Color has a deep impact on the way we perceive the world. Whether in clothing, decoration or product packaging, tones and contrasts influence decisions, arouse memories and even cause revulsion. Strategic use of color, usually associated with advertising and consumption, can also serve to discourage behaviors. And it is in this context that a peculiar tone comes in, described by many as the ugliest in the world, which is helping to reduce tobacco consumption in some sites in Europe.
A color designed to ward off smokers
In 2012, Australia began an unprecedented strategy to combat smoking. Cigarette packs began to have an opaque and uniform background, without marks, logos or appealing graphics. The only color present? Pantone 448C, a tone between brown and the green-green, which was selected precisely because it is visually unpleasant.
This measure resulted from a study commissioned by the Australian government to the GFK agency. A thousand smokers were interviewed to identify what, in his opinion, the most repulsive color would be. The answer was clear: Pantone 448C evoked negative sensations such as dirt, tar, and even illness, which made it “perfect” to discourage consumption.
A tone difficult to describe
The chosen tone is not easy to define. It is somewhere between dry green, dark brown and dirty yellow. According to the newspaper The Guardian, quoted by, which addressed the theme in 2016, Pantone 448C aroused unpleasant associations, being seen as a dismal color, linked to images of deterioration and death.
Despite its unhappy fame, Pantone herself argues that no color is objectively ugly. Leatrice Eiseman, the company’s executive director, stated that 448C represents “deep and rich land tones”, common on practical objects such as shoes or upholstery. However, the psychological impact of this tone on the smoking public was recognized.
The impact of simple packaging
With the implementation of the simple packaging, the packs have no longer have any visual distinction element. The names of the brands were presented with a generic source, on a smooth background in the dreaded Pantone 448C. The only visible image became that of smoke -associated diseases such as lung cancer, emphysema or cardiovascular problems.
According to the above source, the objective of this measure was evident: to cut the emotional bond between the consumer and the brand, nullifying the power of design as a form of seduction. By eliminating appealing visual stimuli, the focus becomes the risk and not the lifestyle.
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Overall expansion of a deterrent measure
The success of the Australian initiative was such that other countries followed the same path. Currently, more than twenty countries apply the same strategy, including France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Norway, Singapore, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary and even countries outside Western space, such as Thailand, Oman and Myanmar.
The World Health Organization supports this model and recommends its adoption by the signing countries of the framework convention for tobacco control. According to WHO, quoted by the source mentioned above, the packaging should contain only the name of the brand and product, in a color and type of standardized letter, and be free from any promotional element.
A design to the public health service
The efficacy of the model is not limited to the unpleasant appearance. Pantone 448C use is part of a broader approach that includes taxes on tobacco, prohibition of advertising and awareness campaigns.
In this context, the packaging acts as another psychological barrier, which reinforces the warning message.
Studies conducted in the countries that have adopted the measure show that the packs in simple packaging are less attractive, especially among young people and new smokers. Visual discomfort reduces the purchase boost and helps reinforce the perception of tobacco risks.
A color that is no longer neutral
Traditionally, the color is used to attract and seduce. In this case, it was used to repel. Pantone 448C is no longer just a neutral color and has become a symbol of an effective public policy designed to save lives.
Although there is no consensus on the existence of ugly colors, the effect of this tone among smokers is undeniable. It has become an instrument of dissuasion with scientific basis, which continues to gain ground around the world, says the Executive Digest.
More than an aesthetic curiosity
Contrary to popular belief, the use of Pantone 448C in tobacco packs is not an aesthetic eccentricity. It is the result of research, consumption psychology and coordinated public policies. What at first glance only seems like a graphic detail is, in fact, an important piece in the global struggle against smoking.
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