For a while, it seemed as though every way you turned, another company was purging itself of color. Warner Bros's once bright blue and gold shield was changed to a demure blue and white, while even Pringles' mustached man found his once-brown mustache dyed black.

Often, companies make such changes using the logic that simpler logos are easier on the eye and more memorable to customers. While there is a case to be made against this argument (surely color sticks in the mind more?) many of us had resigned ourselves to being surrounded forever more by logos and branding in shades of black and white.

Still, all hope is not lost. In the past few years, color has begun creeping its way back into the heart of company branding. Starface, a skincare brand whose popularity has soared in recent years, is renowned for its bright yellow packaging. Meanwhile, Byoma, a skincare company founded in 2022, flaunts a multicolored pastel look.

A major factor for color's return? Gen Z.

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As a generation, Gen Z is known for plenty of things. Excessive social media usage, an iced coffee obsession, and thrifting are just a few of them. Interestingly, an appreciation for color is close to joining the ranks of Gen Z staples.

This Business of Fashion article notes that taking risks and being bold with color appeals to many Gen Zers, leading to the generation's association with bright yellow. Likewise, this Creative Boom article notes that 'color, in general, is key to connecting with Gen Z, with the younger generation responding strongly to hues that are bright, vibrant and in-your-face'.

So why is it that bright and bold color choices so resonate with this generation's teenagers and young adults?

Social Media

Social media users scroll through dozens of posts in mere minutes. Wearing bright outfits and colorful makeup can increase the chances of users pausing and taking notice of posts. Hence, fashion statements like vivid Adidas Sambas and bold jewelry pieces have become increasingly popular with Gen Zers.

This same rule applies to brands. In order for users to pause and take notice of their products, many have begun employing bright packaging to stand out. This explains why brands like Sol de Janeiro - renowned for their bright orange packaging - are so successful.

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Identity Formation

Gen Z includes those born between 1997 and 2012. Accordingly, many Gen Zers are still in adolescence, a period in which young people's identity alters and develops substantially.

Wearing bright colors is an effective way for young people to explore their identity. It enables them to stand out from the crowd and develop a more acute sense of self.

Many companies and brands are catering to this desire for individuality by creating products and branding that likewise stand out and strike a chord with young people. For example, phone cases sporting bright illusion prints and eye-catching graphic tees have become particularly popular with Gen Z.

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Political Motives

A growing subgroup of Gen Z is discussing the interconnection between color and politics. TikTok user Style Coach Anjel made a video talking about how wearing color is freeing. She discusses how corporate workplaces dislike people wearing color, as they want you to get work done, not express your identity. She implores people to wear more color as a form of 'soul expression', and questions whether 'our souls are beige, neutral and black?'

The video has over 150,000 likes. The comments are filled with people expressing their agreement. One user commented 'I love this.

I feel my best when I wear colorful outfits. It's more in line with my spirit'. Another agreed, 'I've been trying to wear more color these days!! Makes me feel more alive.’

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Of course, this is not to say that every single member of Gen Z loves to wear color. Plenty prefer more classic, neutral looks - hence the popularity of clothingwear like The North Face's black puffer jacket.

Even so, on the whole, color is clearly highly popular with Gen Z, and brands are responding to its demand. This can be seen in company marketing strategies, which frequently involve bright eye-catching packaging, and also the bright and bold products themselves.

As of yet, the popularity of color amongst Gen Z does not seem to have impacted the growing simplification of logos. Many companies are still playing it safe with sleek logos featuring simple colors and images. However, as more and more companies begin to use their branding and marketing to respond to Gen Z's love for color, there's reason to hope that they'll follow suit and create logos that are once again bold and colorful.

All things considered, the future of branding looks bright!