1. Organic: Interestingly, organic design stands in contradiction to the mainstream desire for clean, minimalist design. For example, we see it manifested in vintage design, which can help brands achieve a top-shelf look with classic details that provide an air of distinction and sophistication.

2. Mobile-First: Design trends in previous years highlighted a responsive approach to website design—which is still important—but in 2018 we'll think about smartphones before we think about desktops. Companies are going to think about how their site looks on an iPhone and transition that experience onto the desktop, rather than vice-versa.

3. Movement: 2017 was, believe it or not, the 30th anniversary of the GIF. As adoption among marketers and consumers continues to grow, we see this trend continuing into 2018. And, let's face it, there have been many world events and resulting emotions this past year to which words alone cannot do justice. GIFs add interest to ads, email newsletters, illustrations, icons, and logos (not to mention memes).

4. Complexity: Over the last few years, flat design has reigned supreme, but gradients are making a big comeback in 2018, bringing back complexity and depth we haven't seen in recent times. Last time gradients were around, they were seen mainly in the form of Material Design and subtle shading to suggest 3D (Apple's iOS icons were a great example). Now, gradients are big, loud and full of color.

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Design thinking is one of the year's buzzphrases.