARIZATION OF DESIGN
As mass retailers like Target become more design-focused, there’s a
Big-box or luxury retailer? Many
countertrend of independent manufacturers and designers creating one-
experts say that design has
off, heirloom pieces. Where to find these limited-edition treasures? Artisan
been polarized, with innovative
e-commerce sites like Etsy.com, classical craft
products available at both the
companies like Heath Ceramics
very high end (Neiman Marcus,
and modernist design houses
Moss) and the very low end
such as Design Within Reach.
(Target, Ikea). Meanwhile, midrange retailers like Macy’s suffer from lack of
fresh, on-trend ideas. That isolates the huge chunk of the population that
FOCUS ON THE OTHER 90%
can afford something higher-end than the $200 Malm bed at Ikea but scoff
Anthony Pannozzo, vice president
at the price of a $16,000 Hastens mattress.
of design strategy at Waltham,
Mass.-based firm Herbst LaZar Bell,
PINK DESIGN
says that well-designed products
Gadgets are a guy’s game, right? Not if you consider the
are available to only 10% of the
latest products with feminine mystique. More and more
world’s population. However, more and
manufacturers are creating sleeker, feminized versions
more designers are starting to cater to
of their clunky, chunky products, and both men and
consumers in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
women are biting.
Personal observation of design for a cause and
pink design—breast cancer awareness products
ID
OPTALERT
The Optalert system manages
driver fatigue by warning drivers
of impending drowsiness before
it becomes dangerous. Complex
micro-electronics housed in
ergonomically-designed eyewear
monitor the movement of a driver’s
eyelids, which slows as fatigue
increases. When Optalert detects
drowsiness, a processing unit on
the dashboard emits a warning. A second warning is sounded when
the driver becomes too fatigued to drive safely. Optalert is essentially
a piece of high-tech safety equipment, but it is also a personal
accessory. Therefore, the design addressed aesthetics, technology
and end-user variability—all in a package that drivers will find desirable
to wear.
HOMEHERO
Unlike traditional fire extinguishers, which consumers
often find cumbersome and difficult to use (not to
mention ugly), the HomeHero is a welcome, user-friendly
alternative. Graphics on the point-of-purchase packaging
and the product label succinctly explain where and how
to use the extinguisher. The HomeHero can also be
linked with the company’s other safety products, such
as CO/smoke alarms, via an accessory Docking Station
(launching in 2008). Therefore, an entire house can be
alerted to the presence of fire whenever the extinguisher
is removed from its base. Most importantly, because of its
fashion-conscious array of materials, colors and finishes,
homeowners won’t want to keep the HomeHero hidden out
of view, ensuring it will be in reach when seconds matter.
MISCELLANEOUS ID
STEWARD WATERLESS URINAL
The Steward Waterless Urinal offers many
benefits over standard fixtures: it is easily
installed by a plumbing professional,
incorporates water-saving features
without sacrificing performance, is virtually
splashless, inhibits odors and is easy to
keep clean. Its soft elliptical shape provides
a fresh, sleek look not found in traditional
urinals. Kohler developed a liquid trap, using
a sealing liquid that is less dense than liquid
waste, to block odors. Retrofit installations
of the Steward Waterless Urinal are also
easy. A universal mounting bracket will fit
onto most existing urinal collars, and roughin changes to the waste pipe are generally
not required. In addition, its large, clean
footprint minimizes the need for aesthetic
changes, such as tiling and painting.
ANOTHER FANCY TOILET
*Have to throw these in cause you know there always seems to be a huge
demand for better facilities—still have the memory of peeing on myself
testing these gadgets. War portable feminine urine funnels!!!! ;-)
FASHION
MUST-HAVES
• Pink sparkle tulle tutu dress — Betsey Johnson
• Lime evening dress — Carlos Miele
• White sunburst pleated tunic — Douglas Hannant
• Belted dresses, shirt jackets and skirts — Elie Tahari
• Cotton/silk sundress with tribal geometric embroidery — James Coviello
• Pleated, high-waisted executive dress — Kai Milla
• Sexy, plunge-neck romper in a graphic print — Nanette Lepore
• Silver metallic leather bomber jacket — Pamella Roland
WEB DESIGN
WEB TRENDS
Source (oops, forgot to note the source)
percent) or sometimes zoom-width (i.e. master width in ems, e.g. Forecast
Advisor). The benefit of restricting the width of the content (particularly with
zoom-width, which resizes as the font size changes) is that the line-length
SIMPLE LAYOUT
is prevented from getting too long on larger screens. (Very long lines of text
It feels like we’re seeing more simple 1- and 2-column designs than in
are less efficient.) However it’s also possible to have a liquid layout with
previous years. The overall feel you get is that designers generally agree
a center-orientation, as the Alternative Energy Store site shows. On this
that simple pages work better. These pages read in a straightforward way
site, just centering the logo brings the friendly, forward-facing feel of the
from top to bottom, and you don’t find your eye skipping around trying
centered site, while getting a lot of content visible on the screen.
to work out what to look at. It’s a much calmer and more solid browsing
experience than in times gone by.
DESIGN THE CONTENT, NOT THE PAGE
Good modern web designs put less energy into designing the page
CENTERED ORIENTATION
background—the canvas and permanent page features—and rather focus
The other thing you notice about all the hot picks is that they’re all laid
on designing the content itself. This reflects the principle of drawing the
out around a central axis. Whereas a couple of years ago, you’d find a lot
viewer’s attention to the content. (Also echoes Phil Brisk’s article “Don’t
of liquid layouts and left-aligned fixed-width layouts, today content goes
decorate, communicate!”)
in the centre of the screen. Left-oriented layouts are much less common
than they used to be. Also, liquid (full-width) layouts are less popular. The
We see the effects in:
wisdom has always been that we should try to get as much information
• Freer, less boxed-in page layouts
“above the fold” (i.e. visible on the screen without scrolling). Liquid layouts
• Softer, simpler, receding page “furniture”
achieves this. However, today we seem to be more comfortable with
• Strong color and 3D effects used to draw attention to the content itself,
scrolling, and we’re willing to put up with scrolling for the benefits of
including the main branding
increased white space and line height.
• The focus is on making the site’s subject look good, rather than making
the web designer look good (which is better for the designer in the
Why center-align?
long-term!)
I like center-aligning, and have been tending to use it on my designs for a
• To take away...
while. When the content sits in the centre of the screen, it feels up-front
• What designers should learn from this trend is that it’s not enough
and confident. It also gives a sense of simplicity and balance, which
to design a blank page, to be stuffed with content later. As I’ve written
reflects the move towards clean, more Zen, design. The most common
elsewhere, content is our problem. As designers, we’re communicators
centered designs are either fixed-width (i.e. master width in pixels or
(not decorators) and site content carries the majority of our message.
WEB DESIGN
3D EFFECTS, USED SPARINGLY
PLENTY OF WHITESPACE
Every single one of the hotties uses gradients subtly, either to give bars a
Today’s web designs are so fresh, they feel like they’ve taken a deep
slight roundedness, to create a soft feeling of space in the background, or
breath. Sometimes I imagine taking a page design that’s too crowded and
to make an icon stand out with embossing and subtle drop-shadows.
sticking it on a balloon, then blowing air in until everything on the page
Reflections & fades are very prevalent. Drop-shadows are still used, but
pulls apart to leave healthy gaps. Your eye needs space (guttering in typo
with care. Trademark round flashes are everywhere.
language) round stuff to help you clearly and cleanly identify things. In
general, the more white space the better. It’s very rare that I look at a page
SOFT, NEUTRAL BACKGROUND COLORS
All the hotties have a plain background, the most popular being white and
and think: “Gosh, they really need to cram that page up a bit!” Of course,
“white” space doesn’t have to be white. But it does have to be space! It’s
greyscale fades. These give a cool, neutral, soft base against which you
great to see so many designs using good-sized margins to space elements
can flash strong color to draw the eye.
apart, and extra line-height to aid on-screen reading. Look at all this lovely
refreshing white space!
STRONG COLOR, USED SPARINGLY
A soft, stylish background is the perfect base for adding eye-catching
features. Strong colors and tonal contrast are great for drawing the eye to
the more important elements on the page. Iomega uses more strong color
than the others, with its intense dark red promotion area. However this
doesn’t drown the rest of the page, because the color is consistent and
simple in shape.
CUTE ICONS, USED SPARINGLY
There’s a theme here: Don’t use too many attractive elements on the same
page view (i.e. that appeals to the eye and draws the user’s attention). As
with strong color and 3D effects, appealing icons and buttons can add
that bit of polish to help give a page a high-quality feel. But used too much,
they’ll have the counter effect, cluttering the page and confusing the user.
NICE BIG TEXT
I’m not saying that all the text on your web site should be supersize. In fact,
in some scenarios, small text is fine (we tend to take in more when text is a
bit smaller). Make the most important text on the page bigger than normal
text. Like the other design techniques we’ve seen, it works when used in
moderation. If all your text is big, then none of your text is big. Use bigger
text to help your visitors see quickly what the page is about, what’s most
important, and figure out where they want to look next to find what they want.
WEB DESIGN
WEB DESIGN
WEB DESIGN
WEB 2.0
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In studying and/or promoting web-technology, the phrase Web 2.0 can
refer to a perceived second generation of web-based communities
and hosted services—such as social-networking sites, wikis, and
folksonomies—which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and
sharing between users. The term gained currency following the first
O’Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Although the term suggests
a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update
to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software
developers and end-users use webs. According to Tim O’Reilly,
“Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by
the move to the Internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the
rules for success on that new platform.”
In alluding to the version-numbers that commonly designate software
upgrades, the phrase “Web 2.0” hints at an improved form of the World
Wide Web. Technologies such as weblogs (blogs), social bookmarking,
wikis, podcasts, RSS feeds (and other forms of many-to-many
publishing), social software, web application programming interfaces
(APIs), and online web services such as eBay and Gmail provide
enhancements over read-only websites.
The idea of “Web 2.0” can also relate to a transition of some websites
from isolated information silos to interlinked computing platforms that
function like locally-available software in the perception of the user. Web
2.0 also includes a social element where users generate and distribute
content, often with freedom to share and re-use. This can allegedly result
in a rise in the economic value of the web as users can do more online.
WEB DESIGN
WEB 2.1­—WEB TRENDS FORECAST 2008
MOST POPULAR SITES 2007
Source (oops, forgot to note the source)
Source (oops, forgot to note the source)
OUTTAKE:
The web is evolving like never before. Web sites are made every second,
and new services are popping out everywhere. It could be quite hard for
web developers to say “stop,” and stop learning new methods. But what
has changed, and what will change? How do you follow the trends?
LESS IMAGES > MORE CSS
Extensive use of CSS is flowing on the web like never before. Why make
images, which loads slow, instead of using CSS? When used with the
right colors, sizes, and margins, the CSS is the most vital part of a good
Web 2.1 application. Images are no longer design—it’s the content.
MODERN AJAX DRIVEN APPLICATIONS
AJAX is the future for all modern web applications. AJAX provides the
user with the opportunity to reload the Web site, get new content, or
submit a query without reloading the browser page itself. It results in a
quick responsive user interface, with less clicks.
USE XML TO TRANSPORT DATA
XML provides you with the easy & swift solution to transport data in a
user-friendly way. We will see more use of XML in web application.
SVG GRAPHICS
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is an XML specification and file format
for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and animated.
SVG can be purely declarative or may include scripting. Images can
contain hyperlinks using outbound simple XLinks. It is an open standard
created by the World Wide Web Consortium’s SVG Working Group.
Site
First Seen
1
http://www.google.com
November 1998
2 https://www.google.com
May 2002
3 http://www.yahoo.com
August 1995
4
http://www.google.de
April 1999
5 http://mail.google.com
June 2004
6 http://www.google.co.uk
April 1999
7
http://www.google.fr
November 2001
8 https://mail.google.com
August 2005
9 http://www.bbc.co.uk
August 1995
10 http://www.foxnews.com
December 1995
11 http://news.bbc.co.uk
December 1997
12 http://www.microsoft.com
August 1995
13 http://www.google.it
March 2000
14 http://www.google.ca
June 2000
15 http://images.google.com
November 2001
16 http://search.ebay.com
May 1998
17 http://cgi.ebay.com
April 1998
18 http://my.ebay.com
July 2004
19 http://www.cnn.com
October 1995
20 http://www.google.es
November 2003
21 http://news.google.com
April 2002
22 http://www.google.pl
March 2000
23 http://pagead2.
August 2003
googlesyndication.com
24 http://search.msn.com
November 1998
25 http://www.google.nl
November 2001
26 http://my.ebay.de
August 2004
27 http://search.ebay.de
February 2001
28 http://cgi.ebay.de
October 2001
29 http://toolbar.netcraft.com
June 2004
30 http://us.rd.yahoo.com
July 2003
31 http://en.wikipedia.org
November 2003
32 http://www.msn.com
January 1996
33 http://www.google.com.br
March 2002
34 http://my.yahoo.com
August 1996
35 http://update.microsoft.com February 2005
Netblock
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Yahoo! Europe
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
BBC
Akamai Technologies
BBC News Online
Microsoft Corp
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
eBay, Inc.
eBay, Inc.
eBay, Inc.
AOL Transit Data Network
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Google Inc.
Akamai Technologies
Google Inc.
eBay, Inc
eBay, Inc
eBay, Inc
Rackspace Managed
Hosting
HotJobs.com, Ltd.
Kennisnet Platform
Content en Diensten
Microsoft Corp
Google Inc.
HotJobs.com, Ltd.
Microsoft Corp.