The graphic and web design world was once a sanctuary of creative freedom, where designers wielded their tools with boundless possibilities, limited only by imagination.

But now, a dark cloud looms over this vibrant industry: the relentless rise of subscription-based services. What was sold to us as a convenient, cost-effective model is now suffocating designers, stifling innovation, and forcing us into a perpetual cycle of dependence.

The Subscription Trap

In the past, owning design software was simple. You bought a product, installed it, and it was yours—forever. Upgrades were optional and came at your own pace.

Today, companies like Adobe, Figma, and countless others have restructured their models to lock designers into expensive monthly subscriptions. On the surface, it seems practical: always have the latest tools and updates. But this isn’t a fair trade; it’s a hostage situation.

The numbers tell the story. Adobe’s Creative Cloud subscription starts at $59.99 per month at the time of this writing for access to essential apps like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Over five years, that’s almost a staggering $3,600. For freelancers and small studios, it’s a massive financial burden. And if you stop paying? You lose access to everything. All your files, all your tools—gone.

Creativity on a Clock

The subscription model doesn’t just hurt wallets; it punishes creativity. Deadlines and budgets are already stressful, but the looming threat of losing access to essential tools adds another layer of anxiety. Designers are forced into a “pay-to-play” reality where creativity is a service, not a skill. What happens to innovation when the tools of the trade become gated behind a recurring fee?

Even worse, many subscription services now bundle unrelated features into bloated plans, forcing designers to pay for tools they’ll never use. Want just Photoshop? Too bad. You’ll pay for the entire suite, even if you only need one or two applications. It’s the equivalent of being forced to buy a buffet ticket when all you want is a sandwich.

The New Monopoly on Design

Subscriptions also create a dangerous monopoly on creativity. Companies like Adobe, Figma, and Canva dominate the market, making it nearly impossible for independent or smaller competitors to offer alternatives. As designers, our ability to choose is eroding. The tools we use are dictated by industry standards, which are, in turn, dictated by these subscription giants.

When Figma announced its acquisition by Adobe, the collective gasp from designers worldwide wasn’t just about a business deal—it was about the future of affordable, accessible design tools. The writing is on the wall: consolidation and monopolization will leave designers with fewer options and higher costs.

Who Really Benefits?

It’s not the designers. It’s the corporations. Subscription models provide companies with predictable, recurring revenue streams, ensuring their financial security at the expense of their users. They’re no longer incentivized to create groundbreaking new tools; instead, they focus on incremental updates designed to justify the monthly fee. Meanwhile, designers are left paying more for less.

Breaking the Chains

The solution isn’t simple, but it starts with awareness and action. Designers must support alternatives to the subscription model. Open-source software like GIMP, Krita, and Inkscape offers viable, cost-effective options. Companies that still sell perpetual licenses, such as Affinity, deserve our support and advocacy.

Furthermore, we must collectively demand fairer pricing and licensing models. Why can’t companies offer modular subscriptions or rent-to-own options? Designers should be able to pay for the tools they need, not fund a corporation’s endless greed.

Conclusion: A Call to Arms

The graphic and web design community is one of resilience, creativity, and passion. But we cannot afford to let subscription models dictate our futures. It’s time to push back, explore alternatives, and reclaim the tools that allow us to create freely.

Subscriptions aren’t just killing our wallets—they’re killing the very essence of what it means to be a designer. Let’s break the cycle and rediscover the freedom to create.

As a follow up to the search for a new CSS logo, it looks like we have a winner!

Since our last post, the color shifted away from a vibrant pink to a color with a remarkable history among the CSS community: rebeccapurple

With 400 votes on GitHub, I think the community has chosen well.

Check out Adam’s post on selecting the winner!

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Follow Up: We Officially Have a CSS Logo! originally published on CSS-Tricks, which is part of the DigitalOcean family. You should get the newsletter.

Welcome to our latest toolkit collection.

As always, we’ve aimed for a range of apps, utilities, and services to help make life a little easier for designers, and for developers too. And, of course, what would a November collection be without some Thanksgiving images for our readers in the US? Enjoy!

Browser AI Kit

This web app lets you run some of the most popular AI tasks directly in your browser. There are currently three tools available, with potentially more coming.

Punch Back

Have you ever had a really exasperating client? Or are you sick of hearing the same complaints over and over again – make the logo bigger, I want a $10k site for five bucks, etc.? This will help relieve your feelings. No actual clients are harmed in the process of reducing your irritation.

ErrorPulse

ErrorPulse aims to simplify front-end error tracking with helpful features and a minimal dashboard. The free plan covering 5k error credits is an ample trial.

QuickPreview

QuickPreview lets you live test HTML in the browser, which could be really handy for fast prototyping or quick demos. Currently, any styles or scripts must be inline.

Stretch It

This easy-to-use little timer app sits on your macOS menu bar, and you just pull it down to set it. It automatically matches your system color scheme, and there is a range of alert sounds to choose from.

Quill

Quill clipboard manager automatically saves all your copied text and saves it in one place, where it can be easily accessed, organized, and searched.

Static.app

Static.app is a drag-and-drop hosting solution for static websites. The intuitive dashboard makes for easy editing and customization.

Revyme

Revyme is a web builder with a focus on animation. It allows non-frontend developers to create customized animations without code.

Cocolor

Test your color know-how with this game by clicking on the pigment buttons until the image matches the background. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

AutoEmailed

AutoEmailed allows you to automatically email a customer on completion of a successful Stripe payment for digital products.

Note This Down

This handy utility for Notion lets you upload a photo of handwritten notes, then it transcribes the text, and stores it in a page of your choosing.

Thanksgiving Icons

This set of seasonal images is bright and joyful. Although it is more general autumnal fruit and veg than turkey and pie, there are a couple of festive pilgrim hats.

Flux AI Lab

Flux AI Lab claims that its AI image generation models are superior to Dall-E and Midjourney. Its suite of tools will create realistic, animated, and illustrated styles, and offers consistency across image sets.

Onlook

Onlook is an open-source visual editor for React apps. It lets you design in your app and instantly writes all changes to code for you. Some technical knowledge is required.

Buddler

Buddler is a set of SEO tools for growth hacking. Its most recent addition is traffic audits of Google Search Console data.

Alt text is one of those things in my muscle memory that pops up anytime I’m working with an image element. The attribute almost writes itself.

<img src="image.jpg" alt="">

Or if you use Emmet, that’s autocompleted for you. Don’t forget the alt text! Use it even if there’s no need for it, as an empty string is simply skipped by screen readers. That’s called “nulling” the alternative text and many screen readers simply announce the image file name. Just be sure it’s truly an empty string because even a space gets picked up by some assistive tech, which causes a screen reader to completely skip the image:

<!-- Not empty -->
<img src="image.jpg" alt=" ">

But wait… are there situations where an image doesn’t need alt text? I tend to agree with Eric that the vast majority of images are more than decorative and need to be described. Your images are probably not decorative and ought to be described with alt text.

Probably is doing a lot of lifting there because not all images are equal when it comes to content and context. Emma Cionca and Tanner Kohler have a fresh study on those situations where you probably don’t need alt. It’s a well-written and researched piece and I’m rounding up some nuggets from it.

What Users Need from Alt Text

It’s the same as what anyone else would need from an image: an easy path to accomplish basic tasks. A product image is a good example of that. Providing a visual smooths the path to purchasing because it’s context about what the item looks like and what to expect when you get it. Not providing an image almost adds friction to the experience if you have to stop and ask customer support basic questions about the size and color of that shirt you want.

So, yes. Describe that image in alt! But maybe “describe” isn’t the best wording because the article moves on to make the next point…

Quit Describing What Images Look Like

The article gets into a common trap that I’m all too guilty of, which is describing an image in a way that I find helpful. Or, as the article says, it’s a lot like I’m telling myself, “I’ll describe it in the alt text so screen-reader users can imagine what they aren’t seeing.”

That’s the wrong way of going about it. Getting back to the example of a product image, the article outlines how a screen reader might approach it:

For example, here’s how a screen-reader user might approach a product page:

1. Jump between the page headers to get a sense of the page structure.
2. Explore the details of a specific section with the heading label Product Description.
3. Encounter an image and wonder “What information that I might have missed elsewhere does this image communicate about the product?”

Interesting! Where I might encounter an image and evaluate it based on the text around it, a screen reader is already questioning what content has been missed around it. This passage is one I need to reflect on (emphasis mine):

Most of the time, screen-reader users don’t wonder what images look like. Instead, they want to know their purpose. (Exceptions to this rule might include websites presenting images, such as artwork, purely for visual enjoyment, or users who could previously see and have lost their sight.)

OK, so how in the heck do we know when an image needs describing? It feels so awkward making what’s ultimately a subjective decision. Even so, the article presents three questions to pose to ourselves to determine the best route.

1. Is the image repetitive? Is the task-related information in the image also found elsewhere on the page?
2. Is the image referential? Does the page copy directly reference the image?
3. Is the image efficient? Could alt text help users more efficiently complete a task?

This is the meat of the article, so I’m gonna break those out.

Is the image repetitive?

Repetitive in the sense that the content around it is already doing a bang-up job painting a picture. If the image is already aptly “described” by content, then perhaps it’s possible to get away with nulling the alt attribute.

This is the figure the article uses to make the point (and, yes, I’m alt-ing it):

The caption for this image describes exactly what the image communicates. Therefore, any alt text for the image will be redundant and a waste of time for screen-reader users. In this case, the actual alt text was the same as the caption. Coming across the same information twice in a row feels even more confusing and unnecessary.

The happy path:

<img src="image.jpg" alt="">

But check this out this image about informal/semi-formal table setting showing how it is not described by the text around it (and, no, I’m not alt-ing it):

If I was to describe this image, I might get carried away describing the diagram and all the points outlined in the legend. If I can read all of that, then a screen reader should, too, right? Not exactly. I really appreciate the slew of examples provided in the article. A sampling:

1. Bread plate and butter knife, located in the top left corner. 
2. Dessert fork, placed horizontally at the top center. 
3. Dessert spoon, placed horizontally at the top center, below the dessert fork.

That’s way less verbose than I would have gone. Talking about how long (or short) alt ought to be is another topic altogether.

Is the image referential?

The second image I dropped in that last section is a good example of a referential image because I directly referenced it in the content preceding it. I nulled the alt attribute because of that. But what I messed up is not making the image recognizable to screen readers. If the alt attribute is null, then the screen reader skips it. But the screen reader should still know it’s there even if it’s aptly described.

The happy path:

<img src="image.jpg" alt="">

Remember that a screen reader may announce the image’s file name. So maybe use that as an opportunity to both call out the image and briefly describe it. Again, we want the screen reader to announce the image if we make mention of it in the content around it. Simply skipping it may cause more confusion than clarity.

Is the image efficient?

My mind always goes to performance when I see the word efficient pop up in reference to images. But in this context the article means whether or not the image can help visitors efficiently complete a task.

If the image helps complete a task, say purchasing a product, then yes, the image needs alt text. But if the content surrounding it already does the job then we can leave it null (alt="") or skip it (alt=" ") if there’s no mention of it.

Wrapping up

I put a little demo together with some testing results from a few different screen readers to see how all of that shakes out.

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Alt Text: Not Always Needed originally published on CSS-Tricks, which is part of the DigitalOcean family. You should get the newsletter.

Here’s a curated list of 25 notable conferences and events in 2025 that web designers should consider:

1. Smashing Conf

Hosted by the team behind Smashing Magazine, SmashingConf offers two days of talks and workshops from industry leaders, focusing on practical takeaways for immediate application.

Dates: May 13–14, 2025
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Website: https://smashingconf.com

2. Awwwards Conference

Celebrating creativity and innovation in web design, the Awwwards Conference attracts top digital designers and developers, featuring inspiring talks, workshops, and award ceremonies.

Dates: February 18–19, 2025
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Website: https://conference.awwwards.com

3. UXDX

Focusing on user experience, product design, and development, UXDX emphasizes end-to-end product delivery and collaboration among designers, developers, and product teams.

Dates: September 24–26, 2025
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Website: https://uxdx.com

4. An Event Apart

This traveling conference series offers intimate learning environments with sessions on CSS, responsive design, and accessibility, catering to those deeply invested in web design.

Dates: Multiple dates in 2025
Locations: Various cities across the USA
Website: https://aneventapart.com

5. CreativePro Week

Catering to graphic designers, web designers, and creative professionals, CreativePro Week offers sessions on branding, typography, and content creation, expanding skill sets beyond web design.

Dates: June 2–6, 2025
Location: Denver, Colorado, USA
Website: https://creativeproweek.com

6. Web Directions Summit

As a leading web design and development conference in the Asia-Pacific region, it features sessions on cutting-edge design techniques, front-end frameworks, and digital product strategies.

Dates: November 6–8, 2025
Location: Sydney, Australia
Website: https://webdirections.org

7. Config by Figma

Figma’s flagship conference celebrates all things design, offering insightful talks, live product demos, and a global community atmosphere.

Dates: August 12–13, 2025
Location: Virtual and In-person (San Francisco, USA)
Website: https://config.figma.com

8. Design Matters

Exploring the intersection of design, art, and technology, this boutique conference is ideal for creatives pushing the boundaries of web design.

Dates: October 1–2, 2025
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Website: https://designmatters.io

9. WordCamp Europe

As the flagship event for WordPress users, it offers sessions on themes, plugins, and web performance optimization, benefiting designers working with WordPress.

Dates: June 19–21, 2025
Location: Madrid, Spain
Website: https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025

10. Adobe MAX

Adobe MAX brings together professionals from graphic design, photography, video, and web design, featuring cutting-edge sessions and hands-on labs.

Dates: October 20–22, 2025
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Website: https://adobe.com/max

11. The UX Conference

Focusing on user experience and design strategy, it offers talks and workshops tailored to web designers aiming to deepen their understanding of UX principles.

Dates: March 11–12, 2025
Location: London, UK
Website: https://theuxconf.com

12. CSS Day

A highly focused conference for front-end developers and web designers, CSS Day delves deep into advanced CSS techniques, design systems, and browser quirks.

Dates: June 5–6, 2025
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: https://cssday.nl

13. Interaction 25

Organized by the Interaction Design Association (IxDA), this global event focuses on interaction design, exploring the evolving role of designers in shaping the digital world.

Dates: February 3–7, 2025
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Website: https://interaction25.ixda.org

14. Frontend United

Bringing together front-end developers and designers, it offers sessions on the latest technologies, tools, and methodologies in web development and design.

Dates: May 15–16, 2025
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Website: https://frontendunited.org

15. OFFF Barcelona

A festival for the creative community, OFFF features workshops, conferences, and performances, inspiring web designers with innovative ideas and trends.

Dates: April 23–25, 2025
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Website: https://offf.barcelona

16. Web Summit

One of the largest tech conferences globally, Web Summit covers a wide range of topics, including web design, development, and digital marketing.

Dates: November 3–6, 2025
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Website: https://websummit.com

17. FITC Toronto

Focusing on Future, Innovation, Technology, and Creativity, FITC Toronto offers sessions on design, development, and media, catering to web designers and developers.

Dates: April 27–29, 2025
Location: Toronto, Canada
Website: https://fitc.ca

18. Generate Conference

Organized by net magazine, Generate Conference offers practical advice and inspiration for web designers and developers, featuring leading industry speakers.

Dates: September 17–18, 2025
Location: London, UK
Website: https://generateconf.com

19. WebExpo Conference

WebExpo is a prominent event covering frontend and backend development, UX & UI design, AI, data, product research, digital marketing, and business. The 2025 conference offers 70 talks, free workshops, and mentor hours, providing a comprehensive learning experience for web professionals.

Dates: May 28–30, 2025
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Website: https://webexpo.net

20. The Web Conference (WWW2025)

The Web Conference, formerly known as the International World Wide Web Conference, is an annual event focusing on the future directions of the World Wide Web. It provides a premier forum for discussion about the evolution of the web, standardization of its associated technologies, and their impact on society and culture.

Dates: April 28 – May 2, 2025
Location: Location to be announced
Website: https://www2025.thewebconf.org

21. UX360 Research Summit 2025

The UX360 Research Summit is a virtual conference focusing on UX and design research methods. Led by over 25 leading UX practitioners, the event covers planning, conducting, analyzing, and implementing UX insights through talks and interactive panel discussions.

Dates: February 19–20, 2025
Location: Virtual
Website: https://ux360summit.com/

22. Web Summit Vancouver

Web Summit Vancouver is set to be one of the world’s biggest tech conferences, bringing together thousands of international entrepreneurs, investors, media outlets, and leaders. This event marks Web Summit’s first foray into North America, continuing its mission to connect the global technology ecosystem.

Dates: May 27–30, 2025
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Website: https://vancouver.websummit.com

23. Adobe Summit – The Digital Experience Conference

Adobe Summit focuses on digital experiences, offering insights into the latest trends and technologies in digital marketing and customer experiences. Attendees can learn from global innovators, connect with peers, and be inspired by industry leaders.

Dates: March 17–20, 2025
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, and Online
Website: https://summit.adobe.com/na

24. International JavaScript Conference London

This conference is dedicated to JavaScript and its frameworks, offering sessions on the latest developments in JavaScript, web development, and software architecture. It’s ideal for web designers looking to enhance their coding skills and stay updated with industry trends.

Dates: May 12–15, 2025
Location: London, United Kingdom, and Online
Website: https://javascript-conference.com/london

25. World Design Congress 2025

The World Design Congress returns to London, bringing together representatives from various design disciplines, including architecture, communications, transport, and service design. The 2025 theme, “Design for Planet,” focuses on sustainable, circular, and repairable design solutions.

Dates: September 9–10, 2025
Location: London, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk

These events provide a unique opportunity to stay updated on the latest industry trends, tools, and technologies through workshops, keynote speeches, and hands-on sessions led by experts.

Conferences also foster invaluable networking opportunities, allowing attendees to connect with like-minded peers, potential clients, and industry leaders.

Check out some of these in 2025!

Figma, the industry-leading design platform, has introduced a powerful new resource: the Figma Pattern Library.

This library offers a meticulously curated collection of reusable design patterns aimed at streamlining workflows, fostering collaboration, and enabling designers to produce consistent, high-quality interfaces.

In the evolving landscape of user interface design, consistency and scalability have become crucial for success. The Figma Pattern Library addresses these challenges by providing a centralized toolkit of UI components, making it easier for individuals and teams to maintain design uniformity while preserving creative flexibility.

The Need for a Pattern Library

As digital products grow increasingly complex, maintaining a cohesive design language across applications and platforms has become a significant challenge. Without a standardized approach, teams often face:

• Fragmentation in Design: Inconsistent styles or mismatched components across screens can confuse users and undermine credibility.
• Inefficiency in Workflow: Redesigning similar components from scratch wastes time and resources.
• Difficulty Scaling Designs: As projects grow, it becomes harder to ensure consistency, especially for large teams or distributed collaborators.

The Figma Pattern Library solves these pain points by offering a comprehensive resource for creating and managing reusable design patterns.

What is the Figma Pattern Library?

The Figma Pattern Library is a pre-built collection of UI elements designed with best practices in usability, accessibility, and design systems. These elements include commonly used patterns such as buttons, forms, input fields, toggles, modals, and navigation menus.

But the library isn’t just a repository of design assets—it’s a strategic framework for designers. It serves as both a starting point for new projects and a guide for maintaining consistency in ongoing work.

Key Features and Benefits

A Comprehensive Collection of Patterns

The library includes a wide variety of essential UI components, all crafted with precision. Each component is built to reflect modern design principles, making it easy to implement designs that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

For instance, a designer creating a form can quickly pull a pre-designed input field from the library, confident that it meets usability and accessibility standards.

Accessibility-First Design

Accessibility is no longer optional; it’s a core requirement of modern digital design. The Figma Pattern Library is built with accessibility at its foundation, ensuring that components are optimized for all users, including those with disabilities.

Key accessibility features include:

• Proper color contrast for readability.
• Support for screen readers.
• Keyboard navigation compatibility.

By prioritizing accessibility, the library helps designers create inclusive experiences without needing to reinvent the wheel.

Flexibility Through Customization

While the library provides standardized patterns, it also supports customization. Designers can adapt patterns to align with specific brand guidelines, such as adjusting colors, typography, or spacing. This ensures that the patterns maintain consistency while reflecting a project’s unique identity.

For example, a team designing an e-commerce site for a luxury brand can adjust the button styles to reflect the brand’s premium feel, while still leveraging the base structure provided by the library.

Detailed Documentation and Guidelines

Each pattern in the library comes with thorough documentation. This includes:

• Best practices for implementing the component.
• Guidelines for when and how to use it.
• Examples of its application in various contexts.

This documentation reduces the learning curve for new team members and ensures that patterns are applied correctly and consistently.

Seamless Integration Within Figma

One of the most significant advantages of the Figma Pattern Library is its direct integration with the Figma design platform. Designers can access the library without switching tools or disrupting their workflow.
This seamless integration allows for:

• Quick drag-and-drop functionality to include patterns in projects.
• Real-time collaboration, where team members can discuss and adapt patterns on the fly.
• Immediate updates to patterns, ensuring everyone is working with the latest version.

Scalability for Complex Projects

The library is especially valuable for teams working on large-scale projects, such as multi-platform applications or enterprise systems. By providing a standardized set of patterns, it helps ensure that designs remain cohesive across dozens or even hundreds of screens.

Time-Saving and Efficient Workflow

The reusable nature of the patterns significantly reduces the time designers spend on repetitive tasks. Instead of creating similar components from scratch, designers can focus on solving complex problems and crafting creative solutions.

Why the Figma Pattern Library is a Game-Changer

The introduction of the Figma Pattern Library underscores a broader shift in the design industry toward systematization and efficiency. As more organizations adopt design systems to manage their digital products, resources like the Pattern Library become invaluable.

Here’s why the library stands out:

• For Designers: It provides a foundation that enhances creativity by handling repetitive tasks.
• For Teams: It fosters alignment and reduces friction in collaboration, especially for distributed or cross-functional teams.
• For Organizations: It supports brand consistency and accelerates the delivery of high-quality digital products.

Practical Applications

The Figma Pattern Library is versatile and can be applied to a wide range of design scenarios:

• Startups can use it to quickly build out their design systems and establish a cohesive visual language.
• Large Enterprises can rely on it to manage consistency across diverse teams and products.
• Freelance Designers can leverage it to save time on smaller projects while maintaining professional-quality outputs.

Conclusion

The Figma Pattern Library is more than just a collection of UI components—it’s a tool for elevating the design process. By providing reusable, accessible, and customizable patterns, it empowers designers to work more efficiently and collaboratively.

Figma Pattern Library

Early this week, Jaguar unveiled a comprehensive rebranding initiative as part of its strategic shift toward an all-electric future.

This transformation includes a new logo, updated branding elements, and a refreshed corporate identity, all designed to align with the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.

The redesigned logo features a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, with the “J,” “G,” and “U” in uppercase, creating a distinctive visual identity. The iconic “leaper” emblem has been modernized and is now set against a backdrop of 16 horizontal lines, referred to as the “Strike Through.”

Additionally, a new monogram combining the letters “J” and “R” has been introduced, symbolizing the brand’s heritage and future aspirations.

Jaguar’s rebranding is guided by the creative philosophy of “Exuberant Modernism,” which emphasizes bold designs and original thinking. This approach aims to recapture the essence of Jaguar’s founding ethos to “Copy Nothing,” making the brand relevant to contemporary audiences.

The rebranding campaign includes a 30-second promotional video featuring diverse models in vibrant attire, set against a futuristic backdrop. Notably, the video does not showcase any vehicles, focusing instead on slogans such as “Copy Nothing” and “Create Exuberant.”

This avant-garde approach has sparked mixed reactions, with some critics questioning the absence of cars in the advertisement and others labeling the campaign as overly “woke.”

This rebranding aligns with Jaguar’s strategic plan to transition to an all-electric lineup by 2026. The company plans to launch three new electric vehicles, starting with a high-performance GT model.

The next phase of Jaguar’s transformation is set to be unveiled at Miami Art Week on December 2, 2024, where the company will debut its “Design Vision Concept,” providing further insights into its future design direction and product offerings.

Jaguar Website

eBay has introduced the Evo Brand System Playbook, a robust, 280-page guide designed to unify and elevate its global brand identity while fostering flexibility across its markets.

The playbook, which reflects years of research and innovation, provides a detailed framework for eBay’s design and branding strategies, aiming to create a cohesive and user-friendly experience across all platforms.

What is the Evo Brand System Playbook?

The Evo Brand System Playbook is a dynamic resource that consolidates eBay’s brand identity into a single, accessible platform. It includes over 2,700 assets—spanning images, videos, and interactive tools—that guide teams in implementing eBay’s vision.

The playbook outlines principles for typography, iconography, colors, animations, and even custom illustrations, ensuring that eBay’s design philosophy remains consistent globally while adapting to regional nuances.

Core Features of the Evo Playbook

1. Market Sans Typeface
   The proprietary typeface, Market Sans, is a key feature, delivering a clean and modern aesthetic that is both professional and approachable.
2. Accessible Color Palette
   Evo introduces a fully accessible color system, ensuring inclusivity for all users, including those with visual impairments. The palette balances vibrancy with functionality, enhancing readability and user engagement.
3. Custom Iconography and Illustrations
   A rich library of icons and bespoke illustrations helps create a distinct and engaging interface, reflecting eBay’s values of being smart, spirited, and dependable.
4. Interactivity and Tools
   The Playbook offers tools for real-time exploration, such as the Color Playground, allowing users to experiment with combinations and designs before implementation.
5. Accessibility-First Design
   Incorporating the Include accessibility annotations Figma plug-in, the Evo system underscores eBay’s commitment to making its platforms inclusive for diverse audiences.

Why Evo Matters

The Evo Brand System is more than a design guide—it’s a commitment to improving the user experience. By aligning its visual and interactive elements, eBay enhances the way customers interact with its platform, making online shopping intuitive and enjoyable.

According to eBay, the Playbook serves as a bridge between creativity and technical precision, ensuring that its teams and partners can deliver a seamless brand story across touchpoints. It also empowers flexibility, enabling regional teams to adapt global guidelines to local markets without losing the essence of the eBay brand.

The Future of Branding at eBay

The Evo Brand System Playbook marks a transformative chapter in eBay’s journey, reaffirming its leadership in e-commerce innovation. With this initiative, eBay aims to create a delightful, inclusive, and inspiring experience for its millions of users worldwide.

The Evo Playbook is now publicly accessible here, inviting designers, developers, and brand enthusiasts to explore eBay’s vision for the future of its brand.

When it comes to building a professional, polished online presence, Squarespace is a favorite website builder among creatives that consistently delivers.

As someone who loves design and innovation, I’m blown away by how Squarespace keeps pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, especially with their exciting advancements in AI.

Use code DEPOT10 to get a 10% discount! Valid until December 31st, 2025. Head over to Squarespace.com to redeem.

A Game-Changer with Squarespace AI

Let’s start with the star of the show: Squarespace AI. If you’ve ever struggled to write website content or faced the dreaded blank page, this is the tool you’ve been dreaming of.

Squarespace AI uses smart technology to help you craft polished, professional content—whether it’s website copy, email campaigns, or product descriptions—in no time at all. It’s like having a creative sidekick who’s always ready to help you get your ideas out there, sounding sharp and on-brand.

The magic doesn’t stop there. Squarespace AI integrates beautifully with the platform’s design tools, automatically populating your site with nearly-finished content that’s tailored to your needs. For busy entrepreneurs, it’s a lifesaver, helping you create a website that looks and sounds amazing without hours of tweaking.

Additionally, the AI analyzes user behavior and website performance to provide actionable insights for optimization, such as improving navigation or boosting search engine rankings.

Tools That Work Hard So You Don’t Have To

Squarespace isn’t just about gorgeous website templates (though let’s be real, their templates are stunning and some of the best in the industry). They’ve built an entire toolkit to help entrepreneurs sell, grow, and shine online. Here’s what’s got us excited:

• Squarespace Payments: A sleek, secure payment solution that makes selling a breeze. Whether you’re offering products or services, it’s easy to set up and works seamlessly with your site.
• Client Invoicing: Service-based businesses, rejoice! With intake forms, CRM tools, project tracking, and professional invoices that match your branding, managing your workflow has never been this smooth.
• Courses: Have expertise to share? The Courses feature—powered by Fluid Engine—lets you create beautiful online classes with video lessons, progress tracking, and more. It’s a fantastic way to add a new income stream.

Better Marketing and Scheduling Made Simple

Connecting with your audience is key, and Squarespace makes it easy. Their updated email marketing tools, with seasonal templates and automation, help you stay in touch and drive engagement.

And with improved Acuity Scheduling, your clients can book appointments effortlessly—whether they’re on desktop or mobile. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Use code DEPOT10 to get a 10% discount! Valid until December 31st, 2025. Head over to Squarespace.com to redeem.

Your Brand, Everywhere It Matters

Your website is just one piece of your brand’s digital puzzle, and Squarespace gets that. Tools like Squarespace Domains and Bio Sites Pro ensure your brand shines wherever your audience finds you.

Squarespace Domains makes managing everything from domain forwarding to bulk management a breeze. And if you’re active on social media, Bio Sites Pro is a customizable, professional link-in-bio solution that helps you stand out and even monetize your content.

Built to Grow with You

Squarespace isn’t just for solopreneurs and small businesses; it’s a powerful platform for larger enterprises too.

Features like single sign-on for added security, team-friendly collaboration tools, and specialized solutions like Tock for hospitality management mean Squarespace scales right alongside your business. From managing reservations to running global operations, it’s got the tools you need to keep moving forward.

Final Thoughts

Squarespace keeps raising the bar with its innovative tools, especially in AI. By combining stunning design, powerful selling features, and top-notch content creation capabilities, it’s a platform that truly helps businesses of all sizes succeed.

Whether you’re just starting out or ready to take your brand to the next level, Squarespace has everything you need to build and grow a fantastic online presence.

They’ve made it easier than ever to create something incredible—and that’s something I’ll always cheer for.

Use code DEPOT10 to get a 10% discount! Valid until December 31st, 2025. Head over to Squarespace.com to redeem.

Color Palette is a web application developed by Tobias Mønster Madsen, designed to provide users with a collection of curated color palettes for inspiration and design purposes.

Currently, the site is in development, with plans to expand its offerings by adding more color palettes, styles, and features in the future. Users are encouraged to share their feedback or suggestions, which will help shape the platform as it evolves.

The intuitive interface of Color Palette allows for easy navigation, making it a valuable tool for anyone looking to experiment with colors or find harmonious combinations for graphic design, web development, or artistic projects.

Whether you’re a professional designer or a hobbyist, this tool aims to simplify the often complex process of color selection, providing inspiration and functionality in a straightforward and accessible format.

https://www.colorpalette.dk