Pantone's Color of the Year 2020

Every year paint manufacturers announce their Color of the Year. In late 2019, Pantone announced its color for 2020 – “Classic Blue 19-4052.”

Pantone is a company headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and is best known for the Pantone Matching System (PMS). The PMS is a proprietary color space (specific organization of colors) that is used in graphic design, fashion design, and product design to allow for the exact management of color production in both physical and digital formats. Essentially, they define color.

For 20 years, they have held meetings with various nations’ color standard groups to declare a particular color “Color of the Year.” Every year, the color supposedly connects with the current perceived zeitgeist of that year. It’s probably no small wonder that the color for 2020 would be blue.

“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is that kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation." - Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

So, after pondering 2020 while looking ahead to 2021, one can only wonder what color might be “Color of the Year” for 2021.

Interestingly enough, Pantone just recently announced its Color of the Year for 2021 – “Ultimate Gray 17-5104 + Illuminating 13-0647.” The two colors together “convey a message of strength and hopefulness that is both enduring and uplifting.”

To learn more about Pantone and their influence on the various design industries, you can check out www.pantone.com.