Belated Happy New Year & let’s hope for brighter times ahead. Have a look at the studios Outlook on 2026, get inspired and read why I think design is a wave …
We’re now focused on the client; Taufiq Rahim, Ventures 2040, New York. Working globally on designing something ”news” is something the studio is very enthusiastic about. Stay tuned for the launches in 2026…
We have also been looking out!
I like to think design is a wave and that we can inspire and learn from each other, like the arts, music, film, design and fashion inspired artist over the centuries. Anything can inspire when our eyes and senses are open minded.
”Mono no aware (物の哀れ)”
Mono no aware To be aware is a Japanese phrase and it refers to the bittersweet knowledge that everything is impermanent.
Japanese design boils down to some design principles that align a great deal with the Scandinavian design thinking. Japan continuously inspire the studio.
AI will be a huge influence 2026 too. In the AI era news media brands will focus in developing news storytelling that is both deeper and faster with advanced technology to serve the news with improved news storytelling.
Another sparkling influence I call; the human design trend, that’s design passionated about history, the craft, humanism and the imperfect human, a bit like the Arts and Crafts movement 100 years ago.
Outlook 2026
Motion
Authenticity
Sound
Dynamic
Magazines
Retro
Trust
Motion The anatomy of a news story is motion, where video is the main visual driver. News stories excel at clarity, engagement and storytelling through data visualization with seamless transitions, using animation to simplify complex topics. Motion is huge in branding too. Stand out examples are found in NYT, Washington Post, FT. The Guardian, South China Morning Post and Reuters. Our example is Inside The Deportation Machine from The New York Times.
Authenticity Authenticity is crucial when we get face to face with AI and news. Without photo journalism, video, an eye witness, it would be hard to know what is really going on in our world. News visuals needs to be real, so it’s reliable, trustworthy, and conforms to facts. ”The Hong Kong fire, 2025, the picture is the story, Reuters, is our example. The classic visual journalism example is the Napalm girl.
Sound Sound is one of the strongest identity factors we have. Memorable, consistent, and emotionally resonate, often built around a sonic logo that signals brand essence such as news, urgency or trust. Sound is an inevitable force. Think “Ta Dam”; by Netflix or the classic BBC News, start up theme. Our example are the Sonic identity for the news podcast “The Headlines” with NYT.
Dynamic Character, contrast, surprise! Custom type has been a dominating trend in news typography but type needs to be dynamic too, to follow the story, variable fonts and kinetic typography, also called motion type is vital. Stranger Things original titles by Imaginary forces studio in LA, is the state of the art. The studio is excited about new Path Grotesk, Typeji, NY, both latin, kanji/hanzi.
Magazines Who said print is dead? The Atlantic, Interview, New Yorker, Politico, The Rolling Stones Magazine, Vanity Fair and many more all proved they are indispensable… It’s precisely because they are magazines they continue to inspire and create a great impact on us. Our examples are Popeye, Japan and New Yorkers cover Targeted.
Retro The most completed retro creation now is; Stranger Things season 5, where literally every thing is the ‘eighties’. Retro and vintage is a vital part of pop culture. Brands and editorial products draws on a retro look with nostalgia. Example is The Observers, UK, new look with a blink to the sixties. Our example is the new illustrated titles for Stranger Things, telling The Duffer Brothers story.
Trust Trust is the key design value in the AI era. “Trust” is a critical value for news brands to differentiate. Trust is how you tell stories and how it’s designed. Consistency and heritage is what many news brands messaging. The New York Times is the prime example. Newer examples are The Trust Project, AP, Forensic News, Truthout and Drop Site News. We symbolise the ‘truth’ with Lee Millers iconic war photo in Hitlers bathtube, 1945.
