Social trends color shade-forecasting business

But both groups predict a continued dominance of blues in the next year or so, with a surge in metallic colors like silver and gold displacing the some of the browns.

Jaime Stephens, director of the Color Marketing Group, said societal and economic trends influence color trends. Several years ago, Stephens said the group predicted that increased awareness of environmental interest would spark a resurgence in greens — a trend that continues to play out.

Bredenfoerder said the Beijing Olympics next year could spark a trend in reds and yellows, traditional Chinese colors. Globalization and the increasing influence of countries like China and India also play a role. Bredenfoerder said the traditional spice colors associated with India have been in vogue, and with that has come a revival of teal, a blue shade which complements them.

Even politics can play a role. Bredenfoerder said he expects in 2009 that the inauguration of a new president to replace George Bush will lead to a more optimistic outlook, and will help push colors to brighter hues.

Chow offered a slightly different take: the nation’s resurgent interest in politics will reinforce trends toward reds and blues, serious colors that are naturally associated with politics.

At General Motors, Webb said the company used to copy the color trends in the fashion world but now takes a more sophisticated approach that allows it to get ahead of trends — particularly important for a production schedule that requires decisions to be made years in advance.

It also takes a more conservative approach, looking at families of colors. If purple, for instance, is increasing in popularity, Webb looks at shades of red and blue that might capitalize on the trend in a more accessible way.

“People are inevitably a bit more conservative” when selecting a car color, Webb said. “The size and proportion of a car or truck changes people’s perceptions of a particular color.”

At Benjamin Moore, Horn said the company spends a lot of time tracking colors in the fashion world.

“What you wear often ends up on your wall,” she said. “The colors in your closet or in your makeup box invariably will be colors chosen to end up in your home.”

Certain colors invariably make comebacks in different incarnations. A new name and a slight change of shade, or pairing a color with different combinations can make a big difference.

“If you call it ’avocado,’ you can’t sell it,” Horn said, referring to the ubiquitous green appliance shade of the 60s and 70s. “If you call it ’sage,’ it might sell.”

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