Be Bold Think Pink

| By: ERIN COULEHAN |

Welcome to the “Magentaverse,” otherwise known as the Pantone 2023 Color of the Year, which takes its origin from the cochineal beetle. The shade, Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta, celebrates the vim and vigor of life while also paying homage to nature that The Pantone Color Institute describes as a signal of strength that promotes joy, optimism, and new beginnings.

“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real,” says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of The Pantone Color Institute. “Pantone 181750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family, and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family, as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.”

The Pantone Color Institute has named colors of the year for the last 23 years, with each shade corresponding to the current cultural moment.

“The Pantone Color Institute originally created the Pantone Color of the Year educational program in 1999 to engage the design community and color enthusiasts around the world in a conversation around color,” says Laurie Pressman, Vice President of The Pantone Color Institute. “We wanted to draw attention to the relationship between culture and color. We wanted to highlight to our audience how what is taking place in our global culture is expressed and reflected through the language of color,” she adds.

Viva Magenta is defined by its “nuanced crimson red tone that presents a difference between warm and cool” and emblematic of the need for an unconventional shade during an unconventional time.

According to The Pantone Color Institute, “Three years deep into a pandemic, facing a war, an unstable economy, social unrest, supply chain breakdowns, and mounting climate change -- we need to heal.”

The psychology of color indicates that shades from the red family are power colors that celebrate life and celebrate boldness. Viva Magenta was selected for its dynamic combination of both rebellion and vulnerability that promotes confidence, humanity, and grace.

Somewhere between a white flag of surrender and a red flag of battle, Viva Magenta “cloaks us in power and grace, and sends us into the world with the verve we’ve yearned for.” www.thecitymagazineelp.com