The world of web design is on the brink of a dramatic transformation. Over the past decade, the industry has evolved rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing user behaviours, and the rise of new tools. Today, we stand at the precipice of another major shift, one that will redefine how websites are created, consumed, and maintained. From the dominance of mobile-first design to the rise of AI-powered platforms, the future of web design is both exciting and unpredictable.

The Mobile-First Movement

The shift to mobile browsing has been one of the most significant drivers of change in web design. According to Statcounter, mobile devices accounted for over 60% of global website traffic in 2024, up from just 31% in 2015. This trend forced designers to rethink their approach, prioritising simplicity and functionality over flashy, feature-heavy designs.

Modern websites are now built with vertical scrolling in mind, optimised for touchscreens rather than mouse clicks. Buttons are larger, menus are streamlined, and content is designed to load quickly on slower mobile networks. The ‘mobile-first’ philosophy has become the gold standard, with designers often starting their process by creating for smaller screens and scaling up to desktop versions.

This approach has also led to the decline of bloated, over-designed websites. As users demand faster load times and smoother experiences, designers are stripping away unnecessary elements, focusing on clean layouts and intuitive navigation. According to Google, 53% of mobile users abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load, underscoring the importance of speed and efficiency in modern web design.

Content Reigns Supreme

While design trends come and go, one thing remains constant: content is king. In fact, it’s more important than ever. With the rise of social media and platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, users have grown accustomed to engaging, visually-driven content. Web designers are taking cues from these platforms, incorporating best practices such as bite-sized information, eye-catching visuals, and interactive elements.

The emphasis on content has also led to the rise of storytelling-driven design. Websites are no longer just a collection of pages; they’re experiences that guide users through a narrative. This shift has been particularly evident in industries like e-commerce, where brands use storytelling to connect with customers on an emotional level.

The AI Revolution in Web Design

If mobile-first design and content-driven strategies have been the defining trends of the past decade, AI is poised to be the game-changer of the next. Artificial intelligence is already making waves in the web design industry, with platforms like Wix ADI, Framer, and Webador offering ‘instant website’ solutions. These tools allow users to create fully functional websites in minutes, simply by answering a few prompts or providing basic information. 

While the results are still relatively simple compared to custom-designed sites, the potential is undeniable. AI-powered design tools can generate layouts, write copy, and even suggest colour schemes based on user input. For small businesses and individuals looking to establish an online presence quickly and affordably, these platforms are a game-changer.

But AI’s impact goes beyond just templated designs. Advanced AI tools are beginning to assist designers with more complex tasks, such as optimizing user experiences, predicting user behavior, and automating repetitive tasks like coding and testing. For example, tools like Figma’s AI-powered features can generate design variations or suggest improvements based on user data.

What Does This Mean for Web Agencies and Designers?

The rise of AI and no-code platforms has sparked concerns about the future of web design as a profession. Will AI replace human designers? The answer is nuanced. While AI can handle simple, straightforward projects, complex, function-heavy websites will still require the expertise of skilled designers and developers.

However, the role of designers is likely to evolve. Rather than focusing on repetitive tasks, designers will increasingly act as strategists and creative directors, leveraging AI tools to bring their visions to life more efficiently. For web agencies, this means adapting to new business models, such as offering AI-enhanced services or specializing in high-end, custom solutions that AI cannot replicate.

The Client Perspective

For clients, the future of web design is both exciting and daunting. On one hand, AI-powered tools make it easier than ever to create a website, often at a fraction of the cost of traditional design services. On the other hand, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming, and not all AI-generated websites will meet the unique needs of every business.

Clients will need to carefully consider their goals and budget when choosing between DIY platforms and professional design services. While AI can deliver quick results, a human touch is still essential for creating truly unique, brand-aligned experiences… for now.

The Road Ahead

The world of web design is changing faster than ever, driven by mobile-first principles, the primacy of content, and the transformative power of AI. Looking to the future, one thing is clear: the industry will continue to evolve, offering new opportunities and challenges for designers, agencies, and clients alike.

For those willing to embrace change and adapt to new technologies, the future of web design is bright. Whether you’re a seasoned designer, a business owner, or simply someone with a passion for the web, one thing is certain: the best is yet to come.

What are your thoughts on the future of web design? Do you think AI will replace human designers, or will it simply enhance their capabilities?

Forget “Ads” – Let’s Tell Your Brand’s Story!

Some marketing tactics feel like shouting into the void. So ditch the quick fixes and build a brand that truly resonates. It’s time to embrace campaignable ideas.

Think of it this way: your marketing isn’t just about selling stuff. It’s about weaving a captivating story around your brand. Campaignable ideas are the heart of that story – the juicy bits that make people want to listen – and keep listening. It’s about creating concepts that have ‘legs’. Ideas that go beyond single ads or posts.

Here’s the deal:

• Stop the scattergun: Instead of throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks, campaignable ideas give all your marketing efforts a single, powerful direction.
• Build a brand message that sticks: Imagine your brand as a character in a movie. Consistent messaging helps people recognise and remember that character.
• Think beyond quick wins: Campaignable ideas build long-term relationships with your customers. They’re not just about the sale; they’re about creating a loyal fan base.

Let’s ditch the “Buy our widgets” and try something a little more exciting:

• Accountant? “Accountants are for life – not just year-end” – ditch the tax jargon and show you care about your clients’ success.
• SEO magician? “Helping your ideal clients find you” – sounds way cooler than just “improving rankings,” right?
• Local bakery? “Baking happiness one loaf at a time” – now you’re talking!

Ready to turn your brand into a star? Campaignable ideas are your backstage pass:

1. Know your audience: Who are these people? What keeps them up at night? (Besides the cat, of course.)
2. Define your brand’s personality: Are you the quirky underdog or the sophisticated expert?
3. Set some goals: Where do you want to go? Have a vision of what success looks like for you.
4. Brainstorm like crazy: Get those creative juices flowing! Bounce ideas around. Don’t be afraid to think outside the breadbox.
5. Find your campaign theme: What’s the one message that ties everything together? This is the gold worth searching for.
6. Create a content calendar: Plan your posts, emails, and other shenanigans.
7. Track your progress: See what’s working and what’s… well, not delivering so much.
8. Never stop learning: The marketing world is constantly evolving. Keep your finger on the pulse!

Building a strong brand takes time and effort. But trust us, it’s worth it. So stop focussing on the one-off “ads” and start telling your brand’s story.

Want a cheat sheet? Grab this free guide and unlock the secrets to creating winning campaignable ideas!

Marketing Drama: Are Creative and Production Getting a Divorce?

In the grand soap opera of business, there’s a subplot brewing that’s worthy of its own primetime drama: the crumbling relationship between creative and production in the world of marketing. Like any good TV drama, it’s filled with tension, twists, and the occasional dramatic exit. But unlike most TV dramas, this one involves less shouting matches and more presentations.

Picture this: Creative, the imaginative dreamer overflowing with ideas, and Production, the diligent executor armed with the latest tech tools, have been partners in crime for years. They’ve crafted campaigns, launched products, and wowed audiences together. But lately, cracks have begun to form in their once rock-solid relationship.

The flames were fanned with the rise of AI and the democratisation of content production. Suddenly, every small business with a laptop and an internet connection could churn out slick ads and polished content with the click of a button. Production, once the exclusive domain of experts, was now as accessible as a YouTube tutorial.

But while Production was off gallivanting with its newfound tech toys, Creative started feeling neglected. Sure, anyone could slap together a flashy video or a snazzy website, but where were the big ideas? The bold concepts? The spark that sets a brand apart from the rest?

It’s like Creative woke up one day to find that Production had packed its bags and run off taking all the fancy gadgets, leaving behind a note saying, “It’s not you, it’s me.”

The Drama goes on.

And so, the rift widened. Creative felt misunderstood, underappreciated, while Production felt patronised by Creative’s lofty demands and unrealistic expectations. It was a classic case of irreconcilable differences.

But here’s the twist: despite the tension, Creative and Production still need each other. Sure, Production can churn out content at lightning speed, but without Creative’s vision and ingenuity, it’s like a Ferrari without a driver – flashy, but ultimately directionless.

On the other hand, Creative can dream up the most brilliant campaign in the world, but without Production to bring it to life, it’s just a bunch of ideas and clever slogans stuck in someone’s imagination.

As so often, in rocky relationships money is involved. Tech helps Production to work cheaply – Creative is selling intangibles.

So, what’s the solution? Well, perhaps it’s time for Creative and Production to attend couples therapy – or in business terms, collaborate more closely than ever before. Instead of seeing themselves as adversaries, they should embrace their differences and work together to create something truly magical.

After all, in the world of marketing, the most successful campaigns are born from the perfect marriage of creativity and production prowess. So, here’s to hoping that Creative and Production can patch things up, reignite the spark, and live happily ever after – at least until the next marketing novelty comes along.

Memorability in marketing refers to the ability of a brand or advertising campaign to stick in the minds of consumers. This is important because the more memorable a brand or campaign is, the more likely it is that consumers will remember it and make a purchase.

This can be especially critical for b2b services where an intrusive sell may not be the initial step on the customer journey. A potential buyer is not necessarily ready to make a purchase at the point of their interaction with the business. Therefore, the more memorable the brand or the offer, the more likely it will be near the ‘top of mind‘ when a purchase is necessary.

One way to increase memorability is to use unique and attention-grabbing concepts in advertising or other communications collateral. Another way to increase memorability is to create a strong brand identity that is consistent across all marketing materials. This includes using the same colour scheme, logo, and messaging across all platforms. In fact, consistency is one of the strongest aids to memorability, just as repetition can be used to stimulate recall in learning.

Key factors for memorability

Memorability has two elements – the brand and the message. It’s vital that the two are aligned and in step. We’ve probably all experienced the case where where we can remember a great piece of advertising but can’t recall the brand. Similarly, when there is a choice of brands we may not easily recall the competitive-benefit messages. The two dimensions must be synchronised to ensure memorability.

Another way to increase memorability is through storytelling. Telling a compelling story can help create an emotional connection with consumers, which can make the brand or campaign more memorable. This can be done through short videos, social media, or even podcasts.

Finally, it is important to ensure that the message of the brand or campaign is clear and easy to understand. Consumers are more likely to remember a message that is simple and straightforward, rather than one that is complex and difficult to understand.

In summary, increasing memorability in marketing is essential for building brand awareness and driving sales.

This can be achieved by using unique and attention-grabbing concepts, creating a consistent brand identity, telling compelling stories, and keeping messaging clear and simple, and aligned with the brand.

What’s the big idea?

How to create great marketing and advertising concepts

“It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product,” wrote David Ogilvy. “Unless your advertising contains a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night. I doubt if more than one campaign in a hundred contains a big idea.”

What is an advertising concept?

A creative concept can be thought of as the framework around which memorable, attention-grabbing campaigns are built. Unlike ‘on-off’ items of marketing collateral, a great concept is often said to ‘have legs’ – it’s campaignable.

The concept acts like a creative, strategic umbrella, under which all the tactical applications sit. Whether they are press ads, videos, social media content, radio, tv, posters… all can draw upon and contribute to the ‘big idea’.

Key features of a great concept.

The best advertising concepts work at an emotional level. They touch all those human buttons that can make us smile, laugh, cry, fear or anger. They can stimulate our need to share, to wish to identify or belong. Bringing us to a heightened emotional state attracts our attention. 

All of those emotional stimuli help build memorability. That’s why people vividly remember and recall great advertising concepts of previous decades. And memorability is a valuable commodity in building brands.

Ideas we loved

Marketing Week recently carried out a survey of the British public’s favourite campaigns of recent decades.

From the 70’s the winner was the Hovis ‘bike’ campaign (incidentally produced by Sir Ridley Scott). Followed by the Smash ‘martians’ and Cinzano’s campaign with Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins.

The 80’s winner brought us Yellow pages ‘J.R.Hartley’ campaign and Levi’s ‘laundrette ad.

The Guinness ‘Surfers’ took the lead in 90’s, followed by the orange storm of ‘You’ve been Tangoed’ and Wonderbra’s ‘Hello Boys’.

The new millennium brought us Cadbury’s ‘drumming gorilla’, beating Comparethemarket’s ‘Meerkats’ and ‘You should have gone to Specsavers’ – the latter two still running today.

Aldi topped the list in the 2010’s with their ‘Like Brands, only cheaper’ campaign taking the vote, followed by Channel4’s ‘Superhumans’ and the John Lewis Christmas ad, ‘The Long Wait’

A surprisingly wide range of products and services but one thing all the campaigns shared in common is their emotional appeal. A few cases of nostalgia, but also a strong theme of humour from the wry tongue-in-cheek of Wonderbra and Levi’s, sophisticated comedy of Cinzano and Specsavers, and unashamed humour of Tango and Smash martians. Remember the the three E’s of engage, entertain and educate (where educate means pass information about your product or service)

What is campaignability?

If we consider some of the most exciting and successful concepts, it’s clear that they are rarely simply a single ad, but a campaign. 

The 80s Cinzano campaign was a series of beautifully crafted ads, each was a gem in itself, but the concept was built around a story of the interaction between Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins. It juxtaposed sophistication with near slapstick. Every new ad reinforced the story for an audience who anticipated what was coming next.

More recently, the concept behind the Specsavers campaign was based around the humorous outcomes of what could happen if you didn’t visit that particular opticians. 

Again, not based around one ad, but a creative concept. It’s been so successful that the sign-off line has entered into our cultural vocabulary.

One of the strengths about campaign concepts lies in repetition. An important process by which humans learn is repetition. It strengthens the encoding of messages. 

However, it’s not just about repeating the same ad over and over again. With a campaign you can deliver the same message, but with new and fresh interpretations. If we take the Specsavers example, each ad is a small entertaining episode in itself – yet it’s still part of the same big story.

The creative concepts and brands

Conceptual ideas are strongly linked to the function of brands. An organisation’s offer is often very complex, combining products, services, history, values, vision, operations, emotional context, people, and more. That’s a lot to process, to understand what the organisation is, and what it stands for. A brand can be seen as a shorthand representation of all those components  – a way for our brains to avoid having to handle and interpret all that data. 

In a similar way, a creative concept reaches far wider than a single ad can do on its own. 

Where an ad is a tactical tool with a fairly focused objective, the concept is not so constrained. It’s much more of a marketing framework and its application can touch all manner of communications, all media and brand activities.

The process

Developing advertising concepts is a process. There are many ways to approach it, but traditionally there has been a common route in advertising agencies. This would start with the account planners. Their task would be to collate all the background data and research about the product or service, its benefits, strengths and weaknesses, the audiences, the competition, and more. It’s their job to distil all these data down to a creative brief – a single page.

Usually, the account planners will also produce the media brief, so creative and media are aligned.

Outside formal agency structures, the basic process usually remains the foundation. Creative consultants, even single-person operations tend to progress the same way with varying degrees of formality. Research > assemble data > create a ‘brief’ (even just mentally) > produce candidate solutions > selection > evaluation > application.

Glass box and black box

Sometimes the process has been described as glass box and black box. The gathering of data, production of the brief and the early stages of the creative process are pragmatic and transparent.

To the outside observer it’s as though it’s all happening in a glass box. The process is easy to observe and analyse. At some point though, it appears to go into a ‘black box’. Sometimes this has been referred to as the ‘creative leap’. It’s where the magic happens.

In truth the process cannot be compartmentalised in this way. The mind is constantly working, so while it’s working on the pragmatic activities, the processes that can generate great ideas are already underway. They will still continue while breaks are taken, or while conscious thought seems dedicated to other activities.

A point worth considering, is that the majority of ideas never make it into the black box. They never evolve into the ‘great big idea’. But so long as the process is sound, they should be good, workable solutions – they just won’t make it into Ogylvy’s Big Idea.

Tools and strategies

There are tools and formal techniques that can be applied. These may be useful for those new to creative applications, or for evaluation and analysis, or as a resource of approaches when fresh solutions are needed.

Some people develop their own workflows structured using these techniques. Others apply no formal strategies, yet if we analyse their work it’s easy to see the underlying devices.

Metaphor and metonymy

Metaphor is a common and powerful tool. It means where one thing is substituted for another. Metonymy is similar, but rather than being about substitution, it’s where something is named for something else. We won’t get into the finer points of linguistics, but we commonly see these tools as part of the discourse used both in words and visuals.

An example may be framing situations as combat or ‘battles’ where anything from germs to dandruff can be seen as the ‘enemy’. We use ‘weapons’ against them and ‘shields’ to protect against them.

Sports metaphors are common. ‘Marathons’ and ‘sprints’ are easily understood. ‘Finishing lines’ must be crossed and products will ‘join your team’.

Iron and rock can be metaphors for strength – arrows and rockets for speed, ice and water for freshness – the catalogue is endless.

In the early stages of a project, writers will often sit down and make a list of possible metaphors to stimulate thinking.

Metaphors don’t need to be limited to linguistic devices. Visual concepts can be powerful devices to encompass multiple ideas in a single image. Mountains, castle walls, lions and cheetahs, chequered flags, chains, infernos, storms – are just a few examples of visual metaphors around which concepts can be constructed.

Data

If you have strong enough or sufficient data, whole advertising concepts can be built around them – if they directly relate to benefits. However, numbers need to be simple and in context to make a point. For decades, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk used the message, ‘A glass and a half of milk in every bar’. So simple it was even communicated graphically in all the advertising. Milk has a connotation with wholesomeness, so numbers can touch emotional sensitivities too.

Numerical claims can have their dangers however. They need to be factual and provable. If they are just the basis for competitive one-upmanship, customers see through them, and worse, they are likely to be challenged. Brand credibility can be seriously damaged.

Comparisons

Comparing situations can be as overt or as subtle as needed. A classic example can be found in the before-&-after concepts. That simple approach has been used since the earliest days of advertising, but it also appears in more sophisticated guise. Heineken’s, ‘Refreshes the parts that other beers cannot reach’ was perhaps one of the most famous campaigns of the 20th century. It was a comparison concept yet it was full of visual gags from contemporary culture.

The long-running and highly successful ‘Should have gone to specsavers’, was a clever development of a comparison. The humorous downside of not choosing the brand was shown, while the positive upside was implied.

Making comparisons with competitors should be used with extreme care care. When generalised, comparing a product’s benefits with all the rest of the market can be a useful approach – but knocking direct competitors usually has negative results.

Created characters

Inventing persons or developing anthropomorphic brand characters can be a platform for original approaches. You can imbue them with individual characteristics that reflect brand strengths. They can even have superhuman powers. Well-crafted they can become brand assets in their own right.

Examples have been employed since the earliest days of advertising, They can be live personas, cartoons, or animated avatars. Notable characters include Captain Birdseye, Tony the Tiger, Churchill the bulldog, the Homepride Flour Graders, the Duracell bunny, the Dulux dog, the Smash martians, and Alexander the Meerkat.

They have the advantage of being completely under your control, and will not blot their copybook like a real person might.

Created places

As well as inventing people you can create whole locations for campaigns to inhabit. Examples include Marlboro country and The Planet Zanussi.

Expert witnesses

Employing the evidence of experts can provide a strong platform. “Nine out of ten (doctors, dentists, hairdressers etc) use…” These claims can be supported with data, video or graphics.

A single, universally recognised expert can give added trust to a claim. They can also become a brand asset. Two important factors in the success of this approach are relevance and context.

Semiotics

Semiotics is concerned with symbols. For example, the stars and stripes is a symbol which stands for the United States. It is not the US, but what we call a ‘signifier’ and the US is the ‘signified’,  what the symbol stands for. We talked earlier about metaphors. In the same way symbols or signifiers can be metaphors for businesses, qualities, properties or activities.

A campaign typically employs multiple symbols to convey meaning. Semiotic analysis of products and services, and their context in the world can be a powerful technique for identifying market gaps and competitive concepts.

Narrative

People love stories. A good concept can tell a complex story succinctly in a short film or a single ad.. People become engaged, they want to see how the story turns out. They can identify with the protagonist, or see how a ‘villain’ can be thwarted.

The story can be contained in a single ad, but when we consider campaigns, the narrative can persist over time or perhaps a number of locations. Viewers will follow the characters – the ‘soap opera effect’. As well as the emotional engagement multiple layers can be added to strengthen the message and recall.

Medium and visualisation

Some gifted creative people are able to think in terms of visuals and words in one operation. For mere mortals, the traditional model was that of the creative team – art director and copywriter working together to develop the concept – it’s still often the case today. Though I’ve worked with teams where more often than not, the art director has generated a great concept line, or the writer has had the visual solution.

Whether the solution is print advertising, digital, video, sound or any combination, the basic starting point is usually pen or marker, and paper… lots of it. 

Strong visual concepts can make words unnecessary. If the brand owns strong visual assets and the objective is building awareness, consider building campaigns around the asset.

Context

Sometimes a simple idea can be raised to the level of a brilliant concept just by the use of context. I remember seeing a billboard for bottled water, right at the top of a mountain, as you stepped from the ski lift, which simply said; “Evian – welcome to our factory”.

Evaluation

While we can all make our own judgements about great ads and memorable campaigns, there is only one meaningful evaluation. Does it fulfil the objective of the creative brief. Although there is a lot of art and craft in creation of advertising concepts, they are the products of a commercial process.

So let’s end on another quote from David Ogilvy

“If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.”

4 really good reasons for a brand refresh

A brand refresh can be a powerful tool – so long as it’s for the right reason.

But let’s start with a really bad reason. And this is all-too-common – the owner, or CEO wants a change. They’re fed up or bored with the brand or brand identity – often one that’s taken a long time to become established and build recognition.

A second bad reason is that a new CMO has arrived and wants to make their mark. What’s an easy way to do that? Refresh the brand.

My general advice is to never tinker with a brand that is established without serious grounds.

So here are 4 good reasons that may signal the need for a brand refresh.

1. Your customer base has moved on.

Brand strategy always starts with the consumer. But it’s important to keep reviewing the strategy, because the world doesn’t stand still – and nor do the customers.

The key consumer drivers in place when the strategy was created may have changed. It may be time also to reconsider shopping habits and communications channels. A brand refresh may be needed to ensure that the brand is aligned with current needs and wants.

Messaging may need updating to reflect the demands of new generations of consumers – not just verbal and written messages, but each semiotic signifier – symbols, images, colours, etc. Brand identities that may once have survived 10 years or more may need reviewing more often.

2. Your business has moved on.

Are you brand goals and aims still the same? In the same way that your customers’ requirements may have changed, so might those of your business.

External influences, economic, political, legislative, social etc., may have changed your commercial environment. You may have responded by changing the way you do business or adjusting your priorities.

A retailer may have moved more business into e-commerce, a heating engineer may have moved focus from domestic to commercial customers, an insurance broker may have identified a profitable, specialist niche to concentrate on.

Again, a brand refresh may be required to align the business but also to communicate change to your audiences.

3. Technology has moved on.

As we’ve mentioned already, your brand must provide answers for the needs and wants of your customers. Technological advances may make your solutions less relevant, or your emphasis may need to change.

When mobile phones arrived, for example, at least two sectors needed to look at their brand positioning. The first were landline providers – what unique benefit could they now offer over mobile providers?

The second sector was photography. Digital cameras had already changed how photographs were taken, but mobile phone cameras now changed why they were taken. No longer to store and file memories, but to instantly share fleeting events with audiences.

The place photography now occupied in people’s lives meant brands in the sector to re-think and refresh.

Refresh here means not only reviewing the brand offer, but also your communications. Has technology changed the communication channels you use?

4. Society has moved on.

Social changes, emotional and political, may be subtle or dramatic. For example, attitudes to environmental, racial and gender issues can change faster than we might think. Consider the social attitudes of 20 years ago – and remember a very different societal landscape – and ‘brandscape’.

It can be quite easy for a brand to be caught out, simply by allowing outdated attitudes and social values to persist in their organisation. Corporate leadership and brand leadership should be steering brand values. But also the time may be right to reconsider and refresh brand communications that may not kept up with the times.