How the Illustration Design Trend Caught Fire & Why Every SaaS Is Rebranding

I’m certain you’ve observed this ubiquitous illustration type by now. Relying on who you ask, these drawings and animations are both enjoyable and kooky, or unusual and faceless. Possibly you see them as friendly-looking doodles … or perhaps you see them as simply plain bizarre.

No matter your opinion, one factor is for certain: these little buddies are all over the place proper now. For higher or worse, they’ve utterly taken over the visible identities of many high-profile SaaS manufacturers.

Now, many entrepreneurs are questioning—how did this occur? Why are there so many similar-looking illustrations on so many alternative web sites? How did all of those manufacturers resolve to make use of this type at the very same time? And doesn’t this go in opposition to the very thought of positioning your model as one thing completely different?

For instance, Jimmy Daly, Advertising Director at Animalz, not too long ago known as out this design development on Twitter. And whereas he says he doesn’t dislike the type, he additionally isn’t certain the way it bought to be all over the place directly.

i genuinely respect all of those corporations and use these instruments however saas web sites are perpetually homogenous. what offers?

— Jimmy Daly (@jimmy_daly) June 4, 2019

Right here at Unbounce, we not too long ago went by way of a rebrand of our personal. And whereas we thought of illustrations, our design workforce finally determined to go in a distinct path. As an alternative of flat, geometric shapes, we selected to make use of customized pictures to help us put our customers in the spotlight. (Though we’re not alone—customized pictures appears to be one other rising design development for SaaS manufacturers.)

However going by way of the lengthy, lengthy, very lengthy means of a rebrand bought us pondering. As entrepreneurs attempting to face out in an more and more aggressive business—is it unhealthy for us to comply with design tendencies? What inherent worth is wrapped up in visible branding? Is it price a heavy funding in design to look completely different? And how vastly completely different can all of us actually be?

Let’s mud off our old-timey magnifying glass and examine…

Why Entrepreneurs Are Obsessive about Visible Branding

In our coronary heart of hearts, I feel each marketer is a “inventive” sort. We have been the youngsters at school doodling on our notebooks, developing with concepts for the subsequent nice Goosebumps novel, or filming half-baked comedy skits utilizing our one buddy’s video digital camera. (Thanks, Brad!)

So actually, it is sensible that we care so friggin’ a lot about the way in which our manufacturers look. The logos, fonts, images, illustrations, and different visuals we use are all alternatives for us to point out off simply how inventive and completely different we will be. We need you to be impressed whenever you have a look at our web site—or some other a part of our model’s visible id, for that matter. It’s in our DNA.

In accordance with Sabrina Chan, Interactive Designer at Unbounce (and large contributor to how the Unbounce model appears to be like right this moment), that is a part of the rationale why corporations appear to rebrand so usually.

Arising with a brand new visible model is completely thrilling, whether or not you do it by your self or with the assistance of an company. It’s an excellent inventive problem as a result of—in contrast to most different advertising initiatives—you aren’t pressured to play inside a sandbox, or comply with a particular algorithm. While you create a brand new visible model … you truly get to form the sandbox itself.

Entrepreneurs additionally obsess over visible branding as a result of we’re underneath fixed strain to maintain up with the occasions. (And the online modifications quick, yo.) One second we’re all utilizing gradients on our buttons and including drop shadows to our type packing containers, and the subsequent we’re making each web page factor as flat as a Kansas-style pancake. For those who’re nonetheless utilizing kinds which have fallen out of public favor a number of years after the actual fact, it will probably elevate a number of eyebrows.

Sabrina says the aim is on your model to both slot in or stand out—however by no means fall behind.

No one needs their model to seem like it hasn’t been up to date in years. You solely get one likelihood to make a primary impression … and most entrepreneurs and designers will do something to make a superb first impression. Particularly in case your rivals are all on the market wanting recent and up-to-date.

On the similar time, this obsession with visible branding can include a heavy price ticket. Whether or not you rent an company to rebrand for you or work with a workforce internally like we did at Unbounce—the method can take many, many months. It’s by no means so simple as making “just some fast updates to the corporate brand.” You virtually at all times must scope out an enormous chunk of your advertising workforce’s time, finances, and brainpower.

In accordance with Andy Crestodina over at Orbit Media, a “fancy web site from an enormous internet improvement agency” can simply run you up a invoice of greater than $100,000.

Right here at Unbounce, we spent over half a yr doing analysis, working impression exams, creating mockups, and iterating on our new model earlier than we launched. And whereas we have now gotten (largely) nice suggestions on the completed outcomes—it will probably nonetheless be actually tough to attach the design’s influence of a brand new visible model to precise ROI.

Positive, there are many methods to calculate how nicely your web site is changing. However are you able to attribute that to the branding itself? It’s not so easy to attract a straight line between your appears to be like and your backside line.

However Your Model Does Matter—Possibly Now Extra Than Ever

Even in case you can’t simply attribute direct income to your visible branding, at the least you possibly can take consolation in the truth that virtually each marketer agrees it’s nonetheless fairly dang vital. Potential prospects take one have a look at your model and type an instantaneous impression—lengthy earlier than they discover your merchandise or try your pricing.

Right here’s what Vicky Bullen and James Ramsden of the design company Coley Porter Bell mentioned in regards to the benefits of visual branding earlier this yr.

Over the previous few years we’ve seen many manufacturers and their identities evolve right into a state of homogenization … [But] many classes are having their conventional ‘design codes’ turned on their head as new or artisanal, challenger manufacturers come alongside and create a very new solution to interpret a drained class.

They have been talking particularly about meals manufacturers, however the identical line of pondering can apply to many software program corporations as nicely.

As a result of on this planet of SaaS, branding is significantly priceless. The house is so saturated with competitors (there are over 7,040 marketing technology companies alone), that almost all corporations are keen to face out from the competitors. A novel and genuine model is an effective way to raise your software program over all people else.

On the The Re:Growth Podcast, Dave Gerhardt, VP of Advertising at Drift, even went as far as to say that branding was a key differentiator that helped their workforce to succeed.

We knew to be able to win, we would have liked to do issues the alternative of how all people else was doing it. We would have liked a distinct solution to stand out. And for us, that was model.

Chris Savage, CEO of Wistia, has additionally been exploring the significance of branding in a brand new unique sequence known as Brandwagon. In accordance with Chris, branding is extra vital right this moment as a result of conventional advertising ways are breaking down.

A extra fragmented and fewer measurable buyer journey implies that if prospects aren’t positively disposed to you earlier than they start their product search, you’ll by no means make it to the consideration set. Shoppers now have entry to all the knowledge they may need in your product/service at their fingertips, together with the way it stacks up in opposition to competing choices … [so] we have to transfer past solution-based worth propositions.

However design tendencies in branding aren’t something new, both. As a part of our analysis for this piece, we dug into a few of the many alternative kinds which have flared up over time.

So The place Did This Illustration Design Pattern Come From?

Journey in time with me all the way in which again to January 2017. Barack Obama was serving his previous couple of weeks as President of the US. Serena Williams was busy successful the Australian Open (whereas pregnant, no much less). And a film about sentient autos known as Monster Vehicles one way or the other made $33 million on the field workplace.

It was round this time that Alice Lee, an unbiased illustrator and designer, began working with Slack to assist them create a brand new illustration voice and library. She partnered with their workforce to create over 40 separate illustrations that they may use in a wide range of completely different locations on their web site and platform.

Many designers level to those 40 unique illustrations because the potential starting of this present visible branding development. And in a blog post on her website, Alice particulars the place her unique inspiration for these designs got here from.

I needed to look outdoors the tech business for inspiration … I referenced a lot of Mary Blair’s legendary physique of visible improvement at Disney for designing heat, whimsical characters. And it was arduous to not fall in love with the ‘minimal realist’ compositional stability that Charley Harper strikes.

One other potential origin of this development is Fb. In 2017, the social media platform was additionally going by way of a rebrand of their very own. Their workforce labored with a design agency named Buck to provide you with a brand new type. And in a latest submit on the AIGA Eye on Design blog, illustrator Xoana Herrera described her inspiration for the challenge.

I began to attract characters that have been outlined by their actions … Dancing with their open arms, bending their our bodies to play the trumpet, for instance … I needed to painting that sense of pleasure we really feel after we’re sharing issues collectively in group, like celebrating a aim in a bar or singing a music with a crowd at a live performance.

We noticed this development proceed to evolve over the next yr. When Mailchimp pulled off their rebrand in September 2018, it created shockwaves that influenced the complete advertising group. The typeface! That yellow! The illustrations! It was like a breath of recent air for an business that was drowning in a sea of inventory images.

Right here’s what Gene Lee, VP of Design at Mailchimp, mentioned they hoped to encourage with their new model.

With this redesign, we got down to retain all of the bizarre, lovable components that endeared our earliest prospects to Mailchimp…We champion authenticity, originality, and expressiveness as a result of it’s what helps us—and our prospects—stand out. We hope to encourage them to be extra daring and artistic in their very own branding efforts.

That is when the butterfly impact actually began to take form. Since September 2018, a whole bunch of SaaS web sites have rebranded utilizing an analogous—albeit, much less summary—illustrative type.

Now, there are millions of these flat illustrations turning up on stock photo websites, complete Twitter accounts devoted to calling out this development, and even mix-and-match design libraries that make it straightforward to create your individual distinctive cartoon scenes.

Why These Illustrated People Began #Trending

At this level, you’re most likely questioning why so many corporations determined to go together with this Nickelodeon-esque type. And really, there are a selection of very sensible the reason why these illustrations turned well-liked…

1. They’re consultant – With illustrations, the people you present can are available in all shapes, colours, and sizes. This may be an vital distinction for socially aware manufacturers who wish to make certain they’re being inclusive for all sorts of individuals and communities.
2. They’re versatile – A number of SaaS corporations wrestle to point out off their software program utilizing inventory images. (Let’s say you’re promoting accounting software program, for instance. I hope you want messy desks with calculators.) Illustrations may also help you characterize advanced or summary concepts in a way more clear and easy means.
3. They’re scalable – You don’t must have an expensive photoshoot for each new hero picture. With illustrations, you possibly can simply iterate on a method or framework that you just’ve already created. What’s extra—you should utilize them to execute quick, which is a large win for startups in progress mode who don’t have a ton of cash to spend money on branding.
4. They’re distinctive – I do know numerous the illustrations we’re that includes on this weblog submit look comparable, however you possibly can nonetheless see some wildly completely different approaches on the market. For instance, try the type of an organization like Officevibe and evaluate it to what Intercom is doing. No one goes to confuse these two corporations based mostly on their visible manufacturers.
5. They’re filled with character – For SaaS corporations particularly, this development is interesting due to how a lot character every picture can include. The illustrative method harkens again to kids’s storybooks, making the software program appear extra pleasant and approachable. (Check out the Mailchimp web site, for instance, and inform me it doesn’t remind you of Curious George.)

On the Similar Time, There Can Be Bother with Being Stylish

On the subject of design tendencies, there are at all times potential risks in case you soar in with out doing all your analysis first. It’s virtually by no means a good suggestion to alter your complete model in a single day simply because “everybody else is doing it.”

That is why Alice Lee, one of many originators of this development, warns different corporations to assume issues by way of earlier than adopting an analogous illustrative type.

I’m usually approached by corporations who merely need me to breed work I’ve already created for previous shoppers’ particular manufacturers … However I do imagine that to create an illustration id that’s distinctive, new, and highly effective, it’s vital to take an intentional, process-driven method.

There are different potential challenges with this development as nicely… 

1. These illustrations may not match your model character – Properly, except your model character is ‘Playful’ with a capital ‘P’. If that ain’t you, then these quirky cartoons may come throughout as inauthentic or off-brand to your audience.
2. They may not be as scalable as you assume – Whereas they is perhaps inexpensive than customized picture shoots, distinctive illustrations additionally don’t come low cost. If you need non-generic doodles on your model, you’re going to must pay an artist to create them and have a plan in place for whenever you want extra.
3. This type isn’t as distinctive anymore – For those who jumped on this development a yr or two in the past, you may need been forward of the curve. Now, you run the danger of simply wanting like all people else.

And whereas illustration may also help make your model seem extra pleasant, actual images of actual individuals will be highly effective in their very own means. Alex Kracov, Head of Advertising at Lattice, defined in a Tweet why they moved away from illustrations.

Tried to buck this development w/ the redesign that we launched right this moment at https://t.co/gPtdvXY4wV

We used to have the identical illustration type, however as a Individuals product, we felt the necessity to change to images of actual people. The CGI backdrop helps keep the playful, approachable vibe. pic.twitter.com/F1tLaD7pCE

— Alex Kracov (@kracov) June 7, 2019

The underside line is that this: as entrepreneurs, it’s our duty to do our due diligence and uncover what resonates greatest for our specific model, business, and prospects. That is one thing Dan Cederholm, Co-Founding father of Dribbble, talks about in a recent blog post.

My recommendation was to not fear about tendencies, however quite use the type greatest utilized for the duty at hand and persist with it. Go together with what feels proper for the issue you’re fixing.

Design Traits Are a Flat Circle

This illustrative development caught on hearth so quick that many entrepreneurs have been caught off guard. However that is the kind of factor that occurs on a regular basis within the style business. Bell-bottom denims, choker necklaces, lumberjack plaid—all of them turned massively well-liked, died down, after which got here again round to being “cool” once more. It’s the circle of life, of us. (Cue The Lion King soundtrack.)

Matthew Strom, Senior Product Design Lead at Bitly, observed that increasingly web sites have been beginning to development in an analogous means, and he linked this concept to the financial precept of minimum differentiation. In brief, most entrepreneurs and designers are going to place within the minimal effort and danger to be able to succeed—and which means we’re going to finish up making numerous the identical decisions.

Right here’s how Matthew describes the inevitable “same-ification” of the web.

The convergence of competitors to nearly-identical merchandise isn’t just a coincidence: it’s inevitable. It appears irrational, however the math is sound. That is an emergent phenomenon … even when they attempt to differentiate themselves, all web sites will ultimately flock collectively.

So hey, perhaps there’s nothing inherently improper with following a design development if we’re all gonna find yourself wanting the identical anyway. Entrepreneurs deplete numerous collective brainpower attempting to create distinctive visible identities that set them aside—however maybe we’re all simply preventing a shedding battle.

As a result of ultimately, there’s no actual proof that any design development—whether or not it’s illustrations, customized pictures, and even 3D images—is nice or unhealthy on your model.

You simply must ensure that no matter determination you make, you make it intentionally.