FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACTS:
Ellen Pinto
Pantone, Inc.
201/935-5500
ellen_pinto.com

Lisa Marsh
Ogan/Dallal Assoc.
212.840.0888

Color the Millennium Cerulean Blue

Pantone Pronounces this Sky Blue as the Hue of the Future

Carlstadt, NJ, April 26, 1999 -- The official color of the millennium is Cerulean Blue PANTONE 15-4020 TC, the color of the sky on a serene, crystal clear day, says Pantone, Inc., the world's leading authority on color and color trends.

Lifestyle movements suggest that consumers will be seeking inner peace and spiritual fulfillment in the new millennium. This is a paradoxical time in which we are heading toward an uncertain, yet exciting, future, and also looking back, trying to hold onto the security of the past. In this stressful, high-tech era, we will be searching for solace and Cerulean Blue produces the perfect calming effect.

"Psychologically, gazing at a blue sky brings a sense of peace and tranquillity to the human spirit," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Sky blue is imprinted in our psyches as a retiring, quiescent color. Surrounding yourself with Cerulean blue could bring on a certain peace because it reminds you of time spent outdoors, on a beach, near the water - associations with restful, peaceful, relaxing times. In addition, it makes the unknown a little less frightening because the sky, which is a presence in our lives every day, is a constant and is always there. That's the dependability factor of blue."

"Our studies show that blue is the leading favorite color for designers and consumers worldwide, regardless of culture, gender or geographic origin," says Lisa Herbert, vice president, corporate communications worldwide, Pantone, Inc. "Not only is it a favorite in the U.S., but it is the first color choice in Europe and Asia as well. We've chosen Cerulean Blue as the official color for the millennium because of its mass appeal. It is a universal, unisex color, applicable to just about every consumer product including women's, men's and children's fashions, interior design and home furnishings, cosmetics and even automobiles."

Physiologically, the viewing of blue reduces blood pressure, heartbeat and respiration rate and creates a calming effect.

Socio-ecologically, as we enter the next century, water issues are emerging at the forefront of the public's consciousness. Exhausting our natural resources and polluting our environment, particularly our water supply, continues to be a concern, another reason for the popularity of blue for the future.

Cerulean Blue

For Fashion and Interior Design:
PANTONE TEXTILE Color System® Color: PANTONE 15-4020 TC

For Graphic Design in Print:
PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM® Color: PANTONE 283 C
Process Color Simulation: C: 34.0, M: 6.0, Y: 0.0, K: 0.0

For Desktop Design:
Digital Color: R: 155, G: 196, B: 226

For Internet Publishing:
Internet Color: HTML: 9BC4E2

For Product Design in Plastics:
PANTONE PLASTICS Color System™ Color: PANTONE Q300-5-2

The Pantone Color Institute, which studies the psychological as well as physiological aspects of color, tracks and predicts color trends and provides color consultation services to companies for product development, packaging, brand identification, fashion and interior design.

Pantone, Inc., developer of the globally accepted PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM® and the PANTONE TEXTILE Color System, is the leading source of products for the selection and accurate communication of color around the world. With more than 35 years' experience in the development of color systems, the company is recognized as the global leader in electronic color technology, traditional graphics color systems and specific products for textiles, coatings and plastics. Wherever color is spoken, Pantone is the definitive authority. Visit our Web site at www.pantone.com