Pantone and Taxi Canada Have Created a New Colour You Can't Ignore

TAXI Canada developed a first-of-its-kind national multimedia awareness campaign for the United Way to put a spotlight on local issues like domestic violence, child hunger, poverty, homelessness, social isolation, bullying and mental health through a partnership with Pantone Color Institute to create Unignorable – a new striking neon coral colour. 

More than just creating a campaign, a custom colour was created that is, simply, #Unignorable. Working with The Pantone Color Institute, and understanding the science behind it, the colour that was developed is a vivid coral orange that instantly draws your attention. It has a neon undertone that radiates pure heat, while exuding a warm, friendly, optimistic vibe. It also invites people to make the issues #UNIGNORABLE by showing their local love through sharing on social, buying custom merchandise or making a donation to a local United Way.

In keeping with a tradition of art being a catalyst for social change, a powerful, graphic design approach was key to the campaign. Working with notable international illustrator Malika Favre, whose work has appeared on the cover of The New Yorker, as well as campaigns for Vogue, BAFTA, Penguin books and Sephora, gives this campaign true stopping power. 

The #Unignorable colour will profile the issues The United Way confronts through online video, out-of-home, social content and contextual installations, with a deeper story being told on the #Unignorable microsite. 

“TAXI and United Way worked together to turn an insight into a powerful rallying cry,” said United Way Senior Vice President Donor Relations & Marketing Goodwin Gibson. “This campaign is United Way’s largest integrated public awareness campaign to date, and a fresh, contemporary approach for our trusted brand. TAXI’s passion and commitment to United Way’s mission has created a campaign that we believe will help us engage even more Canadians in our fight against local poverty in all its forms.”

“To make powerful change you need to create something powerful. The most compelling thing we heard from United Way was that people don’t think these issues are happening, even when they’re right in front of them,” say Kelsey Horne and Alexis Bronstorph, TAXI’s new Executive Creative Directors. ”We knew we had to challenge ourselves to open people’s eyes. Working with Pantone to create the world’s most Unignorable colour to highlight these so often ignored issues seemed like something that couldn’t be done, which is exactly why we went for it.”

The campaign made its public debut at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche on September 29th through a captivating art installation that emulates the feelings of isolation, helplessness and uncertainty that millions of Canadians experience.