Five Design Trends Impacting Club Community Branding

Trend 1: Responsive Logo Systems + Member-Only Marks

What it is: A branding approach where the client is provided a system of flexible, versatile, coordinated logo options that adapt to different uses while maintaining consistency across platforms. This includes full logos, text only versions, icon only versions, seals, monograms, and variations for designated use cases like member-only marks or charity sub-branding. 

Why it matters: Having a responsive logo system ensures cohesive branding across digital and physical touchpoints, in both large and small scale applications—from grand signage at a club’s entrance to the favicon at the top of its webpage. This helps improve brand recognition while supporting the needs of modern clubs and communities. Iterations of the logo, like a members-only mark, establish a sense of exclusivity or belonging among members. 

Recommendations for communities and clubs:

• Keep your members-only mark very simplistic, as it will most likely come to life through merchandise (and often embroidery). We often use an icon or initial lockup without the full name.
• Make sure you have clear guidelines in place for the usage of the system (when to use the primary logo vs. the secondary vs. the seal). Responsive logo systems are wonderfully versatile, but without proper guardrails, can complicate brands rather than keep them cohesive.

Trend 2: Heritage-Modern Fusion

What it is: This branding approach blends more traditional visual elements (think: crest-style logos, intricate serif fonts, and heritage patterns) with modern aesthetics (think: clean typography, minimalist layouts, updated photography) to create a blend of past and present that can bridge generational preferences. 

Why it matters: A challenge for clubs or communities with rich history can be figuring out how much to lean into that history with their branding vs. modernizing for the next generation. This trend appeals to both legacy members or buyers as well as potential new ones. It can reinforce exclusivity and feel grounded in a sense of place while still staying fresh and current.

Recommendations for communities and clubs:

• Try pulling vintage photographs, drawings, or prints into brand materials to add depth and richness.
• Pairing timeless serif fonts with sleek sans-serif fonts is an easy way to bring heritage-modern fusion into your brand’s typography.

Trend 3: The Opposition to AI, Craft-Custom 

What it is: As quick-turn, AI-generated design has risen in popularity, so has its opposition: craft-custom. This trend features highly intricate, detailed, and artful brand designs that are not to be replicated by overseas, budget-rate logo artists or artificial intelligence. (Think: hand-drawn lines, brushstroke style, or custom prints or patterns made from one-of-a-kind real life objects.)

Why it matters: For the high-end club and community space, branding needs to be representative of the lifestyle or membership experience you’re offering. If a budget or easily replicated computer-generated logo design doesn’t align with your experience, it shouldn’t be part of your branding. The beauty of craft custom is it immediately establishes a sense of thoughtfulness, richness, uniqueness, and worth. 

Recommendations for communities and clubs:

• Take a physical element of your club or community experience (intricate tilework, native plants, an artistic focal point) and pull it into your branding materials.
• Make sure your most intricate or detailed version of the logo has an easily simplified counterpart that works well for small applications and embroidery.

Trend 4: Experiential Branding

What it is: Thinking beyond words and visuals to bring your brand to life in a full sensory experience. How does it sound? How does it taste? What does it feel like? Does it have a signature smell? By building out the brand across all five senses, you create a more comprehensive brand essence for your audience to experience and connect with. 

Why it matters: Experiential branding creates more opportunities for audiences to engage with your brand in new and different ways, tapping into different emotional connections than those achieved through visuals alone. High-end brands in particular are leading the way in this fun and inventive branding space. 

Recommendations for communities and clubs:

• Create a playlist on Spotify for your club or community that captures its vibe. Members can easily listen to get a sense of the place and even make suggestions of songs to add to the list. Additional playlists could be added over time: by seasonality, by activity, for different groups, etc. 
• Make a signature scent that is used throughout the clubhouse and available for purchase through incense or candles. This makes a great welcome gift for new home buyers or leave behind for those interested in memberships. 

Trend 5: The IYKYK Discretion of Ultra-Luxury

What it is: Luxury branding has always erred on the side of minimalism. Today’s ultra-luxury pushes even further, embracing intrigue over flash and pomp. Ultraluxury brands have logos you seemingly have to hunt for or even know what they are independently in order to identify, giving an heir of exclusivity or an “if you know, you know” vibe. 

Why it matters: Today’s wealthy audiences desire discretion over ostentation. The goal is to be sought after, never seeking. This trend helps ultra-luxury brands differentiate themselves and attract a niche audience segment in the process. 

Recommendations for communities and clubs:

• Consider monochromatic logo-backdrop combinations as opposed to bold color contrast.
• Opt for opulent details juxtaposed with abundant negative space to give a sense of more is more and less is more coexisting at the same time.  

Want Buffalo to help put these and other design trends into action for your private golf club or high-end real estate community? We’d be thrilled to keep you ahead of the branding curve.