Monotype's annual Type Trends report is here, and as usual, it's packed full of inspiration and insight. This year's report focuses on how creatives are using design to inform, provoke, catalyse and create hope for us in times of crisis and change. It's divided into sections like 'freedom, law & order', 'life cycle', which addresses the "generational continuum" and 'hot & wet', which focuses on type and the environment.
The intro claims the report differs from others in that it doesn't look back at trends past, instead, it aims to be a "typographic oracle", which is a lovely turn of phrase. That doesn't mean it's forgotten the past entirely though, and the sections are full of glimpses of type past and present, as well as making predictions about the future. It's a more meaty type of typography trends report than others we've seen so far this year.
A section on kinetic typography, for example, looks at how type is becoming more and more dynamic, and being fused with sound and music in incredible ways. It feels like everyone is talking about sonic branding these days, and of course type can form a part of that.
No current trends report would be worth its salt if it didn't mention the topic of AI. Monotype adopts a positive tone, and talks about how AI will help mainstream type. It also includes a statement about how Monotype will not use fonts from its partners to train AI for new font designs.
Elsewhere, there are sections on freedom and its relationship to type, and how we need different forms of type at different stages of our lives, including an interesting section on how "people are old" and "designers are young". There's also a surprisingly rousing passage about hope in the section on conflict and peace.
Overall, this report provides a fascinating snapshot of type and everything it means at this moment in time. It's also packed full of inspirational images. You can read the full report here.
