Depositphotos, a leading platform with royalty-free content and AI-powered tools, has released its annual “Creative Trends 2025: Elevated perspectives” report. To make this project come to life, the team performed a comprehensive analysis of the most popular searches in their 300M+ library, kept track of key events in marketing, design, and art, and collaborated with creative professionals worldwide.
Check out the key trends that will dominate visual communication in 2025, and be the first to upgrade your projects with the hottest styles and ideas.
Everything you need to know about the biggest creative trends of 2025
Next year will bring a rich artistic palette for creators, as it will be full of opposites. Creative communication will merge booming social media aesthetics with traditional philosophical concepts, the latest innovations, and good old styles from the previous century. This means that every business can find a trend that perfectly matches its personality.
So, what route will the creative field take? Brands will often turn to bold, ultra-modern art, as well as minimalist and soothing visuals inspired by philosophies like wabi-sabi. Dark grunge aesthetics will flourish alongside emotional stories revealing human feelings. Flashy cluttercore will go far beyond TikTok, and AI art is expected to grow in adoption and become more lifelike. In addition, a look from above will allow us to see everything from a fresh and unusual perspective.
Here’s a breakdown of seven core trends shaping visual communication in the coming year.
1. The new contemporary
In 2025, ultra-contemporary art will be in the spotlight. Young artists who don't necessarily have advanced skills will become the main trendsetters. Brands will draw inspiration from their genuine works with mixed-media collages, surrealistic motifs, hyperrealism, surprising color combinations, and gradients. Such an offbeat aesthetic will help businesses enhance their appeal to younger generations, who highly value authenticity and self-expression.
See this trend in:
- BodyArmour’s Super Bowl commercial “Field of Fake”
- Pinterest’s ad “Find Your Aesthetic”
2. Cluttercore
Dull minimalism tends to give way to rich, eclectic compositions that resonate with Gen Z's appreciation for individuality. This is the driving force behind TikTok’s “friendly chaos” aesthetic, which is featured in millions of posts with the #cluttercore hashtag. There is no need to build a design around a single element when you can include everything at once. Go for organized maximalism, multi-layered compositions, vivid backgrounds with lots of details, and contrasting bright colors.
See this trend in:
- Themed TikTok posts
- DoorDash ad from Super Bowl
3. Getting sentimental
To truly connect with your audience in 2025 and beyond, share stories that capture people’s real-life experiences and emotions. Use a full range of feelings, from happiness and delight to frustration and sadness, to resonate with everyone. Whether a big campaign or a social media post, turn your projects into celebrations of personal narratives. Use visuals with raw emotions, soft tones, and natural settings to reinforce a sentimental mood.
See this trend in:
- The Dove Self-Esteem project
- Tinder’s “It Starts with a Swipe” ad
4. AI-fueled art
AI is proving to be one of the leading tools for creative experimentation. Moreover, algorithms expand the idea of what art can be. If not long ago, generative images could be recognized at a glance by their overly polished and unnatural look, today, AI creates super-realistic visuals that are indistinguishable from photos. Intelligent technologies not only make top-notch content accessible to everyone but also allow brands to bring unique concepts and stories that are aligned with their identities to life.
- You might like: Generative AI: Key Trends to Watch in 2025 as Technology Transforms Industries and Security
See this trend in:
- Motorola’s “Styled with Moto” campaign
- #HeGetsUs ad for Super Bowl
5. Crafted harmony
To offer your audience respite from the rush of everyday life and social media feeds, turn to Asian concepts like wabi-sabi or ikigai, conveying calm and optimism. These philosophies encourage mindfulness and slow living, as well as teach people to accept imperfections and live in harmony with themselves. Embody this trend through images of handcrafts and earthy color palettes or subtle Japanese-style designs.
See this trend in:
- Seletti tableware
- Cornetto poster campaign
6. Embracing the dark
“Creative Trends 2025” predict a nostalgic throwback to 90’s grunge. It will take over visual communication alongside other “dark” styles such as gothic, punk, and post-apocalyptic. Mirroring the chaos of the modern world and a common feeling of uncertainty, they also remind us of the importance of finding a way to light. The aesthetic, particularly appealing to millennials and zoomers, comes in black-and-white grainy visuals, moody colors, fragmented compositions, and rough typography.
See this trend in:
- “Born to Steal: Yours, Mine, Ours” commercial by Fenty Beauty
- Under Armour’s campaign “Forever is made now”
7. Look from above
Next year, we expect more projects that offer an unconventional and exciting aerial view. Brands that choose this creative approach will change audience perception, allowing them to see the world from above in detail. A bird's-eye view not only delivers excitement and elevation, but also a better understanding, thus enhancing brand storytelling. This trend will manifest itself in drone photography, visuals from upper points, and map-like illustrations.
See this trend in:
- DG Beauty Dolce web campaign
- Michael Kors campaign
Take your projects to the next level with the top creative trends of 2025
Looking ahead, we see a striking kaleidoscope of ideas and styles that will reflect mainstream moods and connect with a wide audience. From cutting-edge design and AI art to sentimental stories, Asian philosophy-inspired design, and grunge motifs—these trends can turn your next campaign into a jaw-dropping visual experience.
Discover the full “Creative Trends 2025” report to find more inspiring insights about the most popular concepts and aesthetics, expert comments, and hand-picked collections of content that will make your communications stand out.
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