It’s the end of the year. We’re giving gifts, decorating, and spending time with family and friends. Holiday parties. New Year’s celebrations. It’s a festive time no matter what religion you observe. And it’s also an important moment for those of us who follow the cult of design– the announcement of Pantone’s color of the year.
The Pantone color of the year is chosen by the Pantone Color Institute, created to shed light on the connection between color and the larger cultural moment. A color is selected each year to reflect the zeitgeist, drawing on everything from industry trends, pop culture, current events, future forecasting and more.
Pantone’s color of the year for 2023 is Viva Magenta 18-750. Pantone describes it as “a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength.” Other descriptors include optimistic, joyous, brave, and fearless. It “vibrates with vim and vigor.” It’s “an unconventional shade for an unconventional time.”
Magenta is quite an interesting shade. It technically doesn’t exist, as there’s no wavelength of light that corresponds to that color. But that may be the very reason why Pantone chose it– it’s a hybrid and a shapeshifter, straddling warm and cool, red and purple, natural and digital.
Announcing their selection with the statement, “Welcome to the Magentaverse,” it’s clear that Pantone is reflecting on the connection between the physical and virtual worlds. Derived from the cochineal, the insect from which carmine red is created, magenta is just as at home in the natural world as it is in the tech space. Compared to last year’s color of the year, the bright periwinkle hue Veri Peri that was invented just for the color of the year, Viva Magenta feels more soulful, organic, and bold.
It’s an interesting hue with a fascinating reasoning behind it. Does Viva Magenta speak to you? We’d love to know what you think. Send us a note and tell us about it.