How to Use Pantone's Color of the Year to Build Your Brand Recognition

Hibu Websites • May 12, 2021

How to Use Pantone's COLOR of the Year to Build Your Brand Recognition

The color of the year is yellow and the color of the year is ultimate gray.
A quote from a book is displayed on a white background.

2021 is looking up! Pantone announced its 23rd color of the year: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray and PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating. Suggestive of the afternoon sun, the Illuminating Yellow is calming and often brings a sense of happiness to those who look upon it. While, on the other hand you have the Ultimate Gray which can show you a sense of relaxation on cloudy day's as a reminder to take time to yourself.

The Color of the Year is believed to be a reflection of what is happening in our world today. Therefore, incorporating it into your marketing strategy can help your brand stay fresh and relevant. There are many innovative ways you can use this classic color combo to build your brand recognition; here are some ideas to help get you started and SPARK inspiration!


Promotional Products~

Both Ultimate Gray & Illuminating Yellow are celebrated shade in the promotional products world, especially in the area of corporate apparel. An office-appropriate color, it looks great on all skin tones and can truly enhance any wardrobe. They both work well on casual shirts, blouses, sweaters, polo's, woven's, and knits. It’s also a popular option used by companies to uniform staff in the spa & healthcare industries.


Emails~

Researchers have found that up to 90 percent of snap judgments made about products are based on color alone. Be sure to keep your brand fresh by SPRINKLING some yellow with a hint of gray into your email designs. Email ads are a great place to introduce the year’s signature color. Although most promotional emails tend to be fairly straightforward, there is plenty of room for visual creativity.


Logos~

Illuminating Yellow holds the potential to communicate simple messages like comfort, peace, and reassurance. By incorporating a hint of the color into your logo, your brand can communicate those same calming messages.


Website~

Choosing the right color scheme for your website requires a lot of experimentation. Keep it trendy by throwing in some yellow when appropriate. Consider adding the color to your links, clicked links, shades and maybe even try some opacity if it works with your theme. Remember: CONTRAST is key!


Social Media Campaigns~

Social media is yet another great tool to implement the use of Illuminating  Yellow with a hint of Ultimate Gray and build brand recognition. Keep Pantone in mind next time you post a photo; integrating the Color of the Year in social media campaigns is a fun and practical way to draw attention.


Ad Campaigns~

Pantone introduces new colors every year to give designers direction. Take the new Illuminating Yellow color as an opportunity to RE-INTRODUCE your brand to the world with a new ad campaign!


Refresh Your Brand Color~

Refreshing your brand by utilizing the Color of the Year is a great way to re-introduce your business and stay relevant year after year. Do this by changing the slider/background of your website or even adding an accent color to this year’s ad campaign.


There are plenty of fun and creative ways to use both Ultimate Gray & Illuminating Yellow to build brand loyalty. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different VARIATIONS of the color. Looking for some inspiration to help get you started? Check out some of our favorite promotional products that come in PANTONE 19-4052 below:

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