Trendy Now, Fading Later

FORD MOTOR CO. RESEARCH SHOWS stronger-than-usual consumer interest in so-called “trend colors,” hues that are used during the launch of a vehicle to spark interest and then eventually phased out.

An example of a popular trend color is the Blazing Copper offered during the launch of the Ford Edge cross/utility vehicle, says Jack Palazzolo, manager-advanced product marketing. The color has surpassed Ford's expectations, with an unusually high 10% take rate.

“A trend color like that would typically sell between 4%-5% of the mix,” Palazzolo says. “So we have literally doubled the mix on the Blazing Copper compared to a typical trend color.”

Ford plans to leverage increased demand in niche-paint schemes by offering a greater number of “buzz colors” across the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup.

“As we see in fashion and all elements of daily life, trends are moving faster (and) changing faster; designers are coming out and breaking the mold,” Palazzolo says.

Ford research shows nearly 40% of car buyers will turn to another brand if they are unable to find the vehicle color they want.

Paint colors conjured up by Ford designers and suppliers are inspired by a variety of things, says Susan Lampinen, group chief designer-colors and materials. “Nature, fashion, architecture and even food inspire us.”

However, simply slapping a vibrant color on a vehicle and hoping it's a hit with all consumers is a method destined for failure, Palazzolo says. Rather, Ford researches color preferences of car buyers in different regions of the country.

“We have very sophisticated tracking methods to know the turn rates in every region down to any dealership and see how well are the different colors doing,” he says. “We get feedback from our dealers and look at trends and just things we know about the different states.”

Ford's research shows states with colder climates prefer darker colors, while states in the Sunbelt like bright, vibrant colors. Additionally, different age groups have different preferences.

“Look at younger demographics, Gen X or Gen Y, there's much more interest in blues, greens and more robust colors,” Palazzolo says. “As you get to the Baby Boomers and the older demographics, you see a trend toward more basic colors.”

Regardless of customer age, black and white still hold their place as the most popular colors, overall. Ford is working to improve on both by employing new development techniques.

One example is Tuxedo Black, which is slated to debut on the Lincoln MKS flagship sedan. Unlike other metallic paints that use mica flakes for their shine, Tuxedo Black is mixed with glass flakes, which Ford says produce a greater sparkle than traditional methods and with fewer flakes.

White Chocolate is a runaway favorite among car buyers of the new Lincoln MKX cross/utility vehicle. Other colors are undergoing improvement, as well.

“We also see brighter silvers,” says Jon Hall, Ford's lead designer-colors and materials. “We want to hit all the classic colors. We're also trying to soften whites. We want whites that look less like kitchen appliances and more like nature.”

Paint quality also is on the rise, Ford says, citing an RDA Research study released in July that shows Ford's paint performance has only 91 things gone wrong compared with Toyota Motor Corp.'s 103.

Says Hall: “We're working hard to be the leader in color.”