Why so purple? The biggest brand color trend of 2018 explained

When Pantone named Ultra Violet Color of the Year 2018, no one expected brands would go so crazy with purple as they have. The reason? You may be surprised!

Ancient Rome

If the rules of color psychology are to be believed – and they should be, obviously – consumers associate purple with luxury, wealth and even royalty. Contrary to other colors, however, the association we tend to have with purple comes with an historical explanation. In ancient Rome, purple dye had to be extracted from sea snails and was therefore only affordable to the economic elite.

The color of money

Befitting a world plagued with recessions, the last couple of decades have seen numerous shifts to minimalist designs and neutral color palettes. Back in the early 2000s, however, dotcoms suddenly made huge leaps forward and the economy picked up again. And, surprise, surprise… Purple started to trend in packaging, fashion, home décor, you name it! (Just like it did back in the golden sixties, by the way.) Major internet companies including Craigslist and Yahoo! even purposely adopted purple logos to stand out among the traditional mass of blue and red brand colors.

A recurring brand color trend

Unfortunately, we all know what happened next. The dotcom bubble burst, a period of excessive speculation came to an end, and purple made way for more neutral hues once more. Fast forward to 2018! The employment rate is at a record high and, slowly but surely, the economy has been moving upward for a few years now. It makes perfect – not to mention historical – sense, then, for Pantone to pick a purple as its Color of the Year.

Esko Color Engine

Finally decided on a specific hue of purple and determined to make it work for your brand? Know that Esko’s Color Engine will keep your purple in check throughout the entire print and packaging supply chain. Try it out today! Inspired by Brand Packaging