Why a “blank slate” might be the most powerful marketing move of the year.
Pantone dropped its 2026 Color of the Year and… it’s white.
Yes — white.
The internet has thoughts.
Most of the chatter has been less-than-glowing:
“Too safe.”
“Too boring.”
“Too predictable.”
“Too… white.”
But here’s the thing: sometimes the biggest shift isn’t loud or trendy. Sometimes it’s a reset.
At The Licursi Group, we actually love the choice — not because white is exciting on its own, but because of what it represents:
A clean slate.
A do-over.
A fresh field where the work — the real work — finally gets to shine.
And honestly? That’s exactly where marketing is headed.
In design, white isn’t empty — it’s intentional. It creates space, directs attention, and forces clarity. That’s the energy more brands need in 2026.
Too many marketing programs are cluttered:
Too many platforms.
Too many disconnected tactics.
Too many “we’ve always done it this way” habits.
White strips all that away.
White says:
What actually matters here? What creates impact? What moves a customer from discovering to deciding?
It resets the canvas so the essentials — storytelling, influencers, reviews, search-ready content, retailer alignment — become unmistakably clear.
Between retail expectations, shifting algorithms, AI search, and influencer overload, the brands that win next year won’t be the loudest — they’ll be the most focused.
White is focus.
It’s discipline.
It’s a filter that forces decisions instead of distractions.
That's why the symbolism works so well for the hardware and home improvement space: it reflects what retailers are demanding and where consumers are moving.
It’s no longer about everything.
It’s about the right things.
We strip away the clutter for our clients every day.
We clear the noise in influencer programs so the right creators rise to the top.
We simplify AIO strategies so brands show up in AI search exactly when and where consumers need them.
We build review pipelines that make retail partners happy — because you can’t argue with 4.6 stars and 200+ reviews.
We design social and content systems that are clean, repeatable, and built for scale.
We don’t chase trends for the sake of it.
We create space — white space — for hardware brands to stand out.
Pantone may have picked white for 2026, but at TLG, we've been using it as our strategic superpower for years.
Brands looking at 2026 should ask themselves:
A reset isn’t a setback.
It’s a strategy.
And if you’ve been feeling the need for a marketing clean slate, Pantone may have just given you the sign you’ve been waiting for.
2026 is the year to streamline, clarify, and focus on what actually drives results.
Influencers with real reach.
Reviews with real impact.
Content built for real discovery.
AIO that earns real visibility.
Strategies grounded in real retail data.
White isn’t boring.
White is bold enough to get out of the way.
And that’s exactly what good marketing does — it makes everything else pop.
