Beth Simon, one of our Innovation Facilitators here at Decision Analyst, is a director of Color Marketing Group www.colormarketing.org, a professional association of 1,000 color designers who determine the direction of color for products across every industry. She just returned from the 2009 Spring International Conference of Color Marketing Group and shares the latest in what’s happening with color:
What’s the Color Story?
This year’s theme was “it’s raining color” and we were fortunate to enjoy our beautiful sunny days. Leaving in a cold rain, the muted landscape reminded me of the various shades of gray projected in a future palette that will be offset by brights. Similarly in Seattle, the cloudy sky outside Pike Place Market is the backdrop for the tulips, daffodils, and chili peppers which are for sale in lively bunches. Consensus is that grays as neutrals seem newer than beige and brown.
Colors today have to be versatile and have longevity. In these days of limited resources, color can add value, define a line and provide a competitive edge. Included in the forecast colors are hybrids that could live in multiple color families. Is it yellow or orange? Brown or purple? Green or yellow? These colors are versatile because they can swing in more than one direction to complement other hues.
Future Design workshops explored several categories and participants were of mixed industries. As an example, one topic the Generations workshops tackled was Communication Technology: Resource vs. Lifestyle. Baby Boomers choose to use it as a resource but it is a lifestyle for younger generations.
- Key words: connected, flexible, instant gratification, on demand, control, Facebook, user expectations, user experience.
- Research surprises are that technology allows the younger generation to guide and encourage older generations. Life experience is exchanged for techno experience. The Millenials see technology as a lifestyle, not just a resource. An example of this crossover is Boomers increasingly embracing Facebook.
- Product design in 1-3 years: products and services need some sort of generational flexibility/sensitivity, so all can understand how to best use the product.
- Counter movements: less money means less technological advances, thus all generations can catch up. The speed of change is slowed down.
Dynamic speakers included David Shah, publisher and future strategy consultant from Amsterdam, Karin Henderson, Principal and Executive Creative Director of MK Advertising, and Allen Haveson of Showtime Networks, Inc. who discussed the use of Color by Showtime.
Some of my key takeaways:
- Make things witty.
- 68 % of people who use the Internet are women
- Virtue in Value
- It’s not what you like (designer) but what will sell
- Being safe will not get you where you want to go anymore
- Stand out, take a chance. (people are craving to be individuals)
- Have less – reevaluate what you like
- Is there anything good about bad times?
- Standing in line for a Wii is not like standing in line for bread in 1939.
- Bare necessity, simplicity
- Can do – Make do – Just do it!
- Have to have some sizzle!