Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company, announced PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle as the color of the year for 2011. A reddish pink, the Pantone color is intended to be encouraging and uplifting. According to a press release, "It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life."
"In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Color Institute. "Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going. Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.
"The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer."
According to Pantone, the hue that works well for a number of consumer products, including cosmetics. Past Pantone colors of the year include:
- Turquoise (2010)
- Mimosa (2009)
- Blue Iris (2008)
- Chili Pepper (2007)
- Sand Dollar (2006)
- Blue Turquoise (2005)
- Tigerlily (2004)
- Aqua Sky (2003)
- True Red (2002)
- Fuchsia Rose (2001)
- Cerulean (2000)
GCI magazine will focus on the color cosmetics market in its April issue, and will run color forecasts as received (including supplier forecasts). We would love to hear your thoughts on color—whether Pantone's selection, your own color forecasts or the color choices/products you'll introduce in 2011. We would also be interested in learning about where you look for your color inspiration. You can email thoughts to Jeff Falk, [email protected], or Abby Penning, [email protected].
