Looking Back to Look Ahead
By Alixandra Rutnik on Jan 25, 2023
Ahead of the ADC Awards, our jury chairs reflect on the various trends of 2022
“Hey ChatGPT, what 2022 industry trends do you expect to continue into 2023?”
The popular chatbot by OpenAI took a moment and then churned out the following: “Some trends that are expected to continue in 2023 include the increasing use of artificial intelligence and automation, the growth of e-commerce and online businesses, the expanding use of virtual and augmented reality, and a focus on sustainability and environmental concerns. Additionally, there is likely to be an increased emphasis on data privacy and cybersecurity, as well as changes in the way people work and interact with technology as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
Artificial Intelligence is the newest discipline in the ADC 102nd Annual Awards, and while AI may be smart, it can't judge the work you plan to sumbit. The ADC jury members, led by a collection of Jury Chairs, will be hard at work selecting which entries will win the coveted ADC Cube during Creative Week in May.
The next deadline to submit your work is TWO days away on Friday, January 27. In the meantime, we talked to the ADC jury chairs and asked them to talk about the latest trends in their respective disciplines by answering the following: “2022 was the Year of the ________.”
ChatGPT's got nothing on these superstars.
Mathias Appelblad
Global Creative Director, SEB Group
Interactive Jury
If I had to sum up creativity in 2022 in one word, it'd be diversity. And by that, I don't necessarily think about what we usually refer to — social and ethnic backgrounds, different genders, or sexual orientations, etc. Not to say that it hasn't been great to see norms being challenged and the work overall is a better reflection of the world in which it exists. But I'm most thrilled about diversity in thought and execution. I think it's been great to see work run the whole gamut from high-concept low-budget production to work that might not be truly fresh or original, but through incredible craft and execution cuts through the noise. There's work that's made for everything between 2 seconds to 200 seconds (and well beyond that). There's no formula. I'm excited about that.
Luke Hayman
Partner at Pentagram
Publication Design Jury
2022 was the year of artificial intelligence–DALL-E and ChatGPT. Not so much a trend but more a paradigm shift. Definitely good/interesting/mind-blowing, but surely bad as well. There will be blood. And tears. But also innovation. It will take years to determine what this means for the creative industries. These are interesting times.
Pelle Sjoenell
Chief Creatvie Officer at Activision Blizzard
Gaming Jury
2022 was the year when AI took the center stage in creative execution. We saw people all over the world get their faces drawn by the Lensa AI app, students submitted their ChatGPT generated essays and we started using AI for concept design, making video games, and creative presentations. I think it's a great thing and new color on the palette for creative minds. Anything that shortens the distance between a thought and an execution will make the world more interesting.
Francine Candiotti
Fashion Designer
Apparel / Accessory / Footwear Design
2022 is declared as the year of rethinking. For some 2022 was brutal, for others, challenging. But almost no one in the world lived through 2022 without experiencing major change. Everyone in the world is processing shifts in their sources of purpose simultaneously. Overall, I believe this is a good shift because it reshaped our lives to be more meaningful. It's given an opportunity to slow down in this fast changing world and to appreciate what truly matters: friends, family and connections. Prior to this, we have all been going through our daily schedules on autopilot.
Takashi Murakami
Artist at Kaikai Kiki
Illustration Jury
2022 was the year of the AI. I think the rise of AI has taken what you might call visual creativity one step further. It is similar to the scratching of records and the emergence of DJs in the music industry back in the day. It feels as though the seeds have now been planted, and this is the moment just before they sprout. Currently there is backlash against AI-generated images saying they should be omitted from society, but I think this is an emotional reaction to the emergence of a new medium. It will likely start to settle over time, as seen in the history of the music industry, and I don’t think those who paint or draw their original art will slow down because of it. I think it is a good trend.
Mary Lewis
Creative Director & Founding Partner at Lewis Moberly
Packaging / Product Design Jury
2022 was the year of the handprint. The handprint is a universal symbol of humanity. Brought to the fore by a year punctuated with continued pandemics, war, cost of living crisis, and climatic catastrophes. 2022 seemed to be a year like no other, impacting the way we live, work, and relate. We are high wired to take care of our world and each other.
Design will absorb and reflect this super consciousness embracing humanity. I predict a move from the remote, sophisticated, digital world, towards a visual tactility that speaks of warmth, compassion, modesty, sustainability, and inclusivity. Handprint also suggests craft and spontaneity. Leaving one’s own personal mark. Design will get its hands dirty– experiment and play will resurface. Design will win hearts and minds, as well as awards.
Cara Mandel
Co-Founder / CEO at Interwoven Immersive & Senior Producer at AltspaceVR and Microsoft Mesh
Experiential Design Jury
2022 was the year of the resurgence. For the last several years, experiences had largely been relegated to virtual or at-home. This year saw the return of everything from large brand activations to small, intimate immersive experiences, not to mention the rapidly growing world of metaverse experiences. It’s been exciting to watch.
Nisha Mathew Ghosh
Architect, Artist, & Curator
Architecture / Interior / Environmental Design Jury
2022 was the year of the upcycler. More number of architects and designers thought about upcycling or recycling than any year before this via their work. World crises, looming recessionary forecasts, wars and rumors of wars plague the world, and it seems like there is an emerging joy in repurposing and discovering a latent aesthetic that is fundamental to the distressed and discarded. This also finds resonance in the silent fight for equitability of opportunities and environments all over the world. What we were doing five or 10 years ago was only a precursor to this movement to sustain life itself.
Submit your amazing work to the ADC 102nd Annual Awards by January 27!
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