The Best of our 2023

The cream of our creative year

2024 might well be giving us a saucy wink, but it can just hold on a minute. Because before we embrace the year ahead, we’re taking one last look at what raised our pulses during 2023. So here, without further ado, is the best of mustard’s 2023, and the cream of our creative year… 

Interior Design’s Big Story

Here at mustard ID, we wanted to take a last look at the top interior design trends which featured throughout the year. We welcomed richer coloured timbers such as walnut, cherry and red oak, which nudged aside the pale birch colours from last year. This also meant that we remained faithful to our favourite muse, the natural world, while moving on from the jungle motif. Bolder coloured paints also injected a vibrant splash to browns and greens. But our favourite trend was a new fascination with the extravagant, the ornate, and the rococo. This was, of course, Maximalism. 

Precisely what will be at the top of interior designers’ lists in 2024 is still up for debate, but we’d put good money on sustainability remaining at the heart of it all. 

Party Time for VFX and Gaming

It’s been an exciting year for all of us at mustard FX. First off we had the release of Unity Sentis and Unity Muse, and a seemingly never-ending discussion about the impact of AI on gaming.  

But our favourite moments were those two huge VFX birthday parties. Our first invite was to Disney’s Centenary in October, although the House of Mouse had been handing out cake all year.  

The second extravaganza was courtesy of BBC’s Doctor Who. The extra-terrestrial Time Lord was 60 in November, and the Beeb released a handful of balloons in the guise of three newly penned specials. And the result was a total triumph for the British FX studios involved.  

Marketing and Design with a Heart

One of mustard MD’s favourite features in 2023 was how many brands are becoming more purpose-driven. And what we mean by that is a company with a reputation that reaches far beyond making a profit. These brands don’t just talk the talk, but crucially walk the walk when it comes to values, beliefs and their reason-to-be.  

From the Co-op raising £117m for their brilliant community scheme, to Divine Chocolate sharing profits with local producers, this isn’t just a trend – it’s a story that just like sustainability, is increasingly becoming the norm throughout the commercial world.  

The Experiential Success Story

mustard XP has been in on the experiential secret for a while. From the eternally evolving museum exhibits, to the vogue for pop-up experiences wherever there’s room to swing a cat, we can’t seem to get enough of them.  

Back in April we revealed the secret ingredients for experiential marketing success, and since then, the idea has been growing sideways. This Christmas has seen more experiential offerings than ever before, and we can’t tell you how excited we are to see where this quickly developing story goes next. 

Built Environment – Sustainable and Redeveloping

Our mustard BE division was particularly focused on two stories this year.  

The first was the fruition of the decade-long Battersea Power Station project. Described by RIBA as one of the most important regeneration projects of the 21st century, the process of the building’s regeneration is a masterclass in sympathetic and bullish determination to get things right. 

The second was the rise of the 3D printed house. From a brand-new Desert Hot Springs community, to the new Wolf Ranch neighbourhood in Georgetown, Texas, these are no post-war prefabs, but beautiful, unusual and cutting-edge homes. The positive potential for this innovation in the BE sphere is a continuing story for 2024. 

So, it’s nearly a wrap for 2023, but we’re going to have a lot more to say next year. In the meantime, we’re wishing you a brilliant festive break. See you in 2024!