Color trends for 2012 show orange, tropical, and neutral tones.
We know as building material marketers that colors can evoke certain emotions, responses, and outcomes. We also know that color trends are defined years in advance and we use that information in our product development. Although it is too late to affect product color decisions for the next several years, we can still make color selections in our marketing materials that help get the response we desire. So, how should we think about color trends for 2012 and how could we use them in our marketing campaigns?
1. Reddish orange Pantone, the color matching experts for fashion, home and design, dub “Tangerine Tango” as color of the year for 2012. According to Bruce Knott of the Color Marketing Group at Turf, we can ”…look for saturated reds and oranges to be strong in the marketplace.” Red is known for creating excitement. This shade will make your marketing materials stand out in a big way.
Shades to try:
- For CMYK/Print: 0 82 80 0
- For RGB/Screen: 225 82 61
- Paint: Daredevil – Sherwin Williams
- A Front Door
- Accent pillows
- Headlines
- “click here” web buttons
2. Sea Green Tropical hues like this one keep your marketing looking fresh.
Shades to try:
- For CMYK/Print: 50 0 26 0
- For RGB/Screen: 87 199 194
- Paint: Refresh – Sherwin Williams
- Tile
- An accent wall
- Headlines
- blocks of color
3. Neutral gray Help balance the strong accent colors in your marketing with a neutral gray. According to Knott for 2012, “Neutrals representing soft o ff-whites to mid-tone grays to soft blacks are the largest color block of the forecast.”
Shades to try:
- For CMYK/Print: 0 5 6 16
- For RGB/Screen: 218 208 202
- Paint: Sharkey Gray – Martha Stewart Living
- Walls
- Siding
- Backgrounds
- Main text
4. Warm Taupe: Earthy tones remain a favorite among the masses and color forecast experts. Using this shade instead of black or grey will make your marketing more personable.
Shades to try:
- For CMYK/Print: 0 12 35 25
- For RGB/Screen: 200 177 137
- Paint: Heath – Martha Stewart Living
- Stone
- Trim
- Text
- Backgrounds
5. Amber. This sunny shade is calling attention. Use it to call out an offer or anywhere you’d like to brighten up your marketing.
Shades to try:
- For CMYK/Print: 0 11 69 0
- For RGB/Screen: 255 222 108
- Paint: Cornbread – Martha Stewart Living
- An Accent Wall
- Pottery or other accents
- Bullet points
- Highlight key info
EDIT: on May 20, 2012, Pantone unveiled 336 new colors – see more on them here.
Sources
- Paint Color Trends from Sherwin Williams
- 2012 Color Forecast by Bruce Knott of TURF
- Pantone 2012 Color of the Year
- Martha Stewart Living Paint at Home Depot
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