10th Sep. '08 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: apple, Color Inspiration
Filed as Just posted
It’s fun to have people tell me that something reminds them of me and especially fun when it is something that is this brilliant both in color and idea.
Thanks for thinking of me Mickal and sending this my way.
15th Jul. '08 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: color for a cause, purple
Filed as Kate recommends
My friend and CMG colleague Rebecca Ewing made me aware of the ‘Complaint Free World’ campaign that uses those rubber cause wrist bracelets in a new way.
Their belief is that “Your thoughts create your world and your words indicate your thoughts. When you eliminate complaining from your life you will enjoy happier relationships, better health and greater prosperity. The Complaint Free program helps you set a trap for your own negativity and redirect your mind towards a more positive and rewarding life.”
Sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it? (more…)
19th Jun. '08 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: automotive, black, blue, Color Trends, red, silver, white
Filed as Color fun
U.S. News reports that “People who own emerald green automobiles…have the most positive attitude about the course of their own lives. Dark blue and silver are other colors chosen by upbeat people.”
The article goes on to say that, “Red supposedly connotes an aggressive, high-speed personality, while yellow, theoretically, is for folks with sunny dispositions. But survey data show that people who drive red or yellow cars have below-average confidence. And black cars, supposedly a sign of power and elegance, are driven by the most downbeat drivers of all.” (more…)
3rd Apr. '08 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: advertising, blue, new technology, packaging
Filed as Just read
From an article in the New York Times:
About year ago, when Jamie Leventhal was trying to convince big chain stores to stock his new line of shaving gels for young men, a buyer for Target asked a crucial question: How much would he spend on advertising?
“I told him we would not spend a single dollar,” Mr. Leventhal said.
The buyer was stunned until Mr. Leventhal pulled a prototype out of his briefcase. The product, called NXT, is sold in an arresting triangular container that lights up from the bottom, illuminating air bubbles suspended in the clear gel. The plastic is tinted blue, and when the AAA batteries in its base are lighted, the whole thing looks like a miniature lava lamp or a tiny fishless aquarium.
2nd Apr. '08 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: blue, green, orange, pink, red
Filed as Just read
The E-420 is not even on the market yet, even though Olympus has already announced a special edition for the summer and is celebrating the mirror reflex camera as though it was its ten year anniversary.
The lime green, royal blue, ruby red, sunset orange and candy pink colours remind one of trendy braces, while the camouflage military style colour looks like something a teenager would wear.
Read more at idealo.uk.com
26th Mar. '08 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: footwear, nike
Filed as Kate Smith
This description in Sneaker News caught my eye. ‘The Low model uses warmer colors as opposed to the cooler colors of the High.’
10th Jan. '08 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: vintage colors
Filed as Kate Smith
The latest addition to my vintage color card — “Exciting new colors for telephones” described as “for the discriminating”.
But not only for the buyer discriminating but also one who can afford “$1.25 a month plus $7.50 one-time charge for color.”
When we open to “see the striking colors inside…” we find cherry red, sunlight yellow, mistletoe green and shadow blue to name just a few of the trendy colors.
I recall that my grandparent’s who always seemed to have the latest and greatest in technology had the Rosewood Beige.
Just below the color samples some bullets offered further enticement. Here’s how it suggested that “color telephones brighten your home…”
Living Room Phone
Color harmony is important in your living room. A color phone adds that perfect touch to your decor.
Kitchen Phone
The kitchen is the homemaker’s “headquarters” …a telephone here adds convenience and efficiency …in color, it adds beauty, too!
I just love these vintage pieces because not only are they a great reference for historic colors but also because their marketing messages give us a glimpse into what might have been important to a buyer at that time.
Okay while that’s true and sound good I’m the first to admit I’m addicted to color cards 
Now here’s a little something for the car and color enthusiast. If you’re looking to modify your ride, Autometer offers a series of color-changing gauges called Nexus. The line includes: a speedometer, a tachometer, gauges for fuel level, fuel pressure, boost/vacuum, EGT (exhaust gas temperature), nitrous pressure, oil temperature, oil pressure, trans temperature, water temperature, voltmeter and wideband air/fuel ratio (all sold seperately).
What makes them unique:
Selectable LED Illumination - The driver can choose from 7 colors that can be easily changed at the touch of a button.
Dynamic Color Sequencing - This setting continuously displays all 7 colors by fading one color into another.
Full Dial Red Alert Warning - When encountering a critical condition, the gauge dial will become fully illuminated in red to quickly alert the driver. Warning points can be entered by the driver.
These gauges also come with a remote control for programming color sequencing, demo operation, and for access to peak reading review and playback. The SD slot enables the driver to download performance data to a PC.
So, if you’re looking to make your car’s interior more colorful, you might want to consider this as an option. View the demo to find out more: http://www.autometer.com/demos/nexus/
4th Dec. '07 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: pantone
Filed as Kate Smith
According to Rivet in San Francisco, “Everything has a Pantone color…it’s just a matter of finding it.”
They’ve posted many photos of their own color matching finds on Flickr.
See all of their photos here…
Do you have a favorite Pantone color? Snap a picture of something in your favorite color along with the color chip and send it to me so we can show off your color favorites.
2nd Dec. '07 • Products & Packaging Color • Tags: color-history, exhibitions, materials
Filed as Kate Smith
I spend hours looking at color samples and making choices. Choices that may change the color of a single room or an entire product line.
There are many sample books and systems I use in making these choices but for me these are simply more than tools of the trade.
They are insight and inspiration. Potential and possibility. Creativity and comfort as I focus on the repetion of a shapes or objects in a range of colors.
I also collect color charts from the past as color reference but also because I like looking at the results of the many decisions that are reflected in the final color choices for a product.
Here’s a picture of one I found recently from the 50’s showing eyewear frame colors.
So how perfect that Lucy Commoner shares my passion and organized the exhibtion “Multiple Choice: From Sample to Product” which is currently on display at the Cooper Hewitt Museum.
The exhibition is described as follows on the Museum’s website:
This exhibition will examine sample books and other sampling formats as tools for marketing or recording designs and techniques in a wide variety of media. In use since the eighteenth century, sampling formats provide detailed views into the design tastes of their respective eras. Drawn from the Museum’s collection, exhibition objects will include sample books of wallcoverings; woven and printed textiles; ribbons, lace and embroidery; sample plates; and drawings and prints showing design alternatives.
The exhibition runs through April 6, 2008 but if you aren’t able to make it in person you can see many wonderful images and details by visiting the website.
Live in Full Color - Latest