Pantone Color of the Year for 2020 announced

And the Pantone Color of the Year 2020 is... Classic Blue!

The company announced on Wednesday that PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is its latest Color of the Year, following recent choices Living Coral (2019), Ultra Violet (2018), Greenery (2017) and Serenity (2016).

In a press release announcing the news, Pantone called Classic Blue "a timeless and enduring hue elegant in its simplicity."

Credit: Pantone

"Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation from which to buildas we cross the threshold into a new era," it continued. "Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge."

Laurie Pressman, the Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute explained the significance behind the annual Color of the Year announcement and how it relates to the culture at large.

"The Pantone Color of the Year highlights the relationship between trends in color and what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time, a color that reflects what individuals feel they need that color can hope to answer." Pressman said. "As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions, designers and brands should feel inspired to use color to engage and connect. The Pantone Color of the Year selection provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design, reflecting the Pantone Color Institute’s year-round work doing the same for designers and brands."

This year's Color of the Year was also the company's first-ever multi-sensory announcement, highlighting the sound, sight, texture, taste and scent that Classic Blue embodies.