Every year, colour experts Pantone and WGSN select a colour of the year that reflects current trends in design, fashion, and culture. For 2023, Pantone chose Viva Magenta and WGSN selected Digital Lavender. These two colours are not only visually important, but also represent the shifting cultural landscape of our times. Here we will explore why these colours were chosen for 2023, their importance for businesses and how you can incorporate them into your branding.
Why is colour important for your business?
Colour is often one of the first things people notice when they see your logo or product packaging. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, colour can also evoke a certain emotion and represent your brand’s values.
Colours of the year are important for businesses seeking to stand out, evoke emotion, and stay on trend. Pantone’s Viva Magenta and WGSN’s Digital Lavender for 2023 are two bold, vibrant colour choices that will add a unique touch to your digital brand.
About Viva Magenta
Viva Magenta is an eye-catching colour choice for 2023. It stands out as a vibrant and bold colour, symbolising the place where humanity, technology and art meet. This "animated carmine red" colour evokes a sense of courage, resilience and confidence for the future. It can be seen in modern and innovative fashion designs and creative projects, making it perfect for companies looking to stand out from the competition.
"In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real. PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family, and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known. Rooted in the primordial, Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, it galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength. "
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute
About Digital Lavender
Digital Lavender was chosen as colour of the year by WGSN due to its calming and peaceful qualities. The colour is meant to represent stability, healing and balance in a digital world. It is often seen in nature-based designs, such as spa treatments and in calming colour palettes. Businesses looking to create a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere for their customers should consider incorporating this colour into their branding.
"As consumers find their feet, these colors will connect to feelings of optimism, hope, stability and balance. Healing habits will become part of everyday life as consumers face new challenges, and recuperation rituals will place a new focus on colors that feel restorative and supportive of physical and mental health."
Coloro + WGSN Colours of the Year announcement
Quite different perspectives
It's remarkable this divergence in perspective from each of these well established and respected organisations, with Pantone evoking a courageous path of self-expression and hope, and WGSN focusing on stability and calm. This simple observation is reflected in the mood of people worldwide and reminds us we all have good days and bad, that it's OK to be exactly who we are - and these are two inspirational colours to draw on to support and inspire us.
Colour provides what we need, at the moment we need it.
Lyn Spindley, Director, Treat Marketing
A half-step from 2022
We've observed these colours are not far off last year's choices of Veri Peri (Pantone) and Wild Orchid (WGSN), however Pantone's choice of the vibrant cochineal red is warmer - they announced that it is actually a balance between warm and cool tones. While WGSN's colour choice is more calming and subtle.
How can I incorporate the Colour of the Year into my business?
Viva Magenta and Digital Lavender are both versatile colours that work well with many colour combinations. Depending on your business, you can choose to use either colour as a primary colour in all of your branding or use it as an accent colour. Consider using Viva Magenta for events and campaigns to draw attention and evoke energy, while Digital Lavender would work well for creating soothing environments.
Why the colours in your digital brand are important
Colour is a powerful tool for businesses looking to make an impact. It can be used to evoke certain emotions and create connections with consumers - for brand recognition that will last.
Colour helps establish an identity for your business and stands out from the competition, making it easier for people to recognise and remember your brand. Ultimately, colour is an effective way of communicating who you are as a business and creating a unique experience for customers that will stay with them long after their interaction with you.
5 steps for incorporating a Colour of the Year into your marketing
Whichever colour is right for your business is up to you - here's the steps you can take today to see where these new colours could have an impact at your business.
Consider how the Colour of the Year affects existing brand elements such as logos, graphics, and web design. Evaluate how well it will fit with your company's aesthetic, and how it can be used to create a visually striking look that resonates with customers.
Investigate how the Colour of the Year could be used to create a unique theme in marketing materials, such as brochures, flyers, posters and other materials. Think about ways to use it to draw attention to products or services, or even as an accent colour throughout your branding.
Take into consideration how the Colour of the Year could be introduced in product development, packaging design and even customer service experiences. Explore ways in which it can make a lasting impression on customers through its visual presence.
Research other brands who have implemented similar introductions of the Colour of the Year and examine their successes and failures for potential insight into your own strategy.
Strategise about ways to incorporate digital content such as videos, blogs and social media posts that focus on explaining why you’ve chosen this particular colour for your business branding. Multimedia content is an effective way to reach larger audiences while highlighting its importance in terms of brand storytelling and corporate messaging.
Colour is power
Overall, colour has an immense power to influence people’s emotions and perceptions. By understanding why these colours were chosen and how you can incorporate them into your business, you will be able to stay ahead of the curve and create a colour palette that truly reflects your brand’s values.
Interested to learn more?
Get in touch with the experts and Treat to workshop your colour choices, your brand's value proposition, and your brand identity. Our talented design experts will communicate your brand through marketing assets that are expressive, modern and long-lasting. Get in touch at hello@treattorbay.co.uk or ring on 07513 472371.