The Underdog Gets Its Spotlight: Sherwin-Williams’ “Loneliest Color” Campaign
Sherwin-Williams has carved a reputation as a tastemaker, with their annual Color of the Year pronouncements influencing interior design, fashion, and even product design. However, their 2024 campaign was audaciously different. They didn’t champion a hot new hue; instead, they unveiled the neglected and overlooked — a seemingly peculiar choice they termed “The Loneliest Color.”
Uncovering the Beauty of Kingdom Gold (SW 6698)
Kingdom Gold, a golden-yellow with striking green undertones, had surprisingly been Sherwin-Williams’ least used paint color over the past 14 years. Yet, within this startling statistic lay the brilliance of the campaign — a celebration of overlooked potential and individual expression. Unlike the predictable, safer versions of gold, Kingdom Gold is surprisingly versatile. Its unique depth offers possibilities ranging from 70s glam to edgy modernism.
The Dapper Dan Connection: Creativity as a Force of Change
The campaign’s choice of Harlem fashion legend Dapper Dan as creative director was inspired. Known for his subversive approach to luxury branding, Dapper Dan’s own trajectory perfectly mirrored the redemption arc of Kingdom Gold. As someone who challenged the status quo and redefined luxury on his own terms, he offered both credibility and a unique perspective in revealing the color’s potential.
The campaign’s fashion collaboration — limited-edition pieces infused with Kingdom Gold — demonstrated the color’s transmutive power outside of interior design. It also brought a charitable component through Habitat for Humanity, ensuring the campaign resonated beyond aesthetics and into a space of tangible social impact.
Design Inspiration: Embracing the Unexpected
Here are some exciting ways to inject Kingdom Gold into your work:
- Retro Glam: Pair Kingdom Gold with decadent elements for a modern take on ’70s luxury. Think plush velvet upholsteries, gleaming brass hardware, and perhaps a saturated teal rug for a maximalist’s approach.
- Earthy and Modern: Let Kingdom Gold’s green undertones ground your design. Use it as a surprising accent alongside deep blues, forest greens, and organic textures like wood or linen.
- High-Impact Monochrome: Dare to go completely monochromatic. Kingdom Gold becomes the star, paired with crisp white trim and accents of black or dark charcoals for graphic intensity.
Beyond the Color: What the Campaign Symbolizes
“The Loneliest Color” campaign was far more than an off-beat marketing tactic. It embodied these vital principles that transcend paint swatches:
- Embracing Your Inner Iconoclast: The campaign urges us to question our assumptions and ingrained expectations about what is “beautiful” or “acceptable” in design. Kingdom Gold serves as a reminder that some of the most striking elements may be hiding in plain sight.
- The Transformative Power of Design: This campaign celebrates our ability as designers to elevate the seemingly mundane. It’s not about expensive materials or ‘on-trend’ palettes — it’s about applying creative vision, and through our work, transforming not just spaces but perceptions.
- Personal Expression First: Ultimately, design is most potent when it’s a reflection of unique individuality, be it yours or your client’s. “The Loneliest Color” encourages us to be unashamedly bold and use color as a means of authentic self-expression, not mere trend compliance.
Sherwin-Williams’ gamble paid off, proving that thoughtful design concepts can resonate far beyond their initial purpose. Why not unleash your inner rebel and experiment with Kingdom Gold? You never know what hidden treasures you might find. Find a member of the Craftsman Painter Collective to help paint your vision.
Want more color inspiration and out-of-the-box design thinking? Be sure to visit the Sherwin Williams website https://www.sherwin-williams.com/en-us/the-loneliest-color or explore more on the Torlando on Color blog.
