Sensational Color

WE'VE MOVED

Sensational Color has moved to our new website. 

Please visit us at http://www.sensationalcolor.com

 

(RED) and (PRODUCT) RED™

The Gap launches (PRODUCT) RED tomorrow (October 13th) and will be donating 100 percent of profits from the sale of the book titled "Individuals" and half of Gap’s profits from the sale of other Gap (PRODUCT) RED products to the Global Fund to finance programs that help women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver, (PRODUCT) RED is an initiative launching in the U.S. this fall that is designed to get companies around the world involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa. 

Earlier this year the initiative launched in the UK with a (PRODUCT) RED American Express Card, Armani Sunglasses, MotoSlvr cell phone and Converse mudcloth high tops.  MySpace.com is the first media sponsor.

Color-Call™ Caller ID

Color instantly identifies many things and now you can use it to identify who's calling.  The Color-Call™ Caller ID System let's you assign a caller or group of callers to one of four colors. 

You could program green for those you always want to talk to, and red for those you don't.  Purple could let you know that it's your best friend or maybe blue could be for that special guy with the to-die-for eyes of the same hue.

Perhaps most importantly when the phone is ringing the system automacially scrolls between all of the color to alert you that the caller ID is unidentified or blocked because no one really wants to speak to telemarketers  or psycho ex-friends.

Once again color adds another dimension to a familiar product.  Just make sure I don't find my number coded with your "do not answer" color.

Available at Brookstone.com

Color and Style Trends at Crate and Barrel

Since Crate and Barrel opened their doors in 1962 they have offered fuctional products that have sleek shapes, innovative forms, and up-to-date colors.  In order to develop a line that consistently meets the standards they have become known for their buyers must to be tuned into upcoming color and style trends and translate those trends into new products.

Traditionally this thinking has been done behind the scenes and retailers including Crate and Barrel haven't specifically revealed the trends behind the merchandise selected.  Recently Crate and Barrel  decided to take a different approach and added a section to their website that offers buyers insight into their key trends and shows the merchandise available in their retail stores and online that is associated with each.

For example, Mixed Greens suggest that you "update neutral spaces with a quick add-on in the season's freshest greens" and shows products in a range of gorgeous greens.  Dream in a Bold New Color when you "tuck into technicolor with a vibrant new wardrobe for bed" includes rich hues of sage, moss, gold, chocolate, plum and orange.

Naturally this isn't a complete trend resource since not all styles or color trends would be right for their store but sharing the philosophy and trends behind their current product lines is great way for Crate and Barrel to connect with their customers and assist them in finding perfect items for their home.

American Express COLORISTA

With all eyes on the runway fashionistas are not only looking for the upcoming styles but also for the latest color trends.  Savvy retailers and fashion editors know that color gives us a reason to update our wardrobe and is a big part of what makes fashion fun.  Now one of the world's largest financial services firms shows that they too recognize the power of color in fashion.

Capitalizing on our desire to wear the hottest hues the smart marketers at American Express have taken color off the runway and into their latest promotion.  Appropriately named COLORISTA, this promotion uses color as the common element for promoting fashion across multiple designers and boutiques.

COLORISTA offers shoppers in NYC and LA a 25% discount on retail merchandise in 2006 fall fashion colors when they use their American Express card during September.  Each week, a new color is featured at select boutiques and the COLORISTA website shows the week's color and a list of the participating boutiques.

While we don't often associate fashion forward-thinking with financial services companies I think the concept works for American Express.  The same promotion might not be as effective if offered by one of their competitors.  For instance, I don't think many of us would be inspired by a campaign that features a barbarion asking "What color's in your wardrobe?"

iPod's new colors are exciting the color names are not

I love the iPod nano David gave me last year and the CD's that I once thought were so slick now seem clunky by comparison.  I'm already too spoiled to want to fool around with changing discs and digging through broken jewel cases. 

Apple released their remastered iPod nano and with its new anodized aluminum enclosure and rounded edges, iPod nano look dazzling in three new, hot colors.  If you haven't already indulged in the pleasure of an mp3 player the nano's new colors may make this a purchase that is too difficult to resist any longer.   

I always thought that such a fun item should come in fabulous colors and now it does and I love the new colors but I did note one thing that could be improved upon. 

Seeing the iPod color listed as simply blue, green or pink just doesn't generate the excitement you would expect when choosing one of these bold colors.  Would you describe the color of the new nano as

just blue?..

or green?...

or pink?

Too bad the creative folks at Apple didn't come up with names befitting of these bright hues to carry the color fever through every aspect of the experience.

Little Miss Sunshine Yellow

I finally made time to see "Little Miss Sunshine" last night and after all the hype I expected to see a movie that played up the color yellow.  What I didn't expect to see is how color is masterfully used throughout this film.

The main color palette of yellow/beige, aqua/blue, and red is set early in the movie and this scheme repeated throughout. Whether in the large colored vases that the sun shines through in the kitchen, the wardrobe of the three main characters, the dinnerware or strategically placed props these colors were repeated in many scenes.

Yellow was predominate and some of the more notable uses of this color included:

• Sunny yellow which is a color associated with optimism offers an interesting contrast to the sometimes dark subject matter.   
• The yellow beige monotone palette of their Albuquerque home gives their clutter a uniformity that allows it to be there but not to beg for our attention.
• The VW bus surrounds the family with lemon yellow and hints that something positive may be at the end of the journey even for this dysfunctional clan.
• While on the trip bright sunlight exposes each person's flaws but at the same time the warm light ask that we not be too critical of their imperfections.

I also appreciated the use of red which is a color that encourages action and confidence and can also evokes feelings of protection from fears and anxiety.  How appropriate that young Olive wore this color throughout as a sign of her determination to overcome her own self doubt and win the "Little Miss Sunshine" contest.  I especially liked her red cowgirl boots, red Converse hightops and red necktie. 

You may not have noticed but color was used to define all of the characters: Olive mainly in red, her mother and father in aqua/blue and the three family member in black/white/gray.  Okay, so maybe you're not as focused on the colors as I am when you watch a move but perhaps if you catch it again on DVD it could be something fun to think about.

One last thing about how color was used with this movie.  The poster and marketing materials grabbed our attention with yellow and the color was used to keep our attention on the movie even when it wasn't being directly touted.  You may have noticed "Little Miss Sunshine" yellow serving as a backdrop for 'Movie City News' and elsewhere.  Being able to recognize a movie or brand simply by seeing this one element speaks to the powerful connections color triggers in our mind.

Color Icon: The Tiffany Blue Box

Whether you catch a glimpse from across a busy street or receive a precious package under the soft glow of candlelight, the box is unmistakably from Tiffany & Co.  Since 1837 the blue box has contained the exquisitely designed jewelry and high quality gifts that have made Tiffany's a legend.

The particular shade of "robin egg" blue over time has become so closely identified with the Tiffany brand that it is often called Tiffany Blue.  The blue box is an American icon that has come to symbolize exclusivity and unmatched craftsmanship. 

When someone gives you a gift from Tiffany's they are communicating that they care enough to give you something very special.  For those lucky enough to have received a gift from Tiffany's it is very likely that upon catching sight of the blue packaging you breathed in a bit deeper, felt your heart rate increase and silently whispered the word "Tiffany"s" before you ever opened the box. 

The positive emotional responses that are evoked by the sight of the blue box during the gift giving process have a very real and significant value.  Tiffany's takes great care to protect this assest and the blue designated by Pantone as number 1837 (which interestingly is the same as the year Tiffany's was founded) is a registered trademark of the company. 

If you've yet to experience the delight of receiving a gift from Tiffany's I suggest clicking over to Tiffany.com and printing out a few wish list items that you can strategically leave where your loved one will find them.  If you already own one or more of their timeless creations go anyway because you can never have too many gorgeous adornments.

Mobile Magenta

The Magenta "T" is easily recognized as the symbol for T-Mobile.  It stands out both because it is a single letter "word" and an unexpected color in the crowded cellular communications marketplace.

T-Mobile and its parent Deutsche Telekom registered a trademark for magenta for mobile telephone materials which may sound rather limited however when Intel introduced magenta in the Centrino logo the legal teams of Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile were quick to make them aware of the breadth of the trademark protection.  Intel didn't challenge the trademark and instead chose an alternate color.

Pictured here is the T-Mobile cycling team ("magenta squad") at the 2006 Tour de France campaign

Blue Bottle Helps Keep You From Turning Red

There has been a great deal of buzz about Blue Lizard sunscreen.  Parents, dermatologist, and lifeguards are among those singing its praises for everything from its kid friendly ingredients to its smooth application to its effectiveness in protecting against the harmful rays of the sun.

While I too think its a great product, simply having "blue" in the name wouldn't prompt me to write about it.  What caught my attention and makes this product "blog worthy" is that it is packaged in a patented color change bottle.  The Blue Lizard bottle turns blue in the presence of any harmful UV rays, providing a valuable sun damage warning-tool.

The smart bottle technology serves, as a great reminder to apply sunscreen even when you're just going to be outside for a short time or when the sun doesn't seem that strong because it automatically changes color to warn you anytime harmful UV light is present.

Not only do kids think it is neat to see the bottle change colors but it demonstrates to them when they need to apply sunscreen making it a nice compliment to the process of educating them about the importance of protecting their skin from the sun year round.

Blue Lizard's use of the color change bottle as not only as a point of differentiation but also as a valuable aid for their customers is a perfect example of how to use an innovative technology.  Very well done!