Many of us are ready to
say goodbye to 2020.
It has been a year of
the pandemic, politics, and protests.
With a vaccine on the way,
we can see the light at the end of the tunnel
as we welcome in 2021.
This optimism contrasted to the darker days of 2020,
is even reflected in this year’s
Pantone color of the year.
Drumroll please:
The color selections are
Ultimate Gray and Illuminating.
Let’s look more closely.
- Ultimate Gray
The prognosticators saw a gray mood
cloaking the world. They also saw a sameness
to our recent days. - Illuminating
Illuminating, by contrast, is a bright,
sunshine, smiley face yellow.
It represents hope and brighter days ahead.
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute,
said, “the color combination presses us forward.
It’s about our minds resetting to what’s really important.”
This year, for only the second time ever,
two colors were chosen as opposed to the usual one.
The colors are a metaphor for our times.
Ms. Eiseman said the selection represents,
“two independent colors really coming together.”
We need each other as we move forward
and there is too much work to do alone.
This sentiment is true for our country
as well as our teams.
We are stronger when we support each other.
We can have complimentary styles
(tones in the case of paint color)
and at the same time, produce a powerful result.
The Pantone 2021 colors are reflecting our world.
While we may have gray, groundhog-like days ahead
this winter, the future does look much brighter.
Get out your sunglasses!