Speaking the Language of Color | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)
Color is presented as a cultural language that influences emotions, perception, branding, and consumer behavior. The Pantone Color Institute studies these associations through psychology and trend forecasting, helping organizations choose colors that communicate specific messages. Effective color decisions require cultural awareness, a clear brand purpose, and consideration of the physical or digital medium where the color will appear. ## How Colors Influence Perception - Color associations often arise from nature: - Yellow suggests sunlight, warmth, and joy. - Green implies renewal and growth. - Brown conveys groundedness. - Blue is associated with dependability and stability. - Orange recalls fruit and tangy sweetness. - Cultural trends also shape color preferences, including: - Film, art, travel, sports, and technology. - Lifestyle changes and broader social conditions. - Economic pressures, which can cause palettes to shift. - Color meanings vary by region: - Black is associated with mourning in much of the West, while white serves that role in parts of the East. - Red can suggest love, anger, or urgency in Western contexts, but luck and prosperity in Eastern cultures. - Brands should research local color sensibilities rather than assume that a trend has universal meaning. ## Building a Brand Story Through Color - Strong brand palettes express what a company stands for and support its broader narrative. - Coca-Cola’s red communicates energy and excitement and has become inseparable from the brand. - Airbnb’s 2014 shift from baby blue to salmon pink was intended to convey warmth, humanity, comfort, and connection—qualities that supported its expansion into local Experiences. - “Brat Green,” associated with Charli XCX’s 2024 album, illustrates how an unconventional color can capture attention and reflect cultural attitudes: - Its yellow undertone adds energy and vitality. - Its organic associations suggest authenticity amid increasing digital saturation. - Its unusual appearance helps it stand out on social media. - Pantone’s own Config palette combines bright, pastel, earthy, aquatic, and nature-inspired colors to connect the physical and digital worlds. ## Designing for Materials and Surfaces - Colors do not appear identically across screens, fabrics, packaging, or other physical materials. - A color that looks appealing digitally may seem overly harsh in person. - Some hues achievable in fabric dyes may not be practical for products made from other materials. - Color decisions should therefore begin early in the design process, with the material, surface finish, and viewing context already considered. ## Tracking Cultural Change - Pantone’s Color of the Year program has run for more than 26 years and is one of the design industry’s most closely watched color forecasts. - The institute’s broader work combines color psychology, global observation, and trend forecasting to identify how cultural shifts influence color preferences. The practical recommendation is to treat color as a strategic design decision: define the intended message, understand the audience’s cultural associations, and test the color in its actual material and environmental context.
