Pantone has chosen the 2020 Color of the Year — Classic Blue.

The company says Classic Blue is “timeless and enduring — and elegant in its simplicity.” It’s “suggestive of the sky at dusk.

Some critics are saying it’s boring — like this humorous headline today on Jezebel: “Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2020 Is Boring as Hell!”

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Color Institute, comments: “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation.”

Eiseman continues, “A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.”

Firmenich says Classic Blue Tastes Like Blueberries & Smells Like the Sea

New Color Palettes

Pantone has five newly created color palettes featuring Classic Blue. Each conveys a different mood:

Ponder is calming; Snokel evokes a bliss-filled paradise; Desert Twilight is elegant and includes ‘glittery’ colors; Exotic Tastes is reflective of natural seasonings, condiments and blue foods; and Untraditional is unexpected and fashion-forward. See them here.

A Look Back – Pantone’s Past Choices for Color of the Year

News: Pantone’s Color of the Year 2019 is Living Coral

Online Exclusive: Pantone’s Color of the Year 2018, Ultra-Violet, in Packaging

Online Exclusive: Greenery is Pantone’s Color of the Year 2017

News: Pantone’s 2016 Colors of the Year: How to Use Rose Quartz & Serenity