The Avocado Bathroom
In the world of marketing and branding, there's a term I've coined: "the avocado bathroom." It might sound quirky and well, that’s me! But it holds a powerful lesson for businesses about the pitfalls of following fleeting trends.
So, what is the Avocado Bathroom?
The "avocado bathroom" refers to a design trend from the 1970s in the UK, where homes were fitted with avocado-coloured bathroom suites. While this was trendy at the time, it quickly became outdated. Today, believe it or not, many homes still have these suites. Why? Because changing them is expensive. Similarly, businesses that design their brand using on-trend colours or styles risk becoming outdated and facing expensive rebranding efforts.
The Pitfall of Trend-Driven Branding
Brands that rely on current trends for their visual identity often find themselves needing a refresh sooner than anticipated. A few years ago “earthy tones” - browns, reds, burnt oranges etc. were the colour palate of choice and as predicted, every business looked the same from lawyers to hairdressers and now? Well, for those that actually lasted, already look outdated. Here are some stats and facts to consider:
According to a study by Adobe, design trends have a typical lifespan of 3-5 years before they start to look dated.
A rebranding study revealed that the average cost for a small business rebrand ranges from AUD $15,000 to $75,000, while larger companies in Australia can spend upwards of AUD $300,000.
Consistency is key. A report by Lucidpress indicated that consistent branding can increase revenue by up to 23%. Frequent rebranding can disrupt this consistency and dilute brand identity.
Consumer Perception: A report by the Australian CMO Council found that 47% of consumers expect a brand’s digital presence to be consistent across all platforms and channels, highlighting the importance of a timeless brand identity.
My 5 Tips for Timeless Business Branding
1. What’s your story?
Base your brand design on your company’s core values, mission, story and what you do. This ensures that your brand remains relevant, regardless of changing trends.
2. Simplicity is Key.
If your logo is too intricate or uses too many colours, you’ll run into issues down the track! Trust us, we deal with this every day. Avoid shadows, gradients and small/thin dots or lines. If you go with a complex design, you’ll struggle with signage, embroidering and printing in future. Opt for simple, clean lines and designs always!
3. Timeless Typography.
Choose classic fonts over trendy ones. Fonts like Helvetica, Arial, Montserrat and Times New Roman have stood the test of time and are unlikely to go out of fashion and they are easily available on most programs and softwares to keep consistency across all communications.
4. Classic Color Palette.
Probably our most important point! Select a colour palette that is versatile and not tied to current trends. Primary and classic colours with one or two accent colours can adapt more easily to future changes without looking outdated. And as we mentioned above AVOID GRADIENTS!
5. Consider Your Competitors.
When we are designing a new logo for a business, one thing we do during the briefing stage is create a one pager and drop in all relevant competitor brands so they can all be seen together. This helps guide us with colours, fonts and styling to work out a more powerful design that stands out from the crowd.
Avoiding the "avocado bathroom" effect in your branding is about choosing timeless over trendy. By focusing on who you are, simplicity, classic typography, a classic colour palette, and knowing your competitors you can create a brand that not only stands the test of time but also resonates with your audience.
Want to know about our branding packages? Give us a call!