Blog Posts Archives - Pikcha Blog

While the Pantone Colour Institute is known for its ability to forecast trends, it is clear that its selection for 2021’s Colour(s) of the Year are in direct response to the destabilising year that was.

Paired together, the stable, practical, and solid hue of Ultimate Gray is complemented by the vibrant optimism of Illuminating’s warm yellow tones. These hues were selected with a means to inspire, energise, and fortify people across the world who crave a brighter future, with strong foundations.

“The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude. Practical and rock solid, but at the same time warming and optimistic, this is a colour combination that gives us resilience and hope. We need to feel encouraged and uplifted; this is essential to the human spirit”
Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of The Pantone Colour Institute.

The act of selecting two colours, instead of the traditional one, is a mindful statement. It is resonant of looking beyond the individual to the community; it isn’t about any one colour, but how that colour works in harmony with another to create a stronger, unified whole.

It is only the second occasion the institute, internationally recognised for its colour predictions and trend analysis, has selected two colours for the annual announcement. The first was in 2016, when PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz and PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity were chosen to reflect the change in mindset around gender norms.

The unprecedented nature of this year also influenced the way in which the institute selected its hues. Typically relying on worldwide exposure to the latest trends in art, design, film, and fashion, members of the Pantone Colour Institute prohibited by travel bans and global border closures had to rely on their network of colour specialists, as well as a new frame of reference to ascertain the hues that aptly reflected the culture of the moment.

We now look to the art community to see how these hues will be integrated into artwork across the world. The hues are, of course, some of the oldest pigments in the world – yellow ochre dating back to 17,000-year-old cave paintings. Yellow was particularly favoured by several of the greats, from post-impressionist Van Gogh to modernists like Warhol and Mondrian. Paired with grey, it was used to contrast, highlight, and illuminate.

In Pantone’s selections we see the same notion; a desire to see a unified global community in 2021, stronger together. We look to the future with illuminated optimism, fortified as we see things in more than black and white, but all shades of grey.

Have you ever heard someone say: ‘I wish I could find…’. Well, that is often a clue as to what’s missing in the marketplace. Sometimes the things you take for granted could be a great niche product idea. What you find commonplace, others may find special.

So, how then do you identify gaps within the market?

With lots of market research of course! By improving your strategy, you could capitalise on niche, but important, demographics of consumers looking for new, exciting, and valuable products.

Find A Need

A viable product or (more likely in this case) style of artwork, depends upon having a market that it appeals to. If there aren’t buyers out there willing to buy the product, it’s essentially not worth selling.

Your first step is to determine if there are valid buyers for your product, or not. Market research is an important phase to conduct prior to releasing your product. Visit forums related to your chosen niche to ascertain what kind of products or artworks consumers desire – or are already buying. Can you see a gap in the market, or can you improve on it in some way?

By solving a problem that your audience has, you are likely to garner more business than by providing a generic alternative to something that already exists.

Play To Your Strengths

To be sustainable, your niche should be something that you are interested in. Let’s be frank; you’re more likely to put time and effort into something you love, than something you’re not passionate about.

Think to yourself, am I still going to be happy doing this in five years’ time? Do I have the means and the time to allow this to grow? Identify what skills will help you succeed in this venture and use them to your advantage.

You may have in-depth knowledge on a particular subject. Consumers appreciate this, as a high level of expertise provides additional value to a product. It also gives them reason to trust your product.

A Unique Approach

Finding a niche means differentiating yourself from others in the market, i.e. what can you do differently that people can’t find somewhere else?

Buyers are attracted to something that has its own point of view. It’s not about changing yourself to become something that a buyer wants, it’s adapting what you already have to be more attractive to consumers.

Buyers can see through insincerity. They tend to connect more with artists who lay bear their souls, or have a unique story. Maybe your products are all made from sustainable materials, or perhaps your artwork is strongly influenced by your cultural background. These are all points of difference that consumers readily identify with.

Do Your Own Market Research

There are several common tools that you can utilise to assess your buyer demographic to ascertain their needs. Firstly, Google Analytics can help you to determine who is buying your product, when, and where. Secondly, you may choose to develop and send out surveys featuring relevant questions for data analysis. The main goal of these surveys should be to ascertain the needs and wants of your customers, which you can then tailor your product to.

You could also look at popular keywords related to your niche. This will alert you as to what your potential buyers are searching for (and probably purchasing).

Lastly, it’s important to research any potential competitors that you may have. What do they lack? What are their strong points? By identifying these positives and negatives, you can use these points to your advantage.

Self-Evaluation

While it’s good to look externally, it’s also beneficial to do an internal evaluation. Assess the sales of your previous work – is there a piece that sold well? Ask yourself, why do you think it sold well? If you can pinpoint why something was successful, that’s half the battle! Perhaps it had more commercial appeal, or maybe it was something different or unusual. Whatever your answer may be, it should influence how you approach your future projects.

Stay Up-To-Date On The Latest Trends

It’s important to keep in touch with the market to notice how it evolves. Try to pre-empt how it will change by evaluating what trends are worth paying attention to or investing in. Identify what is shared on social media, printed in publications, and promoted by influencers.

There are plenty of fads that come and go, so remember to think long-term.

Work Hard

Nothing can be expected to happen overnight. Any business needs hard work and dedication to succeed. Apply your knowledge and work hard to sell and embody your uniqueness and you may just find a niche market in the process!