It is that time of year again. The time when we sit back and wait for a tech giant to peer into their crystal ball of user data and tell us what our personalities should be for the next year. If you were going to keep your same look, I have some bad news for you. It is probably wrong.

The Pinterest Palette for 2026 has officially been released by Pinterest. This is not just a collection of pretty colors. Oh no. This is a data-driven prophecy of what millions of people were frantically searching for while doom-scrolling in bed last year. These are the colors that will be at the forefront of the conversation, or at least the mood boards of marketing managers who are desperate to seem relevant.

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The Methodology Behind the Madness

You may be wondering how they came up with this. Did they throw darts at a Pantone book? Maybe. But they say it is science.

The group has picked out five specific shades based on search terms and engagement spikes. They think these colors are on the rise and catching people’s attention in the feed. The full report is a 13-page PDF that goes out of its way to explain why “green” is an emotion.

They say that this year is all about “bold, imaginative detours.” The idea is to evoke emotion and provide an escape. Honestly, looking at a really nice shade of purple is a pretty good way to cope with the world, if you ask me.

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The Chosen Five

Let’s take a look at the lineup so you can begin panicking about your Instagram feed right away. Pinterest assigned a personality description to each of these because, apparently, colors are alive now.

1. Cool Blue
   This is no ordinary corporate blue. Pinterest describes it as a source of “fresh focus.” It is the color of a swimming pool that you are forbidden from touching. It is cool. It is aloof. It is great for companies that want to appear approachable yet somehow superior to the rest.
   
   
2. Jade
   If you're stressed, just look at this. Jade is supposed to offer "serenity." It's a deep, rich green that says you have a lot of pricey houseplants and that you definitely compost.
   
   
3. Plum Noir
   This is what a detective from a B-movie thriller might be called. Pinterest says that "Plum Noir is a powerful mystery." It is dark and a little bit dramatic. Use this if you want your content to appear as if it has a secret.
   
   
4. Wasabi
   This is where we find "bold defiance." What is more rebellious than the condiment that makes your nose burn? It is a bright, acidic green. It yells for attention. It is the visual equivalent of shouting in a library.
   
   
5. Persimmon
   Lastly, we have “unfiltered joy.” It is orange. However, it is a particular kind of orange. It is meant to be earthy yet hopeful. It is the color of choice when you want others to believe you are a morning person.
   
   

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But What About My Brand Guidelines?

Here is the fun part. You probably have a brand style guide. You probably paid a designer a lot of money to pick your specific hex codes. You can’t just switch to Wasabi because some algorithm told you to.

Or can you?

The report recommends that even if you have branding, you should attempt to include these. The point is to make your promotions consistent with "discovery behavior." Essentially, people are already searching for these colors. If your ad looks like what the trend is that they are searching for, they may actually stop scrolling long enough to read your copy.

It’s a lovely idea. In truth, packing Plum Noir into a bright yellow branding scheme may very well resemble a design mistake. But who cares? It’s fashionable.

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The Verdict

Whether or not you actually use these is your choice. At least, the report is pretty to look at. It provides us with a glimpse into the collective psyche of the internet. Apparently, in 2026, we are all experiencing mysterious, spicy, and desperate feelings of a need for serenity.

You can see the full analysis and look at the pretty pictures yourself. Just don't come crying to me when you find yourself up at 2 AM redesigning your entire website because you've suddenly experienced the "bold defiance" of Wasabi.

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