It may look like just an ordinary shade of violet — but Pantone’s Color of the Year, Ultra Violet, can serve as inspiration for your Shopify theme’s look and product offerings.
According to Pantone, its pick for Color of the Year “communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.” In addition, Pantone draws connections to the shade’s close relationships with mindfulness practices.
Although Ultra Violet is distinct from Shopify’s own signature Indigo color which it introduced as part of its Polaris design framework in 2017, it is interesting to note that the two colors are still fairly close cousins on the color wheel.
Integrating Ultra Violet, or a close match to it, is a great way to lend a fresh new look to your site — as well as communicate the emotions associated with it.
To use Ultra Violet on a website or digital product, Pantone recommends using HEX color code #654EA3 or #5F4B8B. For physical and printed products, you can of course use the Pantone itself or the CMYK equivalent which is usually cheaper (76C, 75M, 0Y, 0K).
Although the Pantone color of the year is, almost by definition, “on trend” and quickly becomes used more extensively in the design world, it can still be a good choice for a variety of reasons:
In many cases, your site’s existing color palette may already integrate well with many shades of violet. Sites with oranges, yellows, blues, reds or other purples are prime candidates for having a fresh shade of violet added to the mix.
Whether or not your website color scheme or branding coordinates with ultra violet, there are always a variety of ways to use it or any other particular color, in a variety of creative ways:
Pantone’s website has a great selection of color palettes that can serve as inspiration with the fun names Purple Haze, Kindred Spirits, Drama Queen, Intrigue, Quietude, Attitude, Desert Sunset, Floral Fantasies.
Consider following the cues from the palette names based on the products you sell or image you’d like to convey to select colors to add to your site design (or, if you’re redesigning, this can be a great place to start).
Given the high profile nature of Pantone’s annual Color of the Year pick, it’s not uncommon to see the market flooded with that shade (and close family members). However, there are still some great ways to integrate this color — or any other color trend — without overdoing it:
Of course, color trends can also be used beyond your website settings in another key area of your business — your products:
Keep in mind that Pantone colors, including Ultra Violet, may be protected by various intellectual property laws, so be sure to fully investigate if you have secured any necessary rights to use it in your products. If you are printing products with Pantone inks, be prepared to pay for a spot color in addition to your other color plates.
The same goes for creating products that mimic the Pantone color chip look — Pantone typically owns the rights to this general look and feel and selling unauthorized items can lead to legal conflicts.
If you source products from third parties, you’ll also want to make sure that any items claiming to be Pantone matches are properly licensed and genuine.
Finally, it’s worth noting that it’s not necessary to add this year (or any other year’s) Color of the Year just for the sake of doing so. While it can be a great way to keep your site and products fresh and on point, it should also, just like any other design change or update you make to your site, be a careful and strategic decision that is relevant to your business and product catalog.
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