Each year at Club HQ we find ‘the season to be jolly’ come rushing upon us like a blizzard in midsummer. While we work all year round with brands, agencies and content creators, the festive holidays represent a super lucrative sales period for many. With more customers seeking out perfect gifts for their loved ones, it’s the ideal time to generate a flurry of interest in your products and services…and hopefully see that interest snowball!
Of course, preparations for seasonal campaigns are already well underway for some of the companies and creatives we team up with - and as our festive flavoured orders drift in, we’ve been savouring something of what the 24/25 celebratory period might look like.
This year, change is in the air as we appreciate a global and diverse interpretation of the yuletide theme; a reimagining that caters to different lifestyles, belief systems and personal traditions. Let’s not forget that the festive season is a worldwide affair! So whether you are surrounded by snow-capped mountains, or basking in the sun of the southern hemisphere: Here’s our breakdown of the trends and custom colours we see sticking this celebratory season and how to style ‘em out like a pro!
Alt-Candy Wonderland
Break away from the retired reds and routine greens of yesteryear. This festive focus keeps things sweet with classic themes rendered in alternate candy colour-ways. Serving up an energetic and youthful vibe, this style would be a great fit for those looking to target younger markets. Say goodbye to dusty Santa hats and tired tinsel…instead embrace a fresh perspective and unorthodox interpretation that is at home in summer climates as it is in the frozen north.
Bring Your Candyscape to Life
- Be a Soft Touch: In the wake of Pantone’s Colour of the Year ‘Peach Fuzz’ and WGSN’s twinning ‘Apricot Crush’ we’re seeing delectable orangey pinks refreshing the festive palette. Pair this sweet shade with chilled turquoise tones inspired by Pantone’s ‘Mint Julep’ and ‘Spun Sugar’.
- Whimsical Not Wimpy: Play with quirky textures and patterns while keeping the direction strong. We love the nod to mid-century pastel aesthetics in this trend; but be sure to keep the styling clean and unfussy for a contemporary look.
- Be Crystal Clear: Use transparent props and sparkling glassware to create an ethereal feel. Try filling clear glass baubles with clouds of candy floss or experiment with lightly coloured liquids in decorative vessels. Check out this fab gingerbread man bottle we picked up from Il Gusto for inspiration!
- Think Outside the Gift Box: Let unconventional approaches to a traditional theme inspire your shoot. Emphasise action and motion in product shots or try bouncing light from holographic sheets for a dreamy, reflective shimmer. The festive season can be both chaotic and serendipitous, so allow for a little unexpected magic in your shoot.
- Pick ’n’ Mix: Enjoy putting together your own interpretation of this trend with custom vinyl backdrops. For our ‘Alt-Candy’ images we’ve chosen the custom template Mizar, with its timeless geometric star design. Select your own pastel palette and pair with custom coloured vinyl for graphic styles that will transcend the new year. Or, grab our Soft Sorbet bundle and get inventive to create your own deliciously dreamy wonderland.
Nostalgic in Nature
Looking to the future for change is often accompanied by a need to reconnect with our roots. So while this festive palette might evoke a sense of familiarity, it also speaks to our yearning for a more sustainable relationship with nature. Drawing from ancient pagan traditions that honour the changing of the seasons, this style celebrates the eternal beauty of winter. A rich yet calming colour scheme combines with simple, earthy props to reflect a conscious shift away from hyper-polished consumerism.
‘Nostalgic in Nature’ shows a mindful approach to traditional festive themes. Our shoot features Custom Colour vinyl backdrops in #9e1f44 and #435657 alongside the timeworn charms of Ashen.
Bring the Outdoors In
- Get Grounded: A subtle shift from the signature colours of the season, the ‘Nostalgic in Nature’ palette combines deep magenta with powdery sage green. Inspired by winter berries and foliage, this pairing suggests the muted sophistication of a frost-tipped forest.
- Sustainable to the Core: Props that feel handcrafted, well-worn and recyclable sit best with this style. Avoid plastic props and fake flowers. Instead, try pine cones and fresh fruit with embellishments of kraft paper, twine and hessian.
- Oh Wood You Now?: Rustic textures are key to styling this trend, so pick a surface or vinyl backdrop that looks like it’s got a few miles under it’s belt. From Parquet to Ashen, our wood effect backdrops are great for evoking an arcadian mood. Team with rough hewn or hand turned objects that retain the unique variance of nature.
- Zip Up Your Boots: And get back to your roots! ‘Nostalgic in Nature’ is all about connecting with the earth; so why not go out there and forage for some seasonal flora. Sprigs of jewel bright berries and plentiful greenery can be found in hedgerows, woodlands and public parks. Just remember to bring a sturdy pair of gloves and some secateurs. Don’t worry if that all sounds a bit daunting though; you can always grab an oat latte and head to your urban florist for inspiration!
Metallic Maverick
It’s not just the grotesquely rich going off-world this yuletide. The 2020’s reboot of the space age continues to inspire with trend forecasters positively beaming about future-core aesthetics. Metallics, predicted to shine as one of this year’s key trends, are the launch pad for this avant-garde look. Combining a twist of retro-zest with a healthy measure of sci-fi swagger, we’re all ready to blast off into this galvanised festive fantasy!
Ignite this interstellar trend with sparing use of bold colour against a monochrome palette. Our ‘Metallic Maverick’ inspired images feature a Midjourney generated* Custom Backdrop for a science fiction meets styling reality scene!
Prepare for Liftoff
- All or Nothing: Mavericks are lone rangers, so max out on silver, chrome and platinum while keeping supporting accents graphical and restrained. We love the pop of vivid orange props against a monochrome scene, but be sparing for the most standout look.
- Out of this World: Channel the mood for food shoots with contemporary chrome cutlery and glassware in geometric shapes. We adore the clean lines of this Arne Jacobson cutlery by Georg Jenson. First designed in 1957, this futuristic style was featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. How iconic is that?
- Don’t be a Space Cadet: Reflective objects can be a real chore to retouch, so factor this into your project timeline. To minimise post-processing be sure to keep everything clean and polished IRL and consider wearing gloves while handling your scene. Pay attention to lighting and be mindful of flare and glare.
- Backdrops: The Next Generation: Embrace the sci-fi future we’re already living in with a unique Midjourney generated* ‘drop. For our ‘Metallic Maverick’ backdrop we used the prompt: snowflake geometric flat texture chrome futuristic sci-fi vibes. Simply upload to our Custom Artwork builder and we’ll get your design space-shipped out to you in a flash!
We hope you’ve enjoyed our pick of the top festive trend directions this year. Whether you ‘boldly go where no stylist has gone before’ or reinvent tradition with a contemporary mindset, the coming season is a fantastic opportunity to create content that moves and inspires your audience. So get planning, dreaming and prepping now, because (as we know only too well at Club Backdrops) the joy and havoc of the holidays will be upon us before we know it…
*Like everyone, we've been experimenting with AI here at Club HQ and are excited about it's potential to aid the creative process - not replace it - just as we have in this example. Stay tuned for a follow up post where we'll talk about the ways we're using this new tech to augment concept, reference and creative asset genesis.