Not too long ago, brands obsessed over perfection. Every ad campaign was a flawless masterpiece — high-budget photoshoots, pixel-perfect typography, and Instagram grids that looked like modern art.
Today? Not so much.
In 2025, some of the most effective marketing looks more like your friend’s chaotic Instagram Story than a polished magazine spread. Welcome to the Pandemic Aesthetic — a deliberate shift toward design that’s messy, imperfect, and refreshingly human.
How We Got Here: A Perfect Storm of Pandemic and Gen Z Influence
To understand why we love lo-fi design today, we need to rewind to 2020.
When the pandemic hit, traditional ad production screeched to a halt. With studios closed and photoshoots canceled, brands had to improvise — and fast. Out of necessity, they embraced user-generated content (UGC) and low-budget, at-home campaigns.
But something surprising happened: audiences loved it.
According to Vogue Business, this unpolished aesthetic struck a chord, particularly with Gen Z. For a generation raised on TikTok trends and blurry BeReal photos, ultra-slick campaigns felt out of touch. Instead, they gravitated toward content that felt authentic — even if (or especially if) it was a little ugly.
At the same time, internet culture itself started embracing the chaotic. As MSN explains, shitposting aesthetics — visuals that are deliberately amateurish, ironic, or absurd — became a key part of Gen Z’s online language. In other words, lo-fi design wasn’t just tolerated. It became a signal of cultural fluency.
The Case for Ugly: Why It Works (and Works Well)
If you’re wondering whether this means design standards are disappearing, the answer is no — but they’re certainly evolving.
As Fast Company points out, ugly design isn’t about laziness. On the contrary, it’s a calculated rejection of traditional design rules. Brands are intentionally choosing clunky fonts, awkward layouts, and chaotic visuals because they signal realness.
Why does this matter so much? Because consumers — especially younger ones — are incredibly good at spotting when they’re being “sold to.” Polished, too-perfect ads often trigger skepticism. On the other hand, scrappy, off-the-cuff content feels like something a friend might post, and that makes it inherently more trustworthy.
What Ugly Design Looks Like in Practice
So, what exactly does this new aesthetic entail? Here are some hallmarks you’re likely seeing everywhere:
✅ Photos that are grainy, underlit, or awkwardly cropped
✅ Fonts that scream “default setting” (yes, Comic Sans is having a moment)
✅ Design choices that feel chaotic, almost meme-like
✅ Obvious Photoshop cutouts and deliberately clumsy editing
This visual language might make trained designers cringe, but for brands looking to break through the noise, it’s incredibly effective.
Why This Aesthetic Builds Trust (and Loyalty)
It’s easy to dismiss this trend as a passing joke — but the psychology behind it runs deep.
After years of being fed hyper-curated influencer content and ads that felt like mini movies, consumers are craving something different. Lo-fi, unpolished visuals feel honest. They suggest, We’re not trying to impress you. We’re just talking to you. That vulnerability builds trust, and in a digital landscape overflowing with content, trust is everything.
What This Means for Designers (Don’t Panic)
If you’re a designer reading this, you might be wondering: Am I out of a job? Definitely not. But the role of a designer is shifting.
Today’s best creatives aren’t just technicians — they’re cultural interpreters. Knowing how to design something beautiful is still valuable, but understanding when to make something deliberately ugly is becoming just as important.
The challenge (and opportunity) for designers in 2025 is learning to blend polished craft with intentional chaos. Sometimes, that means creating traditional high-gloss campaigns. Other times, it means making something that looks like it belongs in a chaotic group chat. The trick is knowing your audience — and which approach will actually resonate.
In Short: The Future of Design is Messy — And That’s a Good Thing
The pandemic aesthetic, with its lo-fi charm and rebellious spirit, isn’t just a passing fad. It’s a cultural shift — a redefinition of what good design looks like in a hyper-connected, irony-loving world.
For brands willing to embrace imperfection, the rewards are clear: higher engagement, deeper trust, and a stronger connection with the next generation of consumers.
So, whether you’re a marketer, a designer, or just someone who loves to keep tabs on creative trends, here’s the message: embrace the mess. It’s not just a trend — it’s the future.
Sources
Fast Company. (2021, August 31). The case for ugly design. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/90672231/the-case-for-ugly-design?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss
Vogue Business. (2023, September 25). Are lo-fi ad campaigns the next big thing? Retrieved from https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/consumers/are-lo-fi-ad-campaigns-the-next-big-thing
MSN. (2024, February 10). How shitposting and lo-fi aesthetics are winning Gen Z over. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-gb/fashion-and-style/fashion-trends/how-shitposting-and-lo-fi-aesthetics-are-winning-gen-z-over/ar-AA1vSSsd
