The Minions just inspired something we did not see coming
The runaway stars of Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 are, undoubtedly, The Minions. Yellow pill-shaped dudes in eye-magnifying goggles and overalls, they’ve really taken on a life of their own. They pop up in memes, craft DIYs, and will have their own movie in July. But they can now add something else to their resume: The inspiration of an original Pantone color.
Pantone is the gold standard in colors, with the aesthetic of the Pantone swatch popping up everywhere. And this year, the bright yellow is drawn from the signature color of the Minions. But the company doesn’t add new colors regularly, and the introduction of “Minion Yellow” is a big deal as it’s the first new addition in three years. This is also the first color named after a character.
“This is especially the case with the yellows, so given the worldwide popularity of the Minions, it seemed only natural to name a color after a character for the first time in our history,” Pantone Color Institute executive director Leatrice Eiseman said in a statement on Pantone’s website.
“Just as the sun’s rays enliven us, Pantone Minion Yellow is a color that heightens awareness and creates clarity, lighting the way to the intelligence, originality and the resourcefulness of an open mind — this is the color of hope, joy and optimism.”
Here’s what the swatch looks like:
Minion Yellow will be part of the Fashion, Home and Interiors palette from the iconic company soon, marking the Minions’ true transition to the design world.
