The Power of Pantone: How Iconic Brands Use Colour to Stay Consistent

When you think of Tiffany & Co., you see that blue. Mention Coca-Cola, and that red pops into your head instantly. It's no accident—it's clever brand management, and Pantone is the secret weapon behind it.

Here's the thing: a colour that looks spot-on on your screen can look completely different when it's printed on a t-shirt or splashed across a billboard. That's where Pantone comes in, giving brands a foolproof way to ensure their colours look identical everywhere—from websites to packaging to shop fronts.

Why Pantone Is a Game-Changer

Since the 1960s, Pantone has been the go-to for colour consistency. They give each colour a unique code, so whether your designer is in London, your printer is in Manchester, or your manufacturer is in Shanghai, everyone's working with exactly the same shade. No more "close enough"—just perfect matches every single time.

Let's look at some brands that have absolutely nailed it with their Pantone choices.

Tiffany Blue: The Ultimate Power Move

Tiffany Blue (PMS 1837—named after the year they were founded, which is brilliant) is probably the most famous brand colour in the world. It's such a key part of their identity that Tiffany & Co. actually trademarked it. Yes, they own that colour.

The moment you spot that robin's egg blue box, you know exactly what you're looking at. That level of instant recognition doesn't just happen—it's the result of decades of keeping that colour absolutely consistent across everything they do.

Coca-Cola Red: Over a Century Strong

Coca-Cola's red (PMS 1788 C) has been going strong for more than 100 years. That distinctive dark red has been on everything from vintage ads to modern cans, creating a visual thread through generations.

By using Pantone standardisation, Coca-Cola ensures their red looks identical on a can in Tokyo, a billboard in New York, a delivery van in London, and a website viewed on millions of different devices. That's the power of getting your colour right and sticking with it.

IKEA Blue and Yellow: Swedish Genius

IKEA's colour combo (PMS 7455 C for that bold blue and PMS 107 C for the sunny yellow) is inspired by the Swedish flag, but it's become so much more than that. Walk into any IKEA anywhere in the world, and those colours hit you immediately—from the massive blue and yellow building exterior to the shopping bags, signage, and even the tiny pencils.

What makes IKEA's approach so clever is how they've used these bright, energetic colours to create an entire brand experience. The blue represents trust and reliability, whilst the yellow adds warmth and optimism. Together, they make furniture shopping feel almost fun (quite the achievement). By maintaining absolute consistency with their Pantone colours across thousands of stores globally, IKEA has turned blue and yellow into shorthand for affordable, functional design.

Barbie Pink: More Than Just a Toy

Barbie's signature pink (PMS 219 C, or Vivid Cerise) has been going strong since 1959. The brand sells roughly 150 million dolls each year, and that pink has never wavered.

The recent Barbie film showed just how powerful a signature colour can be. When you use it consistently across everything—merchandise, marketing, fashion collabs, digital platforms—it creates instant recognition and genuine emotional connection.

Cadbury Purple: A British Classic

You can't talk about iconic brand colours without mentioning Cadbury purple (PMS 2685 C). This rich, regal purple has been synonymous with British chocolate since 1914, and like Tiffany, Cadbury has fought legal battles to protect it.

The distinctive purple wrapping is so ingrained in British culture that it triggers an almost Pavlovian response. Whether it's on a Dairy Milk bar, a Christmas selection box, or their delivery vans, that exact shade of purple tells you exactly what you're getting—and it works because they've kept it utterly consistent for over a century.

What This Means for Your Brand

The lesson here is simple: colour consistency isn't just about looking nice—it's about building recognition, trust, and connection with your audience. When your brand colour appears identical across your website, printed materials, products, uniforms, and physical spaces, you create a cohesive experience that reinforces who you are at every touchpoint.

Pantone makes this possible. By choosing specific Pantone colours for your brand and sticking to them religiously across all platforms, you ensure your brand is instantly recognisable whether someone encounters it online, in print, or in person.

In a crowded marketplace, a distinctive, consistently applied colour scheme might be exactly what sets you apart from everyone else.

Want to strengthen your brand's visual identity? At In Good Company, we get the importance of colour consistency across all your marketing materials. Get in touch to discuss how we can help your brand make a lasting impression.