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Consumer Beat

In 1999, nature's influence on consumers will mean a shift in color preferences.

As we quickly approach 1999, you may have begun to notice an increasing amount of blue everywhere you look: towels, bowls, cars and shirts in the stores. If so, you are not lone. Members of the Color Marketing Group (CMG), Alexandria, VA, predicted a transition from green to blue in consumer color preferences, along with other significant changes, back in 1997. The expected best sellers for next year currently are being introduced at the retail level in a variety of consumer products as manufacturers bring out their 1999 product lines and color selections. The professional Color Designers at CMG anticipated consumers would be demanding brighter, simpler products that reflect nature's influence in 1999 due to the following six major trends: • The consumer is trying to return to a simpler way of life-back to basics. • Water's colors, texture and calming effect is being integrated into product colors and design. • Ethnic influences from Asia, Morocco and Turkey are increasing in the United States. • Nature and gardening have taken consumers to the spice and earthy colors. • The improved economy paints a brighter color palette for the consumer. • Textures, patterns and special effects will enhance and individualize colors. Identifying consumer influences enables manufacturers and retailers to make informed decisions.CMG's Pick for Favorite Consumer Product Colors CMG's Pick For Favorite Consumer Product Colors • Apache Red-Red has emerged as a strong color direction. This color is very centered, not too blue or too yellow. • Sea Grass Yellow-This color represents the importance of green on yellows. It is a complex color that can act as a neutral, a new yellow or a new green. • Mellow Gold-A yellowed neutral. • Cosmetique Peach-Peach has been bridged with dusty rose in this brightened hue. • Toffee Brown-The West Indies are coming to America with a hint of the spice trade in this brown. • Beignet-This color has lost the pinkish, copper personality of a new penny to become a flatter, yellower brown. • Cherry Fudge-A rich, full-bodied red that is touched with brown. • Blue Moon-A water color blue, tranquil, softened but not too sweet. • Blue Planet-Three quarters of our planet is covered by water. This hue shows the blue of our planet as seen from space. • Par Four Green-This color shows us the first hint of blue entering green once again. • Red Burst-A clean red with a fluorescent influence. • Pink for Sure-A blue pink attention- grabber. • Hip Hop Yellow-A cleaner yellow. • Mineola Orange-A cleaner version of a clementine. • Morning Coco-A cleaner mid-tone brown. • Cancun Blue-A bright color influenced by water. • Green Glade-A clear yellow-green. The Business of Color A demand for products in nature-based colors is gaining popularity, as well. This trend is seen either as a return to nature with increased emphasis on gardening products and camping supplies, or product colors based on earthy tones, spices and natural resources. Consumer Color Directions® co-chairman, Christine Dickey, Toyota Motors Sales U.S.A., Inc., Torrance, CA, believes that "As we approach the millennium, cool colors will continue to gain prominence and will enliven the consumers' emotions with feelings of being refreshed and renewed." Cooler, lighter product colors reflect both nature-inspired influences as well as the positive attitudes generated by the strong U.S. economy. Global-blending has introduced strong Asian-inspired colors into American consumer products. Deb Baker, Consumer Colors Current® co-chairman, Butler/Newco, Dallas, TX, adds, "Right now, there is a strong Asian influence seen in the color palette, which is demonstrated by the influence of water and nature. At the same time, the strong economy in the United States has brightened the color palette. The fear is that the Asian influence could change this because Asia is having an economic crisis, and weak economies tend to darken colors palettes." Knowing consumers' color preferences not only is important information for manufacturers and retailers, it is critical. It means the difference between profits and product disasters. Consider the refrigerator, for example. It has been everything from avocado green to almond. It seemed to have stagnated in the neutral colors, until stainless steel was introduced and rejuvenated refrigerator sales. Or think of Tupperware, products that once had been made only in neutral colors and sat unsold. Now, they are sold in a variety of colors that change on a periodic basis generating higher sales. Identifying these consumer influences enables manufacturers to make informed product and color decisions. For window covering retailers, it means displaying and stocking blinds, shades and fabric samples in the colors and textures consumers will be looking for. It also means not getting stuck with products that aren't selling because of outdated colors. Sponsored by Levolor Home Fashions.