Great Cause: Color of the Year

Context
Each year, the announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year captures global attention, setting the tone for trends in design, fashion, and culture. For 2025, Pantone introduced "17-1230 Mocha Mousse," a soft, warm, and inviting shade, meant to evoke feelings of comfort and subtle sophistication.
However, 2025 is not a year of comfort for many. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has starkly contrasted with this serene narrative. During a devastating conflict, the dominant hues in Gaza’s landscape—dusty browns from rubble, deep tones of suffering and despair—coincidentally align with the softness of Mocha Mousse but carry a harrowing story. This disconnect inspired us to reclaim the narrative, using the global spotlight of Pantone’s announcement to refocus attention on the urgent realities of Gaza.

Idea
Reframing the #ColorOfTheYear
We launched an initiative that juxtaposed the warmth of Pantone’sColor of the Year with the stark, poignant imagery of life in Gaza. Through carefully curated visuals and narratives, we revealed how "Mocha Mousse" unintentionally mirrors the dominant shades of a city torn apart by war. The campaign challenged viewers to question:
 In the face of the injustices and conflicts shaking our world, can we truly believe that this soft, warm color captures the essence of our world?! What if, instead, this color represents the shocking reality of our time?The key visual approach integrated:
Photographs from Gaza: Poignant, raw imagery of the conflict’s impact on people, their homes, and their surroundings. These visuals were framed within "Pantone-like" color palettes, highlighting how the shades of war aligned with Mocha Mousse.
The Hashtag: Using #ColorOfTheYear and #ReframeReality, we inserted the campaign into the global conversation about Pantone’s announcement.
A Provocative Statement: “Pantone 17-1230 Mocha Mousse. But... really? In the face of the injustices and conflicts shaking our world, can we truly believe that this soft, warm color captures the essence of our world? What if, instead, this color represents the shocking reality of our time?”
Interactive Call to Action: Users were encouraged to share their own interpretations of “The Real Color of 2025” by posting images of humanitarian crises or injustices, connecting them back to the campaign.
Objectives
Raise Awareness: Redirect global attention from a superficial trend to the critical humanitarian crisis in Gaza, using the platform of Pantone’s global influence.
Engage Emotionally: Create a powerful emotional connection by contrasting the warmth of Mocha Mousse with the devastating reality of Gaza’s conflict.
Mobilize Action: Encourage tangible support for Gaza through donations, petitions, and spreading awareness via the campaign’s hashtags and shared content.
Spark Dialogue: Challenge the design, fashion, and cultural industries to reflect on their role in amplifying or ignoring global injustices, using this campaign as a case study in ethical storytelling.