Techno Colour – bland gadgets have been eclipsed by a rainbow say The Independent

Last week Simon Usborne from The Independent called to ask me about my views on the proliferation of colour in the gadget market.  I had no idea want was coming but I knew whatever it was, it was going to be big.

This week saw the release of the cheaper iPhone 5C (“c” for colour) which comes in yellow, green, blue and red and the more expensive 5S which comes in gold, white and ‘space grey’.  Very interesting colour choices, but more about that later.

What really interested me was just how far we’ve we come from the days when all technology gadgets came in any colour as long as it was black, white or silver. This really did fit in with the mood of the times. The trends of the early 2000’s was about minimalism, not standing out from the crowd, the need to fit in and belong.

How things have changed.

Colour leading the personalisation trend
Having gone from de-personalised, virtually a lack of any self expression to a full blown kaleidoscope of colour. The trend shift is now all about personalisation with colour leading the way.

When asked this by Simon my view was “I think the early 2000s were about minimalism and everyone wanting to fit in, even the home improvement shows were about living in a place with no personality that was ready to sell. Now it’s swung the other way and it’s all about personalisation, as if industries have given us permission to stand out and show personality.”

You only have to look at the range of colours now available in home accessories, technology gadgets and even our cars to see we can really express our personality through colour.

iPhone Colour Personality Classification
If you are wondering why the cheaper iPhone 5C  comes in yellow, green, blue and red the more expensive 5S comes in gold, white and ‘space grey’, I think this is down to personality types.

The cheaper iPhone 5C is aimed at the youth market, fun, playful, those who want to stand out from the crowd and get noticed. The more expensive 5S is clearly aimed at those who like elegance, sophistication. It is aspirational and desirable. Apple certainly did their market research.

So what is your favourite colour? I’d love to have one in orange and one in gold depending on how I was feeling.

If you would like to read the full article, check out Techno Colour in The Independent.