Did you know that modern nostalgia has become a graphic design trend for the second year in a row? With its blend of old and new, it captures the joy of days gone by while enabling people to stay tethered to reality. In other words, itโs a win-win situation for many people!
How to Be Successful at Modern Nostalgic Design
If you want your marketing campaign to pop off using a modern nostalgic design, there are a few things youโll want to consider.ย
1. Pick an Impactful Era
Which era appeals to your target audience the most? Famous pop stars arenโt the only ones known for eras – we all love a good era every now and then.
Choose an era that will resonate with the age of your target market. Donโt forget, though: wearing vintage clothing has become popular in 2023, so your retro design may resonate with Y2K and Regencycore 20-somethings, too!
2. Make it Relevant and Modern
The last thing you want to do is to be so purist in your design choices that you re-enact the dial-up sound while your web pages wait to load. You might think itโs clever, but they wonโt think itโs cute that they have to wait 4 to 5 seconds for the sound to finish before accessing your retro website.
(Likewise, donโt think a dummy โAdobe Flash Playerโ installation message will impress them. Frankly, weโre glad those days are behind us.)
Bottom line: Think speed and functionality in cool, old-school packaging.
3. Tie it into Your Brand Values
Values tend to shift over time, and the last thing you want to do is unintentionally reinforce values you donโt believe in with your campaign. Nostalgic design that echoes your brandโs values has more potential than design that has no meaning to it.
4. Avoid Coming Across as Insensitive
Not every gender and race experienced history the same way, so an advertisement that evokes nostalgia in one person can have an adverse effect on another. Itโs important to consider how your design or marketing campaign will be received by all. Creating a more inclusive design will ensure your loyal customers arenโt turned off.
5. Choose the Right Elements
To do it right, youโll need to research the era youโre targeting and pick the right typography, color palette, textures, etc. Of course, youโll still want to ensure the design looks fresh!
Where to Find Inspiration for Modern Nostalgia
There are several places you can look for inspiration when it comes to modern nostalgia. Most designs that capture modern nostalgia, however, blend retro/vintage design and modern elements. (That said, itโs not limited to only retro/vintage design. It can also include Y2K elements. As long as itโs a throwback mixed with something fresh, anything goes!)
Example #1: Throwback Fonts
Mehmet Reha Tuฤcu is a brilliant typeface designer based in Turkey who shares his creations on Bฤhance. His fonts transport you to specific times and places, both real and imagined. We found his work through this article on throwback designs.
Example #2: Y2K Fun
Shopifyโs design for Linkpop (at least for a while) was Y2K inspired, full of fun colors and Y2K elements that take you back to the days shortly after we thought the world would end. (Nothing puts a pep in your step like being spared an apocalyptic, world-ending event!)
Example #3: Vintage Spoofs
This hilarious design by Dingbat Co. makes you think of the days of the Walkman while simultaneously poking fun at them, weaving modern (โfireโ) elements into an old-school design using a Reeseโs Pieces color palette. Itโs just one of many designs that were also featured in this graphic design article.
Should A Logo or Brand Be Nostalgic?
In our previous article on nostalgia, we talked about some of the pitfalls of using nostalgic design. The era you are referencing may not be nostalgic for everyone in your target audience, and you can risk alienating your audience by using it.
For that reason, itโs probably best to dip your toes into nostalgic design over time. If you jump too quickly into branding with modern nostalgia in mind (or revamping your logo), itโll be super obvious if you need to pivot because your audience doesnโt respond well.ย
By taking your time to see how your audience responds to other modern nostalgia design attempts, youโll be able to choose wisely whether you decide to move forward or hold off on rebranding your logo (or whole brand) with modern nostalgia in mind.ย
How to Avoid Copyright Issues
Did you know that no matter how much you change an image, you can still be hit with copyright infringement? Itโs not true that you can change 30% of an image to be spared from a lawsuit! For this reason, always create your own modern nostalgia designs, even if it means using similar palettes or styles.
If you do wish to use an image that doesnโt belong to you, you must get permission from the copyright holder or use public domain/fair use works. You can also use royalty-free images if theyโre commercially available. You should always research images and get licensing agreements – and you shouldnโt use iconography, animated characters, or memes containing copyright-protected images!
We Were Nostalgic Before It Was Cool
At Matcha Design, some of us were there before trends became nostalgic (when they first appeared). In fact, our company was founded shortly after Y2K (in 2004), so if you want a team with first-hand experience with quirky, nostalgic trends, weโre your people!ย
Contact us for help with your modern nostalgia-themed graphic design project today!
