- Adobe’s report predicts the global creative visual trends and themes – Psychic Waves, Real is Radical, Retro Active and Animals and Influencers – will dominate in demand and appeal in 2023
- Report shows that after the hardships of the last few years, consumers are searching for inspiration and relief through nature, familiarity and entertainment, with imagery that provokes new ways of thinking
- Consumers are determined to foster change and make progress using their creativity and influence to advance social causes, through authentic and real images
- With 46% of Gen Z saying they are anxious and stressed most of the time, there is a need for imagery that supports emotional wellbeing
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Today, Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced the Adobe Stock 2023 Annual Creative Trends Forecast, which showcases the trending visual styles and themes that are set to scale in demand and appeal throughout 2023. For the sixth consecutive year, Adobe has analyzed emerging visual cultural themes and major brand campaigns across a myriad of sectors – from the work of celebrated fashion designers to the creations of everyday users – and gathered stock industry data to identify the design trends and aesthetics that will dominate the digital space in the coming year.
Adobe has always been at the forefront of creativity and as we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we are again looking around the corner at the trends shaping our industry. This year’s Adobe report predicts four key creative themes spanning visual, design, and motion, that will significantly influence content across photography, videography, creative writing, social media platforms, blogs and more: ‘Psychic Waves,’ ‘Real is Radical,’ ‘Retro Active’ and ‘Animals and Influencers.’ These emerging design themes are expected to guide how the Creator Economy, which has grown to 303 million creators globally, will tap into their creativity to create digital content that resonates with their audiences in 2023.
“As we emerge from a time overshadowed by uncertainty related to the global pandemic, people crave content that feels familiar yet fresh, but also evokes feelings through authentic, inclusive and unfiltered experiences," said Brenda Milis, principal of consumer and creative insights at Adobe. “These trends are indicative of how creators are envisioning and shaping our world and using their platforms to share content that brings joy and happiness in their own unique styles to people globally.”
Here is a closer look at the four key Adobe Stock 2023 Creative Trends:
- Psychic Waves, the post-pandemic shift towards prioritizing mental health and wellness is driving new ways of exploring spirituality, nature and wellness. With 46% of Gen Z saying they are anxious and stressed, there is a need for the visual effect of Psychic Waves which includes calming gradients full of vibrant colors. This new trend is focused on creative authenticity as an outlet for expression, including escaping reality, through psychedelic gradients, vibrant colors and aesthetics that incorporate surrealism styles to convey experiences beyond the visible, tangible world.
- Real is Radical, as a combat against highly curated and filtered content, the Real is Radical trend is a celebration of candid, unvarnished moments, experiences and realities. Brands are embracing campaigns featuring all races, genders, ages, abilities and sizes — swapping out curated for candid moments. According to a recent Pinterest Body Neutrality report, there are 36% “loving myself” searches and 32% “how to become more confident” searches. The trend has a major presence across social, brand campaigns and wildly successful new apps like BeReal and Locket. Ranging from rebellious, aggressive and provocative to deeply vulnerable. Real is Radical visuals create powerful connections and inspire a sense of community across media channels and platforms.
- Retro Active, inspired by Gen Z creators evolving and experimenting with the aesthetics popular before they were born, the Retro Active trend focuses on exploring vintage styles and modernizing them. Like Gen Z, Millennial and Gen X, creators are exploring this resurgence, finding comfort and familiarity in the creative styles of the ‘90s and Y2K, such as retro skateboard scenes to candy-color fashions, boom boxes and classic video game controllers. Though Gen Z creators are influential in developing these trends, Millennials still comprise a large portion of the Creator Economy, in fact, Millennials make up 42% of the Creator Economy, thus propelling these trends further.
- Animals and Influencers, this whimsical theme appeals to the consumer affection and engagement evoked by charming and adorable creatures and virtual influencers. Whether it be a real-life furry friend or a charming anime avatar, charismatic creatures have proven themselves to be powerful tools that attract and retain consumer interest and engagement. As a result, they have become a dominating presence in brand messaging, proliferating across sectors in the form of anime, illustrations, photography and 3D renders. The feelings this trend evokes tie back to what consumers and creators alike crave, and that is to feel happiness and positivity as well as entertained. Over the past two years, there was a 118% rise in global demand for anime. Since virtual influencers yield three times more engagement than humans (many finding them more trustworthy and relatable), brands are leveraging them in more and more ads.
Adobe Stock’s 2023 Annual Creative Trends Forecast can be found in full here.
Adobe offers the most comprehensive portfolio of products and services across every creative category—including imaging, photography, design, video and 3D and immersive—unleashing creativity for all. Adobe Express makes it easy for anyone to quickly create and share beautifully designed graphics and content, including curated social media templates and assets that coincide with the top creative trends set to dominate digital media in 2023: Psychic Waves, Real is Radical, Retro Active, Animals and Influencers.
Methodology
To identify trends growing in commercial relevance and consumer engagement, Adobe’s insights group studies all media types and platforms across commercial, consumer and market data that align around rising visual styles and themes. Adobe also works across internal data, such as customer research requests and search history, and conducts interviews across all sectors regularly to find out what their specific visual needs are for their industry and brands.
About Adobe
Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.
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Public relations contact
Elise O'Neil
Adobe
oneil@adobe.com
