A Colorful Interview: Chris Webb, GM’s Lead Creative Designer

In my ‘so called adult life’ I have had the opportunity to purchase two brand new, straight-off-the-lot cars. Different makes, different models- both one very similar shade of deep, rich red.

According to expert Leatrice Eiseman’s article What The Color of Your Vehicle Says About You, my attraction to this vehicular hue has something to do with my underlying need to express to the world that I am: “Sexy, speedy, highly-energetic and dynamic.” On a side note she writes that if the car’s color is more Burgundy or Blue-red (as both of mine have been) then the message is the same- it’s just that I don’t feel the need to be so “obvious about it”.

Having always believed that it is best to go through life with a sense of mystery about one’s self, I’m thrilled with her analysis.

The fact that the color was originally chosen because I thought it would look good parked in front of my blue house is now thrown to the wayside, replaced instead with a clear realization that it was obviously my sexy, dynamic inner-being that actually led me twice in a row to the fiery side of the car color wheel. (Major wink,wink!)

photo source and source

All kidding aside- I must admit I do think that Ms. Eiseman is indeed onto something here.  Our cars and their colors have fascinated consumers for almost a century now. Immortalized in songs like Little Red Corvette and Pink Cadillac and driven into our psyche by pop culture-after all, could you ever imagine batman driving a yellow Batmobile or James Bond pulling up in a blue minivan?

Ms. Eiseman is one smart cookie to recognize that the color of car we choose to drive makes just as much of a statement about who we are (or perhaps like in my case, who we would like to believe we are!) as does it’s make and model number.

Last month I posted about General Motor’s sponsoring a contest that would allow one very creative auto enthusiast a chance to name one of the colors to be featured on Chevy’s first ever extended-range vehicle the Chevy Volt.  When I read the description of the nameless color as being a ‘Silver exterior with an Emerald hue’, I realized just how intricate car colors have become.

As I was toying around with my own suggestion-GoGreen (ok,ok, I know but I was banking on it’s simplistic merits), the fact that there is an actual team of people whose job it is to not only name these colors but to develop them as well-hit me.

As I watched a video on Chevy’s site featuring GM’s Lead Creative Designer Chris Webb letting us in on the importance that color plays in his job, I became even more intrigued.  Chris’s enthusiasm for what he does was infectious and I found myself really wanting to know more about what goes on behind the scenes as he and his talented crew are developing new products and colors.

A few quick emails back and forth to one of GM’s PR mavens (thanks Kristen!) and I got my big opp- a chance to have an actual cyber chat with Mr. Webb himself:

Chris Webb and his colorful work- I’m guessing this is one of those rare moments he actually gets to sit down on the job!

I have to know Chris- how did you become a color and marketing authority in the automotive industry?  Is your background in design?

YES my background is in Design. I actually studied Fashion Textiles Design with the intention of becoming a fashion designer, but ‘fate” bought me to America and the Automotive Industry. I was also a make-up artist for a short period, so I guess I always had an interest in pigments and color- and ultimately that is what car paint is!! ). I am flattered that you call me an “authority”, but I am just learning as I go-I don`t believe I’ll ever stop learning.

I’ve come to know that trend forecasters from one industry often look at what is going on in other industries when creating palettes for future seasons.  Since the automotive industry works so many years ahead, where do you look for trend direction?  Do you look to the runways or design trade shows as well?  Europe or Asia?

As I think you probably know, we work further out on trend research due to the development time of our vehicles.  As we develop a “Lifestyle Product” like any other design company, we benchmark and look at all areas of product design for color inspiration. Fashion, Architecture, Home Interiors, Cosmetics, Telecommunications etc.

We have over the years purchased various trend forecasting services like Trend Union and Peclers out of Paris, the MIX out of London and we visit many trend fairs like the Milan Furniture show. One of the biggest bonuses to being such a large global company is our international and design studies. Once a year at the Paint Supplier trend shows here in North America my global counterparts from Korea, China, Europe, Australia meet here and we exchange and share our regional color trends.

It seems that the automotive industry often leads the way in the development of new finishes and coatings. How closely do you work with the manufacturers in developing new colors and finishes?

We have 3 primary exterior body paint suppliers, PPG, BASF and DuPont. We work with them incredibly closely in North American and globally. They are always working on new experimental paints utilizing the latest pigments. We quite often use experimental looks on our Auto Show Concept Vehicles and internal models.

What makes General Motor’s colors so special?

GM has some of the most durable paint colors in the Automotive  Industry.  Many of our competitors only test their colors for approximately one year before putting them into production-where GM tests for 2 full summers in Florida, making the risk of any issues substantially less!!!

It’s pretty clear that consumer’s taste in car colors have changed over the times- from the wide spectrum of colors in the 50′s and 60′s to the more toned down palette of the 70′s and 80′s to the current popularity of colors like silver, black and whites. Do you think we will see a return of buyers wanting more color again as we move forward into the next decade?

Absolutely we will see the return of color and it is already beginning to show. As you rightly indicated Black, White, Silver and Beige have dominated the Automotive market for the past 15-20 years.  They have made up more than 50% of global vehicle sales (Silver has been the  number 1 selling color globally for all that time). Sales in Silver are now stabilizing and Gunmetal Grays or “Serious Silvers” as we call them are gaining significant popularity.

Red and Blue are also historically popular colors…Browns, Oranges and Greens have also been doing very well over the past few years. I think color will become even more noticeable for 2 primarily reasons: 1) the consumer wants to see change 2) Vehicles, especially in North America are getting smaller and more compact vehicles can carry and support brighter more chromatic colors.

Are there colors that just never seem to be popular in automotive no matter how popular they become in fashion or home?

Historically Browns, Flesh tones and Pinks have been difficult automotive colors, but even that seems to be changing. I think the biggest point to make is that many of the design rules that have existed to date are being rewritten.  Brown is now incredibly popular and part of it is due to what has been termed “The Starbucks Effect”.  Pink Cadillacs are seeing a re-emergence thanks to our wonderful relationship with Mary Kay Cosmetic’s Pink Cadillacs.

I think there are a number of reasons for not every “trend” fashion color making it to automotive:  1) we are not a seasonal product,  2) we are a very expensive non disposable product like a sweater-so consumers are inherently a little more conservative in their color purchasing decision, 3) they keep our products for a lot longer period and of course color trends are constantly changing and no one likes to look “dated” ,  and finally our products are very large….so a very attractive color on a cell phone or garment can look dramatically different and potentially very unappealing and inappropriate on a car or truck.

I totally understand that some buyers may be a bit ‘color shy’ when it comes to the body of their car-but what about the car’s interior?  Will we be seeing anything different when it comes to the color options used in the passenger areas?

Yes, color will be returning to car interiors too!!!! Now having said, we will currently not be returning to full colored interiors like Cadillac and Buick historically did. There will be a more refined and modern interpretation with elegant two tone interiors where a color will be used in conjunction with Black, Gray or Beige.  Stitching, piping and lighting are also areas we can bring color and interest to the interior without making a too trendy statement that can once again deter our customers.

How important do you think color choice is to the GM buyer?

Color is incredibly important to our consumers!! 39% of potential customers will go to a totally different brand if they can`t get the color they want and I believe this statistic could even go higher as more women purchase vehicles for themselves.  As many people know, women perceive color better than  men and are less likely to be color blind, so color could play an even more significant role in the purchasing decision in the future.

You know I have to do this– I can’t let you go without asking: “What color car do you drive?”

It is so funny I always get asked this question and I get a little embarrassed ). I drive a white Saab 93 Convertible. Almost every one of my vehicles has been Black, Silver or White and in my defense as developer of colors 3 years and more into the future…which year of color should I live in !!?? (haha). My home has color on the walls in almost every room-so I guess it time for color to return on my automobile too!!!! )

Thank You! Thank You and Thank You Chris!  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to give us all a glimpse into your very cool and colorful job.

Oh, and by the way -don’t feel too bad about your own choices in car colors.  You can simply chalk it up the underlying fact that you are: “fastidious, empowered, not easily manipulated, elegant and appreciate the classics” !