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Research has Determined The Ugliest Color in the World

Kevin Whipps Last updated: April 11, 2024 · 1 min read
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See that color right below this paragraph? That, my friends, is Pantone 448 C (also known as Opaque Couché), and it has been determined – by research – to be the ugliest color in the world. So how’d this all come to be? Well as it turns out, research agency GfK was tasked by the Australian Government with finding a color that would make people want to quit smoking. Here it is in all its ugly glory:

Ick.
This color, along with many others, was shown to more than 1,000 smokers to determine which hue turned them off the most. Once the honorable Pantone 448 C was decided upon, the info was passed on to the Australian government, where they will now include the color – along with standard safety warnings – on every package of cigarettes sold. And this idea is gaining some traction, with other countries across the world adopting similar methods.

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Kevin Whipps

Hi! My name is Kevin Whipps, and I'm a writer and editor based in Phoenix, Arizona. When I'm not working taking pictures of old cars and trucks, I'm either writing articles for Creative Market or hawking stickers at Whipps Sticker Co.

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32 Comments
  • Hey, that's the color of my couché, which also happens to be opaque, obviously. Are you calling my couché ugly? 9 years ago
  • That is such a ridiculous waste of money. 9 years ago
  • What's a couché? 9 years ago
  • And my coffee, too. 9 years ago
  • I don't find this color to be ugly ... great for an outdoor space. 9 years ago
  • How can ANY colour be ugly? What a load of nonsense. 9 years ago
  • I love this color! My neighbor has a Ford Mustang this color (it's SHARP) and my new favorite shirt is this color which I get compliments on all the time! Pair it with coral, blush or burgundy and you've got a new wedding color trend ;) 9 years ago
  • A shirt this color with a coral scarf may be nice, but can you imagine your lungs looking this color? "ICK" is right. I think this is a hilarious research project, and I hope it works! 9 years ago
  • I'm of the mind that there's no such thing as an ugly color— only colors used in suboptimal ways 9 years ago
  • This looks a lot like the color at the top of this page. The Creative Market website might be helping people stop smoking. 9 years ago
  • I am with Jennifer. Our first reaction at the studio was that! 9 years ago
  • LOL, I'm with @Jennifer too.. the first thing I noticed was that this color was at the top of the page! That just goes to show that any color can be beautiful when used in the right context. 9 years ago
  • This s kinda old news, the Australian government has been using this colour for a couple of years on cigarette packaging. 9 years ago
  • And supposedly chosen to mimic the phlegm coughed up by long-term smokers, rather than because of any inherent ugliness. 9 years ago
  • I think that colour in context of smoking may be ugliest. I imagine it's the colour a smoker believes their lungs to be while smoking, so it's a psychological deterrent. No need to change your header colour CM ;) 9 years ago
  • Looks quite olive; a dull olive. 9 years ago
  • It's not that ugly. I think this is more on military olive. I love this color! 9 years ago
  • color is subjective 9 years ago
  • Hmm, when I clicked I expected it to be more of a yellowish brown. I think that color is calming like nature. I'm surprised. 9 years ago
  • Looks very similar to the colors on your header. 9 years ago
  • I think this all has to do with context. On a pack of cigarettes it might remind people of gross, smokey, damaged lungs. But as the color of a bag of fresh roasted coffee beans I would totally be feeling this. 9 years ago
  • The name is not applicable to modern society. I propose we change the shade's name to "Kool-Aid Feces" after its startling resemblance to that special tinge your stool adopts when you got a gallon of sweet-drink in your tract. 9 years ago
  • I used to have a corduroy jacket in this color in the 90s. I miss it so much. It's not ugly, it's like a deep olive, I think it would look great as a shirt :) 9 years ago
  • And how much money did this research cost the taxpayers? Rhetorical question, we know the answer: too much. 9 years ago
  • Did any one else notice (besides Juan) that this website has a lighter and less brown version of that color as an accent? 9 years ago
  • And let's not forget all our patriotic brethren serving in the military branches (at least, in the USA); that color is ubiquitous. It's a variant on the famous "OD Green," which colors EVERYTHING in the Army. Mmmm...hard to believe that Creative Market wants to blend and camouflage themselves! Anyone here taking bets on whether or not that header bar oh-so-slightly changes its color sometime soon??? A wee...facelift? :-) 9 years ago
  • I think I like this colour because you don't 9 years ago
  • ha ha...yes - we've had these cigarette packs for a while now - would love to know what the quitting rate is now since the intro of the new packs. 9 years ago
  • The top I'm wearing is exactly this color, lol. 8 years ago
  • Interesting, in fact I did not use to see this color in designs 7 years ago
  • I'm pretty sure my 3 year old would agree with you, it's way too close to certain bodily emanations. But colour is relative baby! Any colour can be hideous or amazing depending on how it's used and what it's paired with. Shame, lets show couché some love. 7 years ago
  • It's not the ugliest color, it's the color best to stop people from smoking. How did you even draw this conclusion? Clickbait. 6 years ago