Pantone names colour of the year for 2023

Pantone has named Viva Magenta (18-1750) the colour of the year for 2023. The new colour is "an unconventional shade for an unconventional time”. According to the company, the colour is rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. It stands to be “powerful and empowering” while “encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint”.  

“Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative,” the company said. 

"As we balance our digital and physical lives, we continue to grow our appreciation for the natural world. The color of the year 2023 acknowledges our gravitational pull towards natural colors as movements swell around climate change, sustainability and land protection," stated on its website. In line with the new colour scheme, Motorola is releasing out a phone in the Viva Magenta colour. A check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE found that sneaker brand Cariuma is also launching six styles in the same colour.

However, the biggest activation came from Miami Beach in the US, where Pantone's colour of the year has become a part of a huge immersive exhibition during Art Basel—"that’s 10,000 square feet and two floors dedicated to a single color meant to symbolise the 'unconventional time' we’re living in, according to Pressman," stated on Fast Company.

“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,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Color Institute.

Eiseman added, “Rooted in the primordial, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta galvanises our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

Besides naming its colour of the year, the Pantone Color Institute showed support for Ukraine via a social media image with a shade of blue and yellow, both are the colours of the Ukrainian flag. The colours were labelled Freedom Blue and Energising Yellow.

At the same time, Pantone's parent company, Danaher, has committed US$1 million to Global Giving, Save the Children and International Rescue Committee, in response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine. With more than a million Ukrainians currently seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, Pantone said in a social media post that there is an immense need for food, water, shelter, and medical care. "We are committed to doing what we can to support the health, safety and dignity of the refugees and all those who advocate on their behalf."

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