Branding Agency Discusses Pantone’s Color of the Year 2018

Branding Agency Discusses Pantone’s Color of the Year 2018

Branding Agency Discusses Pantone’s Color of the Year 2018 1300 685 Kraus Marketing

As 2017 comes to a close, designers everywhere are talking about one thing: Pantone’s official color of the year 2018. In case you haven’t heard, the chosen color has been deemed Ultra Violet, aka Pantone 18-3838. This saturated, yet powerful shade of blue-toned purple has seemed to set the mood for the year to come and has people wondering how exactly Pantone comes to this conclusion. As a branding agency who loves a good pop of color, we decided to dive a bit deeper into the selection of this particular color.

The Reasoning

Pantone doesn’t just select a color of the year based on preferences or by throwing a dart at a color wheel. There is actually a deeper meaning behind the decision that acts as a visual representation of the current culture. Pantone has been doing this since 2000 and seems to know what they are doing. Last year, for 2017, they went with Greenery (Pantone 15-0343 TCX) due not only to popularizing green movements and reconnection with nature, but “the hope we collectively yearn for amid a complex social and political landscape.”

So, why Ultra Violet? Lee Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute explained how, “Purple is a complex color. We’re in a complex time; this is a complex color.” Our society is battling with the inconsistencies between social, economic, and environmental causes and the current administration. However, despite the discourse, there is something magical about purple that keeps us moving forward with curiosity and intrigue for what comes next. Where will we be a year from now? Purple communicates visionary thinking for tomorrow’s world.

Another reason purple tied in so nicely with the year is because of its feelings of non-conformity, social reform, and boundary-pushing. In the past, artists such as Price and David Bowie created a counterculture using the color purple, while today’s movement such as Black Lives Matter and the Women’s March are doing the same. Purple is a versatile, yet powerful color. “[Ultra Violet] is a very provocative shade, but it’s also a thoughtful color–it sounds like a bit of an oxymoron,” says Eiseman.

The Selectors

Did you know there are experts in the language of color? Well, they exist, and they are who you can thank for the color of the year. This team of experts at the Pantone Color Institute gets together to discuss cultural nuances in pop culture, technology, fashion, food, and more. It turns out that almost everywhere they looked, purple appeared. This included products and advertisements chosen by businesses as well, including Instagram.

The Conclusion

Pantone seems to know what they’re doing when it comes to selecting meaningful colors. They are even releasing limited-edition “color of the year” guides so that designers can tactfully incorporate the color into their work. One version ($165) tell designers the ink combination for colors while a second ($215) is intended for fashion, home, and interior guides.

Of course, despite the cultural meaning behind Pantone’s selection, companies and consumers are still going to jump on the trend and profit from it. Pantone, however, is adamant about the fact that they do not name these colors of the year to increase profit and that they make nothing if consumers choose to buy products tagged as Ultra Violet.

Are you looking to integrate Ultra Violet into your brand or marketing campaign? Kraus Marketing is a full-service marketing and branding agency based in the heart of Morristown, NJ. Kraus Marketing’s full range of services includes responsive websitesbrandingsocial media marketingSEO & PPC, and everything in between. With a talented team and a lot of hard work, Kraus Marketing produces high-end marketing projects that produce the best ROI for you and your business. Contact us today to find out more about our core services and how we can help take your marketing to the next level. Call our agency at (973) 998-5742.

    Kraus Marketing
    Loading...