Pantone: Color of the Year 2023

Pantone announced the 2023 Color of the Year: Viva Magenta 18-1750. It vibrates with vim and vigor and rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave, fearless, powerful, and empowering.

"It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement.”

When did Pantone Color of the Year start? Who decides Pantone Color of the Year? How does the selection process work? Why is the Pantone Color of the Year important? Let’s see official explanations from Pantone!

When did Pantone Color of the Year start? Who decides Pantone Color of the Year?

The Pantone Color Institute originally created the Pantone Color of the Year educational program in 1999 to engage the design community and color enthusiasts around the world in a conversation around color.

We wanted to draw attention to the relationship between culture and color. We wanted to highlight to our audience how what is taking place in our global culture is expressed and reflected through the language of color. That’s one of the major reasons why, each year, so many around the world look forward to our Pantone Color of the Year announcement.

How does Pantone decide the Color of the Year every year?

The Pantone Color of the Year selection process entails thoughtful consideration and trend analysis.

Conversations relating to our Pantone Color of the Year selection do not take place in one isolated meeting at a specific time of year. It is one long, continuously flowing conversation among a group of colour-attuned people. Sure, there are different perspectives that come up and we carefully look at them all, but because the Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture at that moment in time, many of our observations are quite similar.

We discuss our color psychology and color trend research looking to connect the mood of the global zeitgeist with the corresponding color family. Fom there, we drill down further to identify the exact right shade. And as we did for the first time for our Pantone Color of the Year selection in 2022, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri, if we do not have the exact right color to convey the message, we will create it.

Why is Pantone Color of the Year important?

Color is the most important powerful communication tool. The goal of the program isn’t to push a certain color, but to help companies and consumers better understand the power color can have. We want to teach them how to leverage color’s power and expressiveness to influence perception — whether it be to create a more successful design strategy that will increase consumer engagement, or to use it to better showcase your own personal identity.