ICM - Leeds Design Agency

Pantone have announced (from their mountaintop monastery of paint-pots and mixing palettes – that the colour of 2010 is Turquoise! Pantone Announcement Link Pantone have long been in the leading pack of colour experts and spend countless hours researching and analyzing data, working out what will be the next trend for all sorts of areas. But will it make a difference to you or I? Do you know what was the colour of 2009? It was Mimosa Yellow Can you honestly say that you saw this shade of yellow (or indeed – a larger-than-average use of yellow) in 2009? How do Pantone find out if one colour has been used more than another over a period of time? I have no idea – but I will find out. Will I be using Turquoise more over the next year? Probably not.

If you search for Colour Symbolism Click here there are hundreds of different meanings for different colours, some descriptions you may agree with – others maybe not as much. For the most part I do not agree with these meanings, the wide scope of the words used tend to be along the same track of those used by Astrologers. Some words will ring true to some – and others not.

Taking the example in the Pantone press release: “In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”

The first few words is the giveaway here – In many cultures . . . This one line sets it apart from you and I so that we do not ask annoying questions later on. Later in the paragraph there are a few more words – It is believed to be . . . this again is a misleading start to a subject that can often be quite subjective. For a company with the clout of Pantone to be making colour predictions at all is to be applauded. In their own press release they refer to themselves as the Global Authority on Colour – the company that Unveils the colour of the year, not predicts. So what does the Pantone colour of the year remind me of? Aztec jewelry, even though it was made of various precious stones, such as jade, quartz (such as amethyst), opal, moonstone – the turquoise always stood out for me. Protective Talisman warding off evil spirits? Healing Properties? Look elegant and dressy in fine silk and gemstones, or casual and fun in cotton and athletic apparel? . . . Nope, not one bit. You may disagree, and I hope that you do because predictions like this one by Pantone should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Pantone are a company who have spent millions of dollars on research over the years in coming up with accurate systems for colour use. They have the Pantone matching system for print, web, paint, fabric, cat litter (well – maybe not cat litter yet, but watch this space . . .) For them to expand further – extrapolate the information they gather and try to predict the colour trend for the year ahead – is brave, and at the same time foolish. The next year will tell which they are.