The color of the year is a scam
WHAT IS THE COLOR OF THE YEAR REALLY?
Color of the year
VERY YEAR MANY OF US WAIT WITH IMPATIENCE FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COLOR OF THE YEAR FROM THE COMPANY PANTONE, WHICH IS ENGAGED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND SALE OF COLOR SYSTEMS. ACCORDING TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF PANTONE, THE COLOR OF THE YEAR REFLECTS THE MOOD, TRENDS AND INSPIRATION OF MODERN SOCIETY, AS WELL AS INFLUENCES FASHION, DESIGN, ART AND CULTURE.
BUT HOW JUSTIFIED AND RELIABLE IS THIS CHOICE? AND ISN’T IT JUST A MARKETING MOVE, AIMED AT INCREASING SALES AND PROFITS?
Why is the color of the year a fraud?
1. SUBJECTIVITY OF THE COLOR OF THE YEAR:
FIRST OF ALL, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE COLOR OF THE YEAR IS NOT CHOSEN ON THE BASIS OF ANY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, DATA ANALYSIS OR STATISTICS. IT IS A SUBJECTIVE DECISION, WHICH IS MADE BY A GROUP OF EXPERTS FROM PANTONE, WHO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD, OBSERVE DIFFERENT SPHERES OF LIFE AND THEN DISCUSS THEIR IMPRESSIONS AND PREFERENCES.
AS THE COMPANY ITSELF ADMITS, THE COLOR OF THE YEAR IS A “SYMBOLIC CHOICE, AN EXPRESSION OF MOOD AND ATTITUDE TO LIFE”. THAT IS, IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN THE OPINION OF A SMALL CIRCLE OF PEOPLE, WHICH DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE OBJECTIVE AND UNIVERSAL.
2. PERSONAL BENEFIT:
SECONDLY, IT SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THAT THE COLOR OF THE YEAR IS NOT ONLY AN AESTHETIC, BUT ALSO A COMMERCIAL CATEGORY. THE COMPANY PANTONE RECEIVES INCOME FROM THE SALE OF ITS COLOR SYSTEMS, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AS WELL AS FROM LICENSING ITS BRAND TO OTHER COMPANIES. THE COLOR OF THE YEAR IS ONE OF THE WAYS TO ATTRACT ATTENTION TO ITS ACTIVITY, INCREASE THE RECOGNITION AND LOYALTY OF ITS AUDIENCE, AND CREATE DEMAND FOR ITS GOODS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2020, WHEN THE COLOR OF THE YEAR WAS ANNOUNCED “CLASSIC BLUE”, THE COMPANY PANTONE LAUNCHED A NUMBER OF JOINT PROJECTS WITH SUCH BRANDS AS ADOBE, AIRBNB, SHUTTERSTOCK, THE INSIDE, UNIQLO AND OTHERS, WHICH USED THIS COLOR IN THEIR PRODUCTS AND ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THUS, THE COLOR OF THE YEAR IS NOT ONLY AN ARTISTIC, BUT ALSO A BUSINESS DECISION, WHICH BRINGS THE COMPANY PANTONE PROFIT.
3. ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
THIRDLY, IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT THE COLOR OF THE YEAR IS NOT THE ONLY AND NOT THE MOST AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT COLOR TRENDS. THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND EXPERTS, WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE STUDY AND FORECASTING OF COLOR FASHION, SUCH AS COLOR MARKETING GROUP, INTERNATIONAL COLOR AUTHORITY, COLOR ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHERS. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE COLOR PREFERENCES OF PEOPLE, SUCH AS CULTURE, CLIMATE, POLITICS, PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL CHANGES AND SO ON. THEREFORE, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER THE COLOR OF THE YEAR FROM PANTONE THE ONLY AND CORRECT INDICATOR OF THE COLOR MOOD OF SOCIETY.
Based on all the listed Facts we draw conclusions:
SO, THE COLOR OF THE YEAR IS A SCAM, WHICH HAS NO SCIENTIFIC JUSTIFICATION, BUT ONLY SERVES AS A TOOL OF MARKETING AND SALES FOR THE COMPANY PANTONE AND ITS PARTNERS. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE INTERESTED IN COLOR AND ITS IMPACT ON OUR LIFE, BUT WE SHOULD BE CRITICAL AND AWARE IN OUR CHOICE AND NOT GIVE IN TO MANIPULATION AND PRESSURE FROM COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES.
COLOR IS NOT ONLY A QUESTION OF FASHION, BUT ALSO A QUESTION OF PERSONALITY, TASTE AND SELF-EXPRESSION, AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE THE COLORS THAT WE LIKE AND SUIT US, AND NOT THOSE THAT ARE IMPOSED ON US.