A POV by Madhurima Bhatia, Head of PR & Partnerships, Ipsos India & APEC
The Pantone Colour Institute recently unveiled its Colour of the Year (COTY) 2025: the warm and harmonious hue of Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse.
Mocha Mousse is being viewed as the evolution of last year’s Pantone Colour, Peach Fuzz, which too had comforting undertones. This hue is seasonless, genderless and highly versatile to fit into everybody’s wardrobe. It also seems a sustainable choice as shoppers can own a few of these classic pieces. Mocha Mousse will dominate the runways, beauty, high street wear and see other adaptations.
Each year designers try to predict which way Pantone’s colour wheel will turn, as the colour choice. And there was a lot of speculation around a brown tone being chosen for 2025. And it was spot on.
Choosing the COTY is not an easy task. To pick the colour that will set the tone for the year ahead, Pantone considers emerging trends across a range of industries; experts comb the entertainment industry, films in production, new artists, fashion, all areas of design, travel destinations for influences. Ergo, Pantone provides the universal language of colour with the annual announcement, opening a world of possibilities.
Pantone Colours – making it brilliant
Since 2000, Pantone has been selecting a colour that acts as a snapshot of what’s taking place in global cultures, serving as an expression the prevailing mood and attitude.
If we look at some of the past Pantone colours, each has story to tell of significance.
Pantone Peach Fuzz was the colour of healing for the world beset with wars in Gaza and Ukraine and other conflicts. Pantone Viva Magenta signified brave fearlessness inspired by joy. To put behind the suffering of the pandemic. Pantone Very Peri highlighted the merging of the physical and digital worlds during the pandemic. Pantone Illuminating highlighted solar power and healing, while Pantone Ultimate Grey was inspired from pebbles reinforcing resilience – during the pandemic.
It will be interesting to see how marketers leverage the COTY 2025 opportunity, as Pantone Mocha Mousse spawns across product categories globally.
