From fashion, home furnishings and industrial design to product packaging and technology, color plays a vital role in determining consumer purchasing behavior. Not only can the use of color differentiate competitive products, but studies show that it takes 90 seconds for a customer to form an opinion about a product and roughly 90% of this opinion is influenced by color. Two out of three consumers will make a large purchase only if they like its shade, and almost 93% of people primarily perceive information visually. Color is a subtle yet powerful communication tool and it informs the way we see and how we feel about the world.

At Vibrantz, we are experts at translating what is taking place in our global culture through the language of color. Not only is it reflected in our purpose to “bring color, performance and vibrancy to life”, but we are the largest global producer of colorants and color systems. Our pigment, dispersion and colorant technologies lead the way in serving the paints, coatings, thermoset plastics and construction markets. Our products color the world we live in, and our dedicated color science team is instrumental in collaborating with customers to predict trends and solve customers’ most complex color and appearance challenges.

Color predictions shape purchasing behavior.

Every year, leading forecasting groups, colorant producers and paint suppliers pave the way for consumer trends across industries like fashion, interior design and packaging, setting the tone for the upcoming year through Color of the Year predictions. Vibrantz’s Color Solutions team releases a global Color of the Year each winter as part of our ongoing work to promote and meet future customer demands by identifying and staying ahead of market trends and encouraging broader and varied use of color in paints, coatings and thermoset plastics markets.

Last December, we announced our 2023 Color of the Year prediction “Approaching Dawn” – a violet hue ideal for subtle accents or bold statements in architectural and industrial paints and coatings applications.

“Through thoughtful consideration and trend analysis, our team enjoys choosing a Color of the Year as a magnifying glass on what’s happening in society. As a globally recognized visual language, color is a powerful communication tool and can influence buying behavior across all industries. It’s a rewarding exercise to lead the conversation when it comes to identifying global similarities for certain palettes and hues and helping customers bring these trends to life.”

– Katelyn Bevilacqua, color scientist at Vibrantz.

What does Approaching Dawn represent?

Our 2023 Color of the Year Approaching Dawn is a vibrant violet hue that imparts a sense of hope and inspiration. Emerging on the heels of a pandemic, a complicated supply chain and looming economic pressure, Approaching Dawn exudes strength and stability while remaining calming and optimistic. It is imaginative and creative but also denotes serenity and balance.

• Name: Approaching Dawn
• sRGB: 92, 76, 128
• Hex: #564C7F
• Code: VE 59-A

Approaching Dawn joins other violet hues as a dominant shade for 2023.

Mid way through the year, violet hues similar to Approaching Dawn are increasingly prevalent in consumer products. Automotive, fashion, recreation and interior design industries commonly utilize this red-shade, chromatic violet as a complementary accent to muted shades or as a bold expression.

Many color thought leaders have included purple hues in their 2023 trend predictions, including:

• WSGN, a trend forecasting site, labeled “digital lavender” the 2023 Color of the Year
• Popular interior design resources like Good Housekeeping and Homes & Gardens Magazine listed violets as a top architectural paint trend
• Style influencers like Marie Claire featured lavender as a popular shade for spring and summer, and purple has dominated the red carpet at various award shows, including the Golden Globes

How we choose a Color of the Year.

As a leading global colorants supplier, we aim to predict color trends for the markets we serve. Our cross-functional teams are immersed in the world of color trends every day as we provide custom color matches, technical support, product recommendations and construct colorant databases for our customers. We take current styles into account as we predict how hues and undertones will develop and adapt to future movements.

As we expanded our global footprint as Vibrantz, we created regional Color of the Year palettes for North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific to better represent the regions we serve. With each utilizing our “Approaching Dawn” base, the four unique palettes represent trending colors prevalent in their respective regions.

Work hand in hand with our color science department.

Staying on trend in the decorative market is critical for paints, coatings and thermoset plastics producers. We work globally with our customers and color merchandising providers to create solutions to best fit their needs by assessing customers’ current color space and recommending the best colorant ranges to expand color options.