Branding Trends I’m Embracing in 2025

As we're now more than halfway through the year, I've been watching which design trends are actually making businesses more successful, and which ones are just noise.

Not all trends deserve your attention. Some are just shiny distractions that'll have you redesigning your brand every six months. Others? They're responding to real shifts in how people make buying decisions.

Let's chat about what's working, what I'm backing, and what I'm ignoring.

The Branding Trends Worth Your Time

1. Adding a Human Touch As AI-generated content becomes more common, people are looking for connection with real humans. That’s why we’re seeing a rise in hand-drawn details, natural photography, and branding that feels warm, not robotic. It’s less about being imperfect and more about being honest, personal and human.

Why it works: Your customers want to know there’s a real person behind the business. When your brand feels human, it builds trust and trust leads to connection -  not just clicks.

2. Bold, Confident Typography Say no to scripts that disappear on mobile screens. Strong, readable fonts are here to stay because they command attention and communicate confidence. If you're an expert, your typography should look like it.

Why it works: Clear, bold fonts make your message impossible to ignore. They also work across all media without losing impact.

3. Purposeful Minimalism This isn't about following the "less is more" rule constantly. It's about being intentional with every element. Every colour, image and piece of text should earn its place.

Why it works: When everything on your website or social media has a purpose, your message becomes really clear. No confusion, no overwhelm, no losing customers.

4. Warm, Earthy Colour Palettes The stark whites and cold blues of previous years are being replaced by colours that feel grounded and trustworthy. Think terracotta, sage green, and warm beiges.

Why it works: These colours create psychological comfort. They make people feel safe enough to invest in your services.

What I'm Backing at NM Creates

Strategic Simplicity I've always believed that great branding isn't about following every trend but it's about creating something that works for your specific business and audience. This year, I'm doubling down on designs that are simple enough to work everywhere but unique enough to be memorable.

Flexibility Over Perfection Your brand needs to work on Instagram, your website, business cards and everything in between. I'm focusing on creating brand systems that adapt rather than break when you need to use them differently.

Personality-Driven Design Cookie-cutter templates are the enemy of good branding. Every brand I create is being built around the business owner's authentic personality and expertise, not what everyone else is doing. Lets say goodbye to Canva logos.

The Trends I’m Skipping in 2025

Maximalist Design Busy, layered designs are having a moment and can stand out when used well. But for most small businesses, this style can quickly become overwhelming. If your audience can’t immediately understand who you are and what you offer, the design may be getting in the way. I focus on clarity over complexity.

Ultra-Trendy Fonts That font everyone's using this month? It'll look dated by Christmas. I choose typography that feels modern and timeless so your brand still looks professional and relevant years from now.

Social Media-Only Thinking Some design choices work well on Instagram or TikTok but don’t work across other places like your website or documents. I build brands that stay consistent and strong wherever you need to use them

The trends worth following are the ones that make your business easier to understand, trust, and remember. Everything else is just noise.

If you're considering a brand refresh, ask yourself: will this change help my ideal clients understand my value better? If the answer is no, you're probably chasing trends instead of building a brand.

The most successful brands I've worked with this year aren't the ones following every trend, they're the ones that understand their audience so well that they can pick and choose what actually serves their business goals. And yes, you can still have fun with it, clarity and creativity don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

My Final Thoughts

Good branding isn't about being on-trend. It's about being strategic. The trends I'm backing are the ones that help small businesses communicate their expertise more clearly and build trust more effectively.

Your brand should feel current without being a slave to every passing fad. When you focus on clarity, consistency, and authentic connection with your audience, you'll stand out regardless of what's trending.

Ready to build a brand that works beyond the trends?Trends come and go. What lasts? A brand that’s built on clarity, consistency, and trust. If you’re ready to stop tweaking your visuals every six months, Express Design Day gives you the strategic foundation you’ve been missing.

In just one day, we’ll design a brand that looks like you, sounds like you, and earns the trust of the people you want to work with most. Book a call today!