'Color is not just something we see'
2025 Color and Design Seminar sheds light on the influence of color in various aspects of life
Color is not just something we see. It is more than a visual experience and plays a crucial role in design and branding.
This was the idea discussed at the 2025 Color and Design Seminar held at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square on Wednesday as experts gathered to shed light on the influence of color in various aspects of life and industries.
Ora Solomon, vice president of product and engineering at Pantone, highlighted that color is a powerful branding tool for creating a strong brand identity and connecting with consumers. Pantone is a US-based consulting service that forecasts global color trends dubbed "Color of the Year" and advises companies on colors for brand identity and product development.
"Someone once said, 'Color is a story for life.' It can help you differentiate, as well as communicate and connect to a specific audience," she explained.
"It's a silent brand ambassador who speaks without saying any word and has the power to evoke emotions, convey meaning and create a lasting impression of the brand, whether through graphics, product design, or packaging that helps your products stand out on a busy shelf," Solomon added. In fact, nearly 85 percent of all purchase decisions are driven by color, while up to 87 percent of brand recognition comes from color, according to a study by Pantone.
Solomon also highlighted the importance of integrating the physical and digital worlds using color for better aesthetic outcomes and allowing colors to resonate with customers.
For example, Pantone collaborated with Porsche to develop "Turbonite," a signature color for all Turbo models. Introduced in 2023, this elegant metallic grey features a tawny bronze undertone, reflecting Porsche's legacy of history and innovation. Last year, Pantone came up with Mediterranean Riviera-inspired colors that evoked the idea of "endless summer" when Nespresso sought help to drive its sales during the summer months, according to Solomon.
"The first thing that we typically see as consumers -- not necessarily as designers or business people -- is color, and the beauty of color is that it connects with you," Solomon said.
Lily Tsai, a senior color technologist at BenQ -- a Taiwanese multinational technology company ensuring the best color performance in visual products -- underscored the importance of addressing color differences and ensuring color accuracy to deliver high-quality visual communication.
"Sometimes the colors on your monitors, camera, scanner and when you print all look different. Which one should you trust? ... Well, color management can solve that problem," Tsai said. Color management is the method used to ensure that colors remain consistent across different devices and formats.
"Just like how we maintain our car to ensure driving safety, calibrating your monitor in the same way helps get the reliable color you want. This also makes your work much more convenient."
As much as how color has become pivotal in design, guiding perceptions and influencing emotions, Shin Ye-soo, a solution consultant at Adobe, pointed out that digital tools have also advanced, allowing users to create a shade of their choice.
For example, users can apply color changes by entering a specific code using Adobe Firefly -- a generative AI-powered tool that lets you create images from text descriptions.
"Digital tools like Adobe Firefly can now generate nearly an infinite variety of colors and textures. It also makes combining multiple colors easier, giving users more flexibility and control over their work," Shin said.
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