# Style: Dopamine Design

**Trend confidence:** ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Confirmed across Adobe, Color Psychology, Kittl, TasteToday (2026)
**Also known as:** Visual Maximalism, Type Collage, Vibrant Maximalist
**Mood:** Joyful, loud, energetic, unapologetically vibrant — signals brand confidence and Gen Z relevance

---

## Core Prompt Fragment

```
dopamine design aesthetic, ultra-saturated vibrant color palette, maximalist composition,
high-energy visual arrangement, multiple bold elements coexisting intentionally,
expressive playful typography, pure visual joy and emotional energy,
thumb-stopping and unignorable
```

## Environment Variants

**Type Collage:**
```
layered typographic composition, multiple font scales, bold display type mixed with
body copy and graphic elements, saturated color blocks, expressive and confident layout
```

**Color Explosion:**
```
single dominant saturated background, one ultra-bright accent color in total contrast,
subject or product isolated in this electric environment,
cobalt blue + coral red, lime green + hot pink, deep violet + bright yellow
```

**Vibrant Lifestyle:**
```
real person or product in high-saturation environment,
bold color cast on scene, energy and movement implied,
joyful genuine emotion, color is the mood
```

## Lighting Recipe

```
even or slightly high-key lighting to let colors dominate,
color temperature driven by chosen saturated palette,
no dramatic shadows — light should enhance color vibrancy, not compete with it
```

## Negative Prompt (Always Include)

```
muted palette, quiet, restrained, minimal, neutral background,
low contrast, desaturated, monochrome, whisper-quiet, editorial calm,
corporate subdued, subtle
```

## Color Guidance

**Signature combos from 2026 research:**
- Cobalt blue `#1a56db` + coral red `#e84b3a`
- Electric lime `#a8e63d` + hot pink `#ff2d78`
- Deep violet `#5b21b6` + bright yellow `#fbbf24`
- Euphoric Lilac `#c084fc` + tangerine `#fb923c`

**Rule:** Always pick 2 high-saturation complements or near-complements. Never 3 saturated colors of equal weight — one must dominate, one accents.

**Avoid:** Pastel versions of these combos — dopamine design is bold, not soft

## B2B Application Note

Use dopamine design sparingly in B2B contexts — it skews consumer/Gen Z. Specific use cases for Symph:
- Vector or Clocklane social cards for attention-grabbing stat posts
- General Symph Agency brand content targeting younger audiences
- Launch announcement posts where energy is the entire message
- Never as a primary style for Encore or Overture (conflicts with their quiet luxury/cinematic profiles)
