In animal kingdom, colors matter. Beasts use colors to hide out from predators or attract their mates. Same is the case with humans, after all, we are social animals of this planet. Specific colors have certain effects on our psychology. On one side, where color helps make things attractive, they can also turn the things repulsive. Now the UK government is weaponizing this power of color in the battle against Big Tobacco.
The government has planned to do this with their new law, preventing the use of appealing colors in cigarette packaging. Color has been one of the few weapons in Big Tobacco’s arsenal ensuing the imposition of branding & packaging restrictions by governments across the globe. As this research states, “brightly colored and attractive branded packs can reduce perceptions of the harmfulness of cigarettes”. Maybe that is the reason why the UK Lambert & Butler Lights turned Lambert & Butler Gold, whereas Superkings Lights have become the Superkings Blue.
To retaliate, the UK government decides to follow in Australia’s strategy by announcing Pantone 448 C to be the only color companies can use on cigarette packs.
Pantone 448C was usually described as death’, ‘tar’ or ‘dirty’, whereas the other colors considered, that were lime green, white, dark grey, beige and mustard, were unable to compete Pantone 448C in terms of ‘minimizing the appeal’ and ‘‘maximizeing perceived harm’’.
