2018 was a pretty big year. Yodeling made a comeback, a star was (re)born, and so was another royal baby. Oh, and a ton of cool stuff happened in the world of photography, too. We thought we’d use the most wonderful time of the year to showcase some of our favorite, high-impact visual trends.
What it takes to stand out amidst the holiday madness
Every year, consumers are bombarded with more and more content. They’re targeted by retailers from all directions, especially during the holiday season when the emphasis should be on togetherness, generosity, and renewal. With all these influences, how can you keep your marketing from becoming white noise?
At the end of the day, the goal is to create media inspired by those ready to receive it.
To do this, it helps to take the time to understand consumers' behavioral trends—what they're looking to find in the world and within themselves. Odds are, that’s what will resonate with them through photography and social content as well.
In November 2017, Adobe predicted a series of visual trends for 2018. These trends were more than just a forecast of what our Instagram feeds would look like in the coming year, but rather, a reflection of our conversations, desires, and goals from around the world. Among these visual trends was “Touch and Tactility,” which Brenda Mills expanded upon here.
“This absence of touch is shaping our final Visual Trend of 2018—a move toward tactility. We’re seeing it everywhere, from architecture to fashion, pop culture, and stock. And now, as we enter the holiday season, we’re likely to see even more emphasis on touch and connections in the real, messy, physical world.”
This quote got us thinking: what better time to showcase this trend than the holidays, a season already heavy with traditions that delight the senses? We started by marrying four holiday décor styles with the "touch and tactility" idea, and then the real fun began...
Trend 1: Evoke rustic & tasteful warmth
Gather neutral, repurposed elements that call upon simplicity to create a warm, elegant feel. Consumers will hear the clinking of shimmering ornaments as they’re unpacked, and smell firewood mingling with pine needles. Capture light bouncing off the different surfaces of holiday trinkets, and invoke the warmth of a strong winter brew.
Trend 2: Have fun with color!
Take the festivities beyond red and green, making use of electric colors that rival Whoville. Light up a silent night with flashy metallic ornaments, beads, and bows, adding fluffy pom-poms for a soft touch. You can almost hear the excited chatter and taste the snow on your tongue.
Trend 3: Not-so-cookie cutter
Honor the cluttered, chaotic coziness that makes the holidays the holidays. Hear the metallic clink of your grandmother's tin cookie cutters, feel the flour strewn over a rough wooden table, hands covered in sticky cookie dough. You can practically smell (and taste) the sweet and savory spices from recipes passed down through generations.
Trend 4: Freshly-cut, modern simplicity
Holiday décor can be simply beautiful when you keep it fresh, clean, and evergreen. Capture imagery that delivers the scent of cool, crisp pine and the invigoration of a 30-degree day. Throw in fluffy pillows and knit blankets you can just imagine snuggling up in.
The holidays give us all the feels...
The classic red-and-green imagery behind a posed and smiling family with 2.5 kids has its place...just maybe not in your holiday content this year. Make it more relatable and memorable by pulling inspiration from the five senses.
This visual trend makes for more than beautiful photography. It connotes what we want to see more of in ourselves and the world—something more than physical, that comes from the soul and brings us together as humans. And isn't that what the holidays are all about?
