1. Matcha Green
Arguably the most viral drink of the year, we think matcha is well and truly here to stay! Whether you love it or hate it, most would tend to agree that the pale green super tea has well and truly taken the internet by storm. We’ve already seen stationery, clothes and paint in shades resembling the fan favourite drink – wouldn’t it just make sense for the trend to carry on for 2026?
2. Butter Yellow
Spring 2025 saw our lives inundated with the bright and bold shade of the familiar primary colour, but does it really have what it takes to hold onto its crown for 2026? We think so! We love the happiness this shade of yellow brought to some of the coldest days of the year, not forgetting the way it slowly transitioned us into the lovely summer sunshine we saw this year. This specific colour went viral on social media, dominating many B2C brands’ social media accounts, even influencing brand packaging – impressive!
3. Duolingo Green
2025 was the year the famous Duolingo mascot took the internet by storm – appearing in unique and imaginative storylines throughout the year. The slightly scary owl appeared to grow a strong personality, going viral on many occasions and creating a dedicated fanbase. Not only was this a great example of how being bold and unconventional in your marketing campaigns can have huge benefits for your business, but it also demonstrated that branding is hugely important! We love the way Duolingo were trendsetters for marketing in 2025, and we’re interested to see how that will continue into 2026 with their iconic shade of green!
4. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Blue
The DCC continued to go viral in 2025 with another of their series on Netflix taking the world by storm. From intense training routines to how they live their day-to-day lives, the talented team seemed to influence the internet’s purchases and trends throughout the year – the power of influencers and product placement in marketing! We think that it’s pretty special how the vibrant shade of blue has become so iconic to the team; wouldn’t it just be a great colour of the year?
5. Deep Red
Another viral colour in the world of fashion! 2025 saw the return of burgundy and cherry red as fan-favourites no matter the season, in everything from cosy jumpers and dresses to manicures and accessories. We love the depth that this surprise addition brought to the table in all areas of fashion and design, and we adore the fact that these shades of red are no longer reserved only for the “ber” months! It really is a universally loved colour with such diverse opportunities for placement within designs, campaigns and merchandise – we’re really interested to see the impact it has throughout 2026 in the world of colour!
That’s it for our predictions! Thanks for travelling back through some of the most memorable moments of 2025 with us through colour, we’re so excited to see what the official Pantone Colour of the Year will be for 2026 – it’s been a great year for design! We’d love to hear your thoughts on our predictions. You can join in with the conversation on our Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know what you think!
If you’ve been inspired by any of our predictions and want to learn how to transfer the same success to your brand, get in touch with our award-winning team of experts today. We can’t wait to hear from you!
