From Palette to Post: The decline of institutional trendsetters in the modern digital age

<p xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" class="first" dir="auto" id="d4044530e52">This paper explores the decline of traditional institutions like Pantone in predicting and shaping cultural trends in an age dominated by fast-moving digital platforms and decentralised influence. It examines the paradox of large corporations, which, despite their resources, struggle to adapt to the speed and complexity of social media trends. Using Pantone’s “Colour of the Year” as a case study, the paper extends its analysis to brands and industries at large, contrasting their inefficiencies with the agility of smaller businesses that thrive by listening to their audiences. The work concludes with recommendations for legacy institutions to remain relevant in this rapidly evolving landscape.