The Pink Panther was present in many of our lives in the early years. If you didn’t tune into the animated character’s cartoon series, chances are you may recognise the Pink Panther theme by Henry Mancini. First introduced in 1963, the cartoon character was cheeky, fun and a downright mystery. What was the Pink Panther’s real name?If he’s a panther, why is he bipedal? And since he’s walking like a human, where are his clothes? The fact that the character almost never speaks added more to the enigma.
First introduced to audiences with a soft shade of pastel pink, the famous feline’s new hue is a modern neon pink with blue and yellow undertones. Creators of the character, Metro Goldwyn Mayer approached Pantone to dream up a hue that would mark the next chapter of the Pink Panther, attracting a whole new audience and generation.
Vice president of Pantone Laurie Pressman says, “It was great fun! Whether you grew up with this character watching the cartoon, or it was something that you experienced later in your life, it’s a character of pop culture. And it’s a character that holds a special place in our hearts.”
WWD reports that the Pantone team dove into the Pink Panther archives of old films and photos for a proper view of how the character’s colour evolved through the years. “The end result is a slightly subtler pink that suits the character’s suave manner without losing sight of the character’s mischievousness and vibrancy”, said Pressman.
“It’s still very young, fresh and spirited but at the same time it’s not overwhelming or overpowering. That gives it wider appeal and more resonance over a longer period of time.” she said. “For lack of a better word, it is less ‘childlike,’ which is not to say a neon pink is childlike. This is a sophisticated character. We felt that going in this direction was more emblematic of the Pink Panther’s personality.”
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