When it comes to color standards, Pantone has been a pioneer since 1963. Founder, Lawrence Herbert, created a system to help standardize colors for print and design industries, which has since become a leading force in most marketing and advertising campaigns.
Each December the Pantone Color Institute releases the Color of the Year, which has a significant influence over the colors we use for clothing design, home goods, food, beauty products and more. Because color is so influential to our thoughts and emotions as consumers, it’s no wonder that each year we continue to see more companies taking advantage of the Color of the Year in their marketing strategy.
Once a color has been decided amongst a select group of experts across several industries, we get to work on creating new products and marketing campaigns based on the chosen color palette. Additionally, Pantone forms partnerships with big name brands and companies like Sephora, JC Penny and Lowe’s to ensure the Color of the Year makes its way into the hands and homes of consumers.
Now, you might be thinking that this color would become oversaturated and create a negative reaction with consumers, but in fact, the opposite is true. Even if you don’t particularly pay attention to Pantone’s Color of the Year, it’s likely that you’re at least familiar with this year’s color, Ultra Violet, and thus subconsciously feel more positive each time you see it. Psychologists refer to this as the mere-exposure effect, and it’s a huge part of how and why the Color of the Year is used so much in marketing and advertising.
The mere-exposure effect (also referred to as the familiarity principle), is rooted in the idea that the more you see or hear something, the more you like it. This principle is commonly used in various marketing strategies, so when it comes to marketing the Color of the Year, the more exposure the better.
Even if your business is not a direct influencer of the Color of the Year, it doesn’t mean that you can’t embrace this yearly marketing marvel. Your company can still connect with Pantone by finding creative ways to incorporate the chosen color palette into your products or marketing plans. A few ideas include:
• Creating a seasonal logo design using the Pantone Color of the Year
• Using photos within the chosen color palette
• Staging the Pantone Color of the Year on a set for video production
• Using the color as an accent to your current branding colors
• Wearing the color for a photo shoot, presentation, or video
While these might be more subtle uses of the Color of the Year compared to the big name brands that work directly with Pantone, it’s still a great strategy to help attract more consumers through the mere-exposure effect and be part of this broader, yearly and trendy phenomenon. Just don’t get too comfortable with the color because before you know it, Pantone will be releasing the chosen color for 2019!
Beyond A Marketing Strategy
The Pantone Color Institute is not just dictating fashion and consumer trends for the sake of sales, but also to offer affirmations of what is needed in our world today. For example, this year’s Pantone Color of the Year, more technically named PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, is all about taking our awareness and potential to a higher level. Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, spoke on the 2018 Color of the Year saying, “From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.”
If your company is ready to harness the power of color in your marketing and advertising campaigns, be sure reach out to our marketing strategy team for creative ways to incorporate color into your company’s branding and marketing materials.