Pantone Announces Colour of the Year 2023 – Viva Magenta

Pantone, the leading global source for the design community’s standardised colour reproduction system, has unveiled its Colour of the Year for 2023.

Every December, the creative community waits in anticipation of Pantone’s annual announcement. What will its colour experts determine as the shade to describe the next 12 months? One that reflects the changing shifts of culture and our modern world?

The colour choice influences product development and purchasing decisions across multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, industrial design, packaging and graphic design.

As well, it can be particularly inspiring for new companies trying to establish their brand colours and existing companies undergoing a rebranding process.

To arrive at the selection, Pantone’s colour experts spend time analysing new colour influences. They look at sources including the entertainment industry, art collections and new artists, fashion, new technologies, materials and textures, all areas of design, the latest travel destinations and socio-economic conditions.

So, what is the hue that will be taking us into 2023?

This year’s choice is PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta, an earthy crimson red that hopes to keep us grounded in nature as we increasingly move into virtual worlds. Described as “brave and fearless”, it’s a fiery yet non-aggressive shade that hopes to emit optimism and joy. It sits between warm and cool tones, making it a hybrid colour choice for designers. As Pantone describes it: “Powerful and empowering, it is an animated red that encourages experimentation and self-expression without restraint. Audacious, witty, and inclusive of all, Viva Magenta welcomes anyone and everyone with the same rebellious spirit.”

“As virtual worlds become a more prominent part of our daily lives, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real,” says Leatrice Eiseman from the Pantone Color Institute. “PANTONE 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family. It is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family and one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.”

This year’s bold colour is a step up in terms of wow factor from the 2022 choice, Very Peri, which was described as a ‘dynamic periwinkle blue hue with a vivifying violet-red undertone’, supposed to sum up a moment of ‘transition.’

Pantone have been naming their colour of the year for 24 years now, with each being unique and distinctive. You can find all their previous winning colours here.

We’re looking forward to seeing Viva Magenta take hold through design trends in the coming year and seeing how the colour is applied through products and marketing.

What do you think? Will you use the animated red in your designs?

If you’re ready to start your next design project, we’d love to help. Get in touch with our friendly team at hello@arkencreative.co.uk or call us on 01786 445022 to chat through your requirements.