The Color of the Year 2010 is...TURQUOISE

Pantone is pleased to announce PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the Color of the Year for 2010. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing. -pantone.com

AND?

Well, Fashion Week was in New York City in February and they weren’t showing Spring and Summer stuff. They were showing Fall and Winter stuff. Time is flying! So the fact that turquoise is the color for 2010 means that you should be using it in your store NOW. Perhaps you could show it in your case selection. It should be in your frame merchandising, especially if you are fortunate enough to have display windows. I’m not recommending that you buy and then try to sell turquoise colored eyewear, just that the little things that make a good display and tell a good story ought to include that color.

The nice thing about the color of the year is that it will coordinate with all four seasons. I checked and these are the colors for Fall and Winter:

• Endive—a sort of yellow-green

• Golden Glow—yeah, it’s gold, just not shiny gold

• Living Coral—kinda like salmon, but pink-er.

• Purple Orchid—bright but not electric purple

• Chocolate Truffle—a very rich, plum-y brown

• Lagoon—looks a lot like Turquoise

• Woodbine—a muted, sort of woodsy green with a little yellow

• Oyster Grey—a very soft grey

• Rose Dust—a beige pink that’s almost a neutral color

What do all these colors have in common? They look great with a turquoise accent. It might just be me, but a number of those Fall/Winter colors sound and look like frame colors.

According to Laurie Pressman and Leatrice Eiseman of Pantone, “There is no doubt that in today’s complex and challenging marketplace, color has the unique ability to attract and engage the eye, elicit emotion, enhance the product or environment and ultimately tempt the consumer or client. In fact, color is the catalyst that can spark the sale, define the space and create the magic and the mood.”

They also advise that when money is tight there is concern about the longevity of a color and people have a tendency to play it safe by choosing neutrals. We see that in the continued popularity of tortoise shell, black and brown frames. Perhaps you should be looking for women’s frames with the color on the inside or as part of a temple design. Or you could suggest fashion-forward colors for readers or computer eyewear. 

Again, Pressman and Eiseman suggest that to combat these challenging times, they caution retailers today not to overlook the strategic use of color in their product selections, believing that it is important to be mindful of creating visual excitement in their stores. “In an environment where consumers are cutting back on their spending, it would be a mistake to overlook this fundamental element of human psychology. Additionally, because impulse purchasing is part of the human condition, the simple placement of products that feature unexpected splashes of color or unique color combinations, can be a highly effective way to stimulate retail sales.” 

I’m thinking resale cases, chains, cleaning kits, readers, pocket magnifiers, contact lens cases…all the little doo-dads that don’t cost an arm and a leg and we just want for no good reason. 

We as smaller retailers have a distinct advantage in today’s marketplace. We can more easily adapt to changes in fashion than our big-box counterparts. However, it will take hard work and a commitment to change to stay ahead of our clients. 

According to Mercedes Gonzalez of Global Purchasing Companies, “Comfort is a trend because of the state of crisis we’ve been in, but there’s always a yin to a yang. When we talk to consumers and ask them how many shoes they plan to buy next year, they’ll say that, while they used to buy one quality pair and 10 Payless pairs they thought of as disposable, now they’d rather buy three pairs of shoes that are well-made and handcrafted and wear the heck out of them. They want value, and they’d rather pay for a well-crafted leather shoe or exceptional design, and they don’t want the same old stuff. They’re buying less, but they’re buying better.” Go to the mall, she advises, and count shopping bags. See where they’re shopping and look at what they’re wearing. Do your own market research. “Not only do you have to be fearless, but you must do your homework as well.”

Two years ago, says Marshal Cohen, chief analyst at NPD Group, consumers saw something they wanted and they bought it. Now they ask themselves if they really need it. “With consumers already thinking about their bottom lines, retailers need to appeal to their practical sides. You have to make them understand that what they’re buying is an investment, that they’re going to use it day-in and day-out.” 
Never have I heard the need for continuing education stated more clearly. If we are asking our clients/patients/customers to invest their hard-earned dollars in a pair of technologically advanced lenses in fashionable and functional frames, then we’d better know the how and the why of every element we discuss.

Today’s consumers are bombarded daily with an unbelievable amount of information, some of it good and worthwhile, much of it hype. Our job as eyecare professionals is to help them navigate through the hype to find the combination of technology and fashion that works for their individual needs. That needs to be the reason your patients return and the reason they refer their friends. Your knowledge and your willingness to share it and to educate your patients will be your best advertisement. 
Not only do you know your technology, you know that the color for 2010 is turquoise and that Fall is just around the corner.

Judy Canty
ABO/NCLE