Our color preferences subconsciously — and consciously — shape our worldview, influence our choices, and tinge our memories.
Maybe light blue reminds you of your grandmother’s eyes, for example. Or maybe a bright red car looks like the Hot Wheels toy you shared with your brothers. Perhaps you hate yellow and avoid it altogether. (No mustard, please.)
Smart branding harnesses the power of color to evoke certain emotions and energies. Pantone, in particular, has dominated this corner of ecommerce with its annual “Color of the Year,” a tradition since 1999.
The Color of the Year offers more than just a thematic color selection. It also comes with brand collaborations, a Spotify playlist, complementary palettes, artist spotlights, merch, and more.
Here’s a deep dive on color’s role in branding, a highlight of three top Pantone collaborations, and tips for adding a splash of color to your ecommerce strategy.
Socioeconomic unrest has provoked anxiety and uncertainty for shoppers. They’re spending less online and are becoming more selective with their purchases, according to Salsify’s “2026 Consumer Research” report.
Pantone knows that consumers need more calm in the chaos, which is why it chose white, or “Cloud Dancer,” as Color of the Year. It’s described as adding a “lofty white that serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection.”
According to Insights Psychology, brands must understand the cultural nuances of colors, especially when engaging in international marketing. While white often denotes calm, luxury, and simplicity, it can also appear sterile — and even represents mourning in some cultures.
Pantone considers this, offering brands insights into how Cloud Dancer can be used for apparel, fashion accessories, footwear, and more.
Image Source: Pantone
Beyond what looks good, brands should consider the emotions colors evoke, the messages they send, and if they’re helping ground, empower, and connect shoppers, Pantone says.
Furniture brand Joybird, diffuser brand Pura, and Play-Doh are among others that partnered with Pantone to create products using the new year’s color.
Here’s a breakdown of their Pantone collaborations, with tips for emulating their success.
Joybird and Pantone’s collaboration provides shoppers with furniture that will help them build a simplistic, calming haven.
“With its expansive presence, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer invites a space where function and feeling intertwine to build atmospheres of serenity and spaciousness, providing a refuge of visual cleanliness that inspires well-being and lightness, whether introduced in furniture or furnishings throughout the home,” Pantone says.
Image Source: Joybird
Salsify consumer research shows that 39% of shoppers review two to three channels before making a big-ticket purchase like furniture and home goods, and 41% have purchased from this vertical online.
Brands can capture their attention with visually stunning product images and videos (61%) and prevalent customer ratings, reviews, and user-generated content (UGC) (57%).
A sense of smell, according to Psychology Today, is one of the earliest human functions. It’s so powerful that it can alter mood and conjure old memories.
But how do you capture the essence of a color in a scent? To Pantone and Pura, Cloud Dancer is a mix of “fresh citrus, sunlit florals, and grounding woods.”
Image Source: Pura
Pura says that fragrance is often overlooked, but it’s the “final layer of design — completing a space with atmosphere and emotion as vital as color, texture, light, and sound.”
Play-Doh has been beloved across generations for 70 years. Its collaboration with Pantone celebrates balance and imagination, “introducing a hue that embodies the limitless creative possibilities of a blank canvas where every great idea comes to life.”
Play-Doh and Pantone’s collaboration is important in our tech-heavy society because it encourages grounding, hands-on experiences that tech can’t replicate. In fact, Adweek notes that tactile play is making a resurgence.
Image Source: Play-Doh
While adults and children alike use Play-Doh, it’s a smart move for targeting Gen Alpha consumers. Salsify research shows that Gen Alphas influences approximately 43% of household purchases. Brands can reach these shoppers with language that appeals to parents and family-friendly UGC.
Staying on top of trends shows consumers that you’re hip — and paying attention to their interests. If your desired demographic is on social media, for example, they’re looking for fun, quick content that makes them feel more connected to your brand.
Pantone’s Color of the Year collaborations are a perfect example of brands that keep their finger on the pulse. Take a page from Pantone’s playbook and add some color to your own ecommerce strategy.