As the year is coming to an end, color schemes and their meaning are once again emerging and becoming as relevant as ever. People tend to coordinate party themes, dresses, and even food to the color scheme of the year which makes every announcement very much-awaited.
What makes this even more exciting? Even big brands (in general) also take part in the “color of the year” in their collections and this tends to hype up the designated tint even more. And as one of the leading color strategists in the world, Pantone has always been setting the tone right each and every year. And here, we’re having a recap of the much-coveted shades from the year 2000’s to the next year, 2022!
Pantone Color of the Year 2010
According to Pantone, Turquoise is an inviting, luminous hue. This color combines the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.
There is nothing that screams “unique” like the color Torquoise. Definitely fitting especially since 2010 is the rising of multiple social networks and technology. Here are some of them:
- Instagram is starting to make a buzz
- The iPad is on the rise
- iMessage (by Apple) is being developed
Ultimately, 2010 was the start of digital evolution and the color Torquise fits in just perfectly for the entire year.
Pantone Color of the Year 2011
It’s not pink, but it’s something better! The color of the year in 2011 is Honeysuckle. Don’t mistake this light and sweet tone for a subtle representation. According to Pantone, this shade actually stands for confidence and bravery! As stated on their official website, this color is “A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of the Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year”. Wow, talk about pep-talk huh?
Leatrice Eiseman even stated, “In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues”. But there’s definitely nothing blue about the year 2011. It was the year of communication and more exciting social networking apps! Take a look:
- Snapchat was created!
- QR codes were starting to scatter.
- Minecraft stole the show!
- Twitch TV was introduced to the world.
- Taxis were even more convenient with the use of UBER app!
Least to say, there’s nothing like a bold Honeysuckle color to lead us through 2011 with a very loud and confident presence!
Pantone Color of the Year 2012
Oh, you see that correctly, things are about to get hot and spicy in the year 2012 as Tangerine Tango was introduced as the color of the year. As stated on the official Pantone website, it stated, “Dance into the new year with this vivacious and appealing reddish-orange” And boy was there a lot to dance to and celebrate in the year 2012.
Remember when fortune-tellers foretold that 2012 was the year that the world was going to end? Well, people are still swaying in the beat of life, but so to say, that was a very thrilling start wasn’t it? In fact, it became so popular that Hollywood made a movie about it. Have a look…
Anyways, to say that the lively color indeed spiced up our year is an understatement. Take a look at the most sought-after innovations that year…
- Virtual reality was becoming more accessible.
- Slack was in the house of every workstation on the globe!
- Hello Siri! Voice control was all the buzz
Pantone Color of the Year 2013
The year 2013 is definitely looking sparkly with a touch of Emerald green. With the previous year looking very fiery, it’s high time to have a more calming tone to grace the year. However, we cannot contest that this calm comes with a little edge. As mentioned by Pantone, “Emerald, a vivid verdant green, enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight as well as promoting balance and harmony.” No doubt, the goal of this color was achieved throughout the year with people and technology having more advancements and development along the way.
But let’s not forget about this year’s most memorable moments! Here are some fond memories to look forward to:
- The words twerk and selfie were added in the dictionary cause they’re here to stay!
- We welcomed a royal baby, Prince George!
- Hey, we also got a new Pope!
- Cory Montieth (of Glee dies)
- Paul Walker passed away
- Make way for Xbox 1
- And also PS4
As we’ve said, this year was full of peachy things in life, but it was also a year to reflect. This year and the color it represents stay true to its meaning of transcending healing and unity.
Pantone Color of the Year 2014
It’s a year of expression as Pantone officially announced Radiant Orchid as 2014’s color of the year. All we can think about is that this is definitely a Groovy tone! Basically, this lovely shade promotes confidence, warmth, and you guessed it, expression. What a good time
- “Alexa, play…” was one of the most popular phrases.
- Tablets are slowly replacing laptops
- Apple invents a universal port
- Windows10
- Apple watch graces the world
- Gangnam style reaches 2M views!
To sum it up, 2014 was looking fresh and radiant huh?
Pantone Color of the Year 2015
Tis’ the year to enrich our minds, bodies, and souls while we bask in the 2015 color of the year, Marsala. The color transcends grounding red-brown roots that emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. As you notice, this color doesn’t just come with grounding vibes, but it also has a sophisticated tone to it.
Let’s take a quick tour around the year 2015!
- Another royal baby was born! Welcome, Princess Charlotte
- Adele’s back!
- The blue dress debate is on! (Is it blue? Is it white? Or am I just stressed?)
- We Finally Know Who “A” Is on Pretty Little Liars
Pantone Color of the Year 2016
In the year 2016, we’ve got not only one, but two colors to grace the year! The lucky twin colors are Rose Quartz and Serenity. These colors give a softer and warmer vibe that is definitely meant to reflect the wellbeings of people. The Pantone team gave a graceful explanation to these phenomenal tones. As they stated, “As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern-day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent.” Well, just by looking at these shades, we can all agree that it does dampen the stresses of the hustle and bustle of work.
Here’s a short recap of what happened:
- Broadway musicale, Hamilton became a sensation!
- Airpods are on the loose
- Google gave birth to Google Assist
- All the rage for Pokemon Go!
- All-female Ghostbusters stole the show
Sounds fun? That’s the effect of Rose Quartz and Serenity colors combined!
Pantone Color of the Year 2017
The year 2017 is looking absolutely zesty with the color “Greenery”. Ultimately, Pantone set the record straight for this one as it symbolizes new beginnings. As stated by Pantone, “Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.” They continued by saying “…A life-affirming shade, Greenery is also emblematic of the pursuit of personal passions and vitality.” What beautiful words to live by in the year 2017 don’t you think? Well, 2017 really seemed like a zesty year, here’s why:
- Gamers, rejoice, this was the year Fortnite was released!
- Nintendo switch graced the market.
- Tiktok was launched (need we say more?)
- Donald Trump officially became the 45th President of the United States.
- Beyonce’s pregnancy announcement!
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal engagement
Yep, reading this just makes you want to roll on the grass huh? Definitely a zesty year indeed.
Pantone Color of the Year 2018
We’re over the universe to find out that 2018’s color of the year is Ultra Violet! The color that strings itself to royalty has a very meaningful description of what this color holds for 2018. As Pantone mentioned, “Inventive and imaginative, Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.” They further explained saying, “…Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.” Very beautifully put don’t you think?
Let’s look back on what this sophisticated color holds for the year!
- Prince Harry Marries Ms. Meghan Markle
- Black Panther launched!
- Prince Louis of Cambridge was born!
- Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Get Married
Oh my, well, they weren’t kidding when they said that purple shades are tied to royalty!
Pantone Color of the Year 2019
And we are definitely living for this robust tone. Pantone explains the theory behind this beautiful shade by saying, “Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment.”
They continued by stating, “…In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy.”
Here’s a sneak peek of what actually peaked during this time of the year. Let’s see what we were really living for!
- A new age of video streaming has begun
- The End of the “Avengers” Saga
- The first image of a black hole
- We welcomed Prince Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
- Snapchat releases the baby filter!
So to sum it up, we all cried (Avengers), we all rejoiced, (welcoming baby Archie), we got intrigued and terrified at the same time (black hole photo), and most of all, we were all pretty cute still (Snapchat baby filter). Agreed, Living Coral was the perfect tone for 2019. Huzzah!
Pantone Color of the Year 2020
Okay, let’s all address the elephant in the room and get it over with. Yes, this is the year (2020) where shit rained upon us all in the form of Covid-19. But still, Pantone likes to keep things classy with Classic Blue as the color of the year.
Initially, they addressed the meaning behind the color which they said, “Classic Blue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.” Moreover, this kind of shade also represents calmness, confidence, and connection.
Let’s drop the bombshell of what happened in 2019. In other words, as most people would put it “the start of this damn zombie movie”, or “the year from hell”. Can you relate? Of course, you do.
- Covid-19 pandemic breakout
- Everyone was under lockdown
- Life was still
- Start of work from home
- Hollywood and local celebrities got infected by Covid-19 (there was a lot)
- Kobe Bryant’s death
- Impeachment of President Donald Trump
There were a lot of unfavorable events that happened but at least a cool Classic Blue sweeps over us to somehow transcend a sort of calmness in ourselves and in our homes.
Pantone Color of the Year 2021
This year we got twinsies! Pantone featured two colors for the year 2021 which are Ultimate Gray and Illuminating. These colors actually hold a great meaning of hope. It’s no secret how people experienced all kinds of devastation in the past year, but now that we are almost surpassing the hard days these two colors signify meaningful things.
As mentioned by Pantone, “A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit.” Beautifully said!
As the year is about to end, let’s take a quick detour down memory lane.
- President-elect Biden takes office
- Microsoft pulls the plug on the Internet Explorer
- The United Nations declares 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables
- Kamala Harris becomes the first female and black Vice-President of the United States
- The return of crowded events
Eventful doesn’t even cover it but slowly and surely we are going back to normal and hope is evident in our midst.
Pantone Color of the Year 2022
An ultimate power move for Pantone! For the first time ever, they’re decided to create a new color for the coming year, 2022! And we are very excited to introduce the color, Very Peri. According to Executive Director of The Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman, “The Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that color can hope to answer.”
She further explained the meaning behind the color by saying “Creating a new color for the first time in the history of our Pantone Color of the Year educational color program reflects the global innovation and transformation taking place.” And we can’t help but agree with the Executive Director! Transformation is definitely creeping into society as we continue to conquer challenges and come out of them better and stronger!
The Veri Peri effect!
The color has been introduced early on and it has been getting a lot of love from the public. Merchandise, graphic design, industrial design, product packaging, planners, and a lot more have now been influenced by this Very Peri color of Pantone!
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