Pantone announces 2015 ‘Color of the Year’

Owning and maintaining a color label printer could make your company more sensitive to which color uses are best for a new product line and your business in general. One of the most famous authorities on color is the company Pantone, Inc., and the organization has made a tradition of naming an official “color of the year.” But its latest selection seems to have caused mixed reactions among critics, some of whom aren’t as taken with this proposed shade.

According to a release from that company, the official color for 2015, PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala, is meant to work in a variety of different contexts, from interior design to fashion to packaging. Described as “a naturally robust and earthy wine red,” Marsala differs considerably from the 2014 color, the lavender-like “Radiant Orchid.” The release also mentions potential retail uses for the shade.

“Eye-catching, but not overwhelming or bright, consumers are immediately drawn to the hue, making it an alluring shade at point-of-purchase,” it reads. “As packaging becomes increasingly more artistic, Marsala will be a natural fit for both high and low-tech materials, including on-shelf periodicals as well as printed assets, like calendars and stationery.”

Despite the versatility that Pantone clearly sees in this color, the reception has been mixed. Writing for The Atlantic, Tanya Basu summed up some of the comments made against the color, saying it was more reminiscent of “rust,” “mystery meat” and “70’s-era carpets.”

Reactions to major design statements like this clearly vary, so individual companies should have the tools to create labels in the color that is most beneficial to them. A Primera LX900 Color Label Printer will display all colors clearly and vibrantly. If your company decides to use a special shade in your packaging, you can rest assured it will be easy to spot with this printer.