This year we hold another edition of our

trends curation project!

CBA’s global team of designers, strategists and content experts have selected from out there what they considered top-notch in terms of design, branding and consumer trends, focusing on positive impact.

From this great curation we highlighted 15 trends that, in this year, will continue to encourage brands – large and small, from all categories – to innovate in order to become more useful to society.

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Every new experience, product, packaging or service designed is

an opportunity to be useful.

Trends are segmented into 5 pillars -pillars from the utility map of our Critical Imprint methodology

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Design Trends 5
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Design Trends 8
EN Environment Design Trends 2023 by CBA

There is no Planet B, and we ought to take care of the one we live in.

Designing environmentally friendly packaging is a must: we need to consider the use of different packaging materials and formats.

Life-cycle thinking & minimalism are the new mindset.

Brands are increasingly celebrating

diversity, empowerment of minorities & inclusivity.

EN Empowerment Design Trends 2023 by CBA
EN Wellbeing Design Trends 2023 by CBA

We're seeing a rise of brands that speak to the V-lifestyle,

a boom of digital healthcare solutions catered to communities, and a playful integration between beauty and food brands.

The pandemic and the ongoing process of globalization
have many of us questioning what is it that we want for
our future as a society

... as well as intensifying
habit changes
& cultural
paradigm shifts.

EN Society Design Trends 2023 by CBA
EN Access Design Trends 2023 by CBA

Brands are experimenting with new ways to reach their consumers,

by making their offer more economically affordable, or expanding their presence in the metaverse and on social media.

Interested in learning more about opportunities for your brand?

Let's get in touch!

In case you missed our 2022 Design Trends Report ...

Celebrating Diversity 1

Consumers aspire to more diversity & representation
in advertising

In 2022, The Good Company and the study institute Kantar launched the Inclusion & Diversity in Advertising barometer.
The goal? « Confronting the perception and expectations of the French
people with the reality of advertising content ».
72% of the French
consumer think that « showing diversity in advertising is important, even very important ». It’s a high number that shows that the population wants to see more inclusive advertising that celebrates diversity. The consumer changes, evolves, and becomes more and more uncompromising towards brands. He is looking for brands that represent its values.

According to a study carried
out by Environics Research and Amazon Ads, 72% of American consumers and 60% of Europeans consumers « aspire to more diversity and representation in advertising ». Thus, between the consumer and the emergence of cancel culture, brands must react.

Brands authenticity is regularly questioned or pointed at. Are some brands legitimate? Authentic?

What brands are being criticized for is the lack of concrete proofs. A simple speech is not enough. It must be supported by actions.

72% of customers are willing to pay more for brands that are really authentic
(72% in the US, 78% in Europe)

————– Environics Research and Amazon Ads 

Brands are engaging themselves towards meaningful causes

Many brands are engaging in what is known as brand activismi.e. the commitment of a brand, in a concrete way, to a social or environmental cause.

CelebratingDiversity Visuel4
Credits: Instagram @fentybeauty
/ FENTY BEAUTY

A concrete example is the brand Fenty Beauty, who launched more than 50 shades of foundation, in a market where it’s still difficult for black people to find a make-up product that matches their skin tone.

/ GILLETTE

Gillette decided to question men stereotypes through its campaign called « The man your are » by highlighting a diversity of men when shaving. The goal? Break the codes. Gillette, in making that choice, wants to allow all men to feel represented when watching this ad.

/ LUX

The opulent expression of glamour & feminity has become dated and Lux has understood it well. The brand wanted to inspire women to rise above everyday sexist judgements & express their beauty & femininity unapologetically. Our teams redefined the brand’s purpose and accompanied Lux on the creation of its brand visual identity.

/ SNCF

« Creative and developer, great artists, great feminists, big mouth, big heart (…) » … SNCF, the French public railway company, launched « Hexagonal », a video campaign, with the goal to federate its users by representing them through its advertising. A campaign rewarded by a Bronze Lion in the « Creative Strategy » category (Lion Cannes Creativity International Festival). A campaign to support the business plan launched in 2020 by the SNCF, which focuses on putting people at the heart of company, the development and vitality of territories, the ecological transition and digital mobility.  

CelebratingDiversity Visuel2
Credits: informations.handicap.fr
/ GUCCI

In 2020, the iconic luxury brand Gucci has chosen to appoint as the muse of its brand Ellie Goldstein, who has Down’s syndrome.
A bold choice since the market is still very stereotyped and standardized.

Gucci highlight
ed the effort to be made by the brands and denounced the lack of representation in of the market.  

/ PEARL MILLING COMPANY

Other brands make the choice to rebuild completely their naming or visual identity. It’s the case of Aunt Jemina, which changes its name to Pearl Milling Company and erased the image of a black woman from its packaging ; caricature of the black nanny caring for the children of a white family.  

CelebratingDiversity Visuel3
Credits: Quaker Oats Company 

Celebrating diversity is essential: whether it be for a product, a service, an experience, each and every individual should be able to identify themselves and feel represented.

Beware of whitewashing: it is important to understand
each individual before engaging in so-called positive and open-minded communication. The clumsiness and lack of honesty of brands
are very badly perceived.