Towards the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, we saw brand and marketing experts declare the top branding trends of 2022 based on their observations and research. Chaos around the pandemic had just begun to settle down, and marketers wanted to know how consumer preferences had changed and what to expect next. 

Months later, with 2022 more than half-way over, changes have transpired once again. As the thrill of summer wears off, businesses are picking up pace again, kids are back in school in-person, and the digital ecosystem is expanding faster than ever! 

As the world’s largest business naming platform, we were interested in knowing and measuring what customers like in 2022 when it comes to branding. So, we led a survey of 5,000 U.S. adults to find out where their interests lie. The findings about new branding design trends have been intriguing and eye-opening. Let’s get into it. 

Problem

Entrepreneurs, marketers, and brand managers are unsure of the customer’s brand preferences. Are the expected trends of 2022 coming to fruition and are they holding strong? 

Solution

Find out which branding style and trends customers prefer in these tumultuous times.

Survey Summary 

Number of responses: 5,000

Who we targeted: A general customer cohort within the United States

Age: 18-65+

Gender: Female 51.3% / Male 48.7%

Channel: Third Party Online Research Tool

Survey question: Which 2022 brand trends do you still love?

• Nostalgic & Retro Branding
• Simplicity & Minimalism
• Inclusivity & Diversity
• Messy & Amateur Looking 
• Representing a Cause & Brand Activism
• Companies Talking About the Metaverse

(Answers were randomized during survey collection)

When conducted: Q2 2022

The 5 Most Exciting Findings from Our Survey

1. A majority of people – around 30% – across gender and age groups, like Simplistic and Minimal branding the most! The trend echoes the findings from 2021 as well.
   
   
   
2. Surprisingly enough, Nostalgic and Retro branding is liked by the second largest group of respondents just under 30%. In fact, its two greatest fan groups were those aged 65+ and the youth in the age group 25-34.
   
   
   
3. Women cared the most about Inclusive and Diverse branding. More than 10% of the females voted for this branding trend while only 4% males showed an interest in it.
   
   
   
4. Young females are the most passionate about Inclusive and Diverse branding. Among women ages 18-34, this branding style was the most voted at 29.3%.
   
   
5. When it came to young males between the age groups 18 to 34, Simplistic and Minimal as well as Nostalgic and Retro were the top two choices at almost 39% and 38% respectively.
   

6. Metaverse may seem to be the buzzword in the news but the same doesn’t translate to branding. Only 8.8% of the total respondents voted for brands that incorporated Metaverse in their branding.
   
   

Survey Results 

Overall

The highest proportion of respondents, nearly 30%, said they liked Simplistic and Minimalistic branding. A close second was Nostalgic and Retro branding at 29.3%. This can be surprising considering the massive number of new businesses that have surfaced. These new businesses aren’t typically opting for a nostalgic and retro branding style either. 

Inclusivity and Diversity was the third contender at 14.1%, and Metaverse, despite its recent traction, was the penultimate candidate with 8.8% respondents opting for it. The least liked was Messy and Amateur Design at 7.1%. Customers prefer clean and more developed branding styles above something that appears less put together. 

Comparison by Gender

More than 51% of respondents were females and 48.7% were males. Both males and females opted for Simplistic and Minimalistic branding as their first choice of latest branding trends in 2022 with males at close to 16% and close to 14% females choosing it. At the next spot was Nostalgic and Retro branding, liked by almost 15% men and 14.29% women. 

Inclusive and Diverse branding saw the most disparity among males and females. While 10.25% females liked this style of branding, less than 4% males preferred it. Further, more men favored companies talking about the Metaverse over women by nearly half. Interestingly, females preferred Messy and Amateur designing at 5.3% while only 1.75% males like this style of branding. 

Comparison by Age 

Among the various age brackets, the 45-54 age group liked Simplistic and Minimal brand design the most in 2022 at 6.13% followed by 65+ at 5.43%. This style was also the most popular among the 18-24 age group at 3.25%. Nostalgic and Retro branding had its fans in two very distinct categories – the 25-34 age group at 6.5% and the 65+ age group at 8.4%. While Inclusive and Diverse and Messy branding were split almost equally among the different age groups, Cause and Brand activism had a major share liked by the 65+ age group at 3.86%. 

Conclusion

Through our survey, we were able to closely understand customers’ most recent branding preferences. While many brands have been taking the simplistic and minimalistic approach in branding, we saw that nostalgic and retro branding experiences are still highly enjoyed by a mix of younger and older generations. For less prevalent brand trends such as those addressing Metaverse and brand activism, we may see some uptick as we move forward but for now these sit back. Ultimately, this survey should help brands think and plan their branding vision, language, and tone, which majorly influences a business’s success.