Quick Summary
Even with over 3,500 paint colors—80% of which are sales of off-white—Benjamin Moore builds an entire global media buzz around just one: its annual Colour of the Year. In this post, we dissect the clever marketing strategy behind this yearly anchor campaign. Rather than constantly reinventing the wheel each month, successful brands build predictable, repeatable moments into their calendar. We explore how professional service firms can adapt this same structure, turning regular seasonal beats into powerful engines for long-term visibility, PR, and consistent client engagement.
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And the marketing strategy behind it.
Every October, Benjamin Moore announces its Colour of the Year.
Funny enough, the paint company has more than 3,500 colours, yet its CEO has said that white and off-white make up about 80% of sales.
I’m fascinated by the marketing strategy behind this annual campaign. So, let’s dissect it.
How It All Began
Benjamin Moore first announced a Colour of the Year in 2014. But they weren’t the first.
Pantone created the original program in 1999, and the idea eventually caught on across the paint industry.
Today, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, Behr, PPG, Valspar and others compete for their own annual colour moment.
The Marketing Strategy Behind Colour
A paint company sells thousands of colours, but has relatively few new launches. So it needs fresh reasons to talk about paint.
That’s what the Colour of the Year does.
Every October, architecture and design journalists have something to write about. Industry professionals have something to discuss. Consumers have something to share.
One colour becomes a big marketing idea that can generate:
- PR and media coverage
- Photography and video
- Social content
- Retail displays
- Events and collaborations
Instead of reinventing its marketing every month, Benjamin Moore has one big moment it can build around.
The goal isn’t necessarily to sell more of that specific colour. It’s to give people a reason to talk about paint.
Fast Company has reported on research that Colour of the Year programs can increase overall website and store traffic and drive sales across all colour ranges.
The Marketing Lesson for You
Many businesses burn out because they’re constantly asking, “What should our marketing do this month?”
Benjamin Moore spends months researching and selecting a colour, then preparing for its release every October.
You can do the same. Build a few predictable moments or seasons into your marketing calendar that you can plan around every year.
For example:
- Photograph all your projects in the summer and launch them on your website every winter.
- Publish an annual design report (Gensler does this).
- Host an annual event for your referral partners.
The point is to stop reinventing the wheel and reacting to whatever comes up. Build some structure into your marketing.
See you next next Thursday.
Tchau,
Daniela
