Resiliency Through Color: Pantone’s 2021 Color of the Year
The Pantone Color Institute has announced their 2021 Color of the Year: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating. This combination of colors is meant to represent hopefulness, thoughtfulness, courage and strength: Ultimate Gray imparts feelings of resilience, dependability and steadiness while Illuminating instills spirited cheerfulness and friendliness.
“The union of enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock-solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a color combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit,” says Leatrice Eiseman, the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.
As the world changes and becomes ever more reliant on digital marketing and social media for connection, awareness and communication, Tripepi Smith suggests considering Ultimate Gray and Illuminating to bring a sense of grounded optimism to messaging and design. Pantone’s annual announcement is an opportunity to reinvigorate visuals with fresh, trending colors and to think about how new coloring can best align with existing brand colors.
Here are some ideas for integrating these colors into your brand or work:
- Branding – Need a new popular color combination to update the interface of your website, company logo, social media or product? Consider using Ultimate Gray and Illuminating to inspire viewers and customers
- Tip: When posting an Ultimate Gray and Illuminating-inspired graphic on social media, consider using the hashtag #COY2021 for added engagement or exposure that demonstrates your agency’s adaptability.
- Conference Swag – This can be in the form of pens, pins, stickers or water bottles.
- Tip: For stickers and other marketing, use the white version of your logo on one of the new color backgrounds to stay within brand while still updating your colors with a twist.
- Offices – Consider incorporating accent items such as balloons, coasters, mousepads, vases, magazine stands, bookends or picture frames.
- Tip: Use a black or white frame to showcase a print of Ultimate Gray and Illuminating or place Illuminating-colored flowers in an Ultimate Gray-colored vase.