To bring in the new decade, Pantone has chosen to play it safe by announcing its Color of the Year 2020 as Classic Blue (19-4052). But this color goes far deeper than just being a classic and embodies an energy of renewal and opportunity. Described by the Color Institute as 'instilling calm, confidence and connection,' this blue hue is meant to portray 'a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge.' Unlike the vibrant Color of the Year of 2019, Living Coral, which was described by Pantone as 'animating and life-affirming,' Classic Blue has a more serene and grounded feel to it.
Both elegant and straightforward, Classic Blue is suggestive of the sky at dusk. With a strong sense of reassurance, this beautiful color was chosen by Pantone to 'highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.' Classic Blue also aids in concentration intending to bring more focus and clarity into our thoughts and to foster resilience throughout 2020 and the rest of the decade.
In our ever-changing world, especially with the fast pace of technology, the world needed a color that portrays both honesty and protection. Classic Blue does just that as it is universally beloved. Its non-aggressive hue makes it easy to trust, but also a very powerful color. This timeless classic is easy to embrace and fall in love with all over again.
Over the past 20 years, Pantone has perfected its selection process for the Color of the Year. The selection is made by the Pantone Color Institute, which is the business unit that is responsible for a variety of processes, including the following:
• Selecting Pantone color of the Year
• Highlighting top seasonal runway colors
• Forecasting global color trends
• Consulting with companies on color for products and visual identity
Using its color experts, Pantone chooses the color of the Year based on what is happening in our global culture at the moment in time. This includes the experts finding and analyzing new color influences from around the world in industries such as entertainment, film, art, travel, and fashion. They also look at materials, textures, and effects that have impacted color, social media platforms, and upcoming events that capture global attention. To come to their final decision, the Pantone experts look at the power, psychology, and emotion of the chosen color.
“We’re returning to classics because everything has been chaotic in the world. It’s not about doing it like you did in the past, but reinterpreting it.” - Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute
Since the introduction of Pantone's Color of the Year in 2000, every year the chosen color has influenced product development and purchasing decision in a variety of industries, specifically fashion, interior decor, industrial design, packaging design, and graphic design. Once the color of the year is announced in December, the popularity of it soars and can be seen in a variety of industries. Pantone takes it a step further by offering color lovers an array of products and color combination palettes designed with the color of the year in mind. Hundreds of brands take on the task of designing products or campaigns with the Color of the Year. This reinforces the importance of how the Pantone color trend is both important and influential.
With all the expensive research done for you by the Pantone Color Institute, you'll save endless hours of market research into which color to pick for your brand's products, identity, or campaigns. Rebranding for the sake of incorporating the Color of the Year seems like an unrealistic task, but there are ways to incorporate Classic Blue into your business in other ways. If you're looking to include the most popular color of 2020 into your business, do so through ink!
Give your clients the reassurance that you are on top of all trends - including this unique color trend. Your customers will be in awe that your brand has its finger on the pulse when it comes to color.
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