Last week, I posted a video about a new color that I’m seeing everywhere: Gen Z Purple. This video went suuuuuper viral (1.8 Million views and counting!).

This video was quickly flooded with comments like…

• “OMG- I love this color”
• “Not me holding a Stanley cup this exact same color”
• “This is the EXACT color of my bedroom walls”
• “NOOOOOO I hate this color”
• “This is Olivia Rodrigo’s color”

It’s clear that Gen Z Purple strikes a cord with ALL of us. So, I think it’s time to do a deep dive on Gen Z Purple. 🙂

What is ‘Gen Z Purple’?

Gen Z Purple is a color that’s taken over brands, products, and home decor. It’s not just ONE shade. Instead, it’s a general vibe of colors that fit the description.

Gen Z Purple a purple that’s somewhere between lavender and lilac, and is usually bright and saturated.

Here are some examples of Gen Z Purple tones:

How it’s being used

Brands are looooooving Gen Z purple. You’ll see it everywhere.

Here are a few that have splashed it all over their marketing materials and products:

• Florence by Mills: a makeup and skincare brand by Millie Bobby Brown
• Billie: a modern razor company
• Studs: a jewelry company
• Tower 28: a makeup and skincare company
• Saie: a beauty company

Sometimes, it’s used as a ‘hero’ color (like Florence by Mills). Other times, it’s used a a soft accent color (like Studs). Either way- we’re seeing this color creep into Gen Z-facing brands.

Why this color is so popular

I don’t think that companies are only using this color for the simple reason that ‘Gen Z likes it’.

Rather, I think that what’s happening is an alignment of values.

What we’re seeing is: brands that have common values with Gen-Z are using this color because of the psychological associations we have with this color.

Gen Z’s values:

Gen Z is the group of people born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s. They grew up with a lot of new technology, big environmental concerns, and many changes in society. All of these things have shaped what they care about and believe in.

Values of Gen Z:

1. Authenticity: Gen Z likes to keep it real. They don't want to pretend to be something they're not and they don't like it when people or companies do that either. They're all about being themselves and sharing what's real in their lives, especially online.

2. Diversity: Gen Z is made up of all kinds of people, and they really care about making sure everyone is included and respected. They want to see all kinds of people in their schools, where they work, and on their TV screens.

3. Sustainability: They've grown up hearing a lot about climate change and it's important to them. They want to protect the planet, so they try to use products that don't harm the environment and they support rules that help keep the Earth clean and green.

4. Transparency: Gen Z wants the truth, plain and simple. Whether it's from a cereal box listing ingredients or a company telling them how they make things, they want everyone to be open about what they're doing.

5. Mental Health: For Gen Z, taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. They talk openly about stress, anxiety, and other mental health topics, and they think it's really important to have help and support available for these kinds of issues.
   
   

Obviously- individuals have their own sets of values. But this list should give you a general idea of things that Gen Z as a whole tends to value.

How to use Gen Z Purple

It’s not as simple as adding a hex code to your color palette.

Rather, this particular type of purple can fit into almost ANY brand, as long as it matches the design style.

Here’s how to incorporate this color into your brand color palette:

1. Define your brand personality and values
2. Choose a design style that matches this personality (we have lots here)
3. Add your favorite shade of Gen Z purple to your color palette
4. Balance this color with light and dark colors that match the design style

Design Styles that include Gen Z Purple

These are the Design Styles that include some variation of Gen Z purple in the color palette formulas:

• Cottagecore
• Harvest
• Retro 70’s
• Psychedelic
• Bright + Warm
• Cosmic Ethereal
• Botanical
• Bold + Vibrant
• Pastel 

Want to build your own palette that uses this color? 

Get the Color Palette Builder 🎨