Interesting article about colour - thought it would brighten the blog up a bit.
Tiger Lily. Chilli Pepper. Fuchsia Rose. No, these aren’t the latest celebrity baby names (OK, some might be) – they’re actually all previous Pantone Colours of the Year.
This year the folks at Pantone have presented us with the wine-inspired Marsala. They describe it as ‘earthy’, others liken it more to rust or, ahem, dried blood – either way this rich hue is popping up all over the place, from the catwalk to the kitchen. It even makes an appearance in the new Pantone Fashion Colour Report!
Here at MOO, we’re up for celebrating colour every bit as much as Pantone – and with a little know-how you too can use colour to make your ideas pop!
Think happy colours
Let’s start with a quick exercise: picture your favourite colour (we’re keen on our Hero green). Now think of a couple of other colours to complement your choice. Done that? Then you’ve already got the basics of colour theory – how one colour relates to another. Great stuff.
By putting colour theory into practise we can mix and match different colours to stamp our own visual style on the things we create. For our friends at Poppin, colour is everything. Their brightly-hued office products and furniture come in all sorts of shades and pigments, designed to help people ‘Work Happy’, allowing them to pick colours that genuinely make them smile.
And that’s why colour is so exciting – it conveys a mood or feeling – so pick a colour you respond to, or alternatively choose one that’ll unite your employees. Having branded supplies is a subtle but powerful way to make your co-workers feel like part of a team.
For Poppin, colour is a product differentiator, helping people shop for office products and furniture in a different way. After launching with White, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink, Lime Green, Pool Blue, Purple and Black, they’ve since expanded to include ‘seasonal colors’ based on trends and demand – from Mint, Coral, Navy and Light Gray for summer, to holiday season metallics. And 2015 is looking brighter than ever – with Cobalt freshly added to their lineup.
When it comes to styling your space, Poppin believe there are no real rules – the best approach is to have fun experimenting and see what works. Even so, applying a little colour theory magic can really give your workspace that coordinated look – by balancing one or two colours against a neutral tone like white. Neat huh?
And Poppin isn’t alone in its passion for the palette. A brand’s colour selection is a crucial part of its identity and can say as much about the business as its logo or tagline. Poppin themselves have chosen ‘Poppin Orange’ as a key part of their brand personality, conveying genuine friendliness across both their products and customer service.
So make sure you choose yours carefully. You don’t want to draw comparisons to a certain fast food chain after picking a fiery red and yellow combo, for example.
Getting in the tone zone
“But I’m just no good with colours!” we hear you cry. Worry not – that’s what the internet is for (or a brand design agency). There are loads of online tools with ready-made colour themes – our favourite’s Adobe Colour CC, but it’s worth having a scout around to find one that works for you.
Written by Mike
2nd February 2015
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