Wellington Agency Claims Ownership of the Colour ‘Mildly Anxious Blue’ in National Rebrand Stunt
In a bold move that no one asked for, creative agency Fractal Lemur Wellington has declared legal and spiritual ownership of the shade they’re calling 'Mildly Anxious Blue'—a colour they describe as 'somewhere between a forgotten lunchbox lid and New Zealand’s collective emotional state."
The agency, which has reportedly spent $42,000 on Pantone licensing, three colour therapists, and one very tired intern named Chloe, unveiled the hue during a rooftop activation involving drone theatrics, mist cannons, and a soft jazz trio. This stunt was timed with the agency’s arbitrary 18.5-year anniversary, because, as managing director CJ Broome told us, "It just felt right."
The campaign, dubbed ‘Feel the Hue’, is being gradually applied to client brand palettes nationwide. Already, a large signage firm in Hastings that previously used 'Confident Cobalt' has adopted the new shade after a 14-slide Figma deck convinced their board it would 'reposition their scaffolding solutions with soft authority.'
Internally, the agency has stopped using terms like ‘brainstorm’ and ‘touch base,’ opting instead for mood-based colour swatches. For example, Monday morning WIPs are now coded 'Dusky Dread' and all post-3pm pitch prep is logged under 'Urgent Lilac.' When asked what prompted the chromatic shift, Fractal Lemur’s head of colour feelings, Janet, said, "We just sensed people were ready to engage tonally. And we've always cared deeply about arbitrary semiotics."
The agency, which has reportedly spent $42,000 on Pantone licensing, three colour therapists, and one very tired intern named Chloe, unveiled the hue during a rooftop activation involving drone theatrics, mist cannons, and a soft jazz trio. This stunt was timed with the agency’s arbitrary 18.5-year anniversary, because, as managing director CJ Broome told us, "It just felt right."
The campaign, dubbed ‘Feel the Hue’, is being gradually applied to client brand palettes nationwide. Already, a large signage firm in Hastings that previously used 'Confident Cobalt' has adopted the new shade after a 14-slide Figma deck convinced their board it would 'reposition their scaffolding solutions with soft authority.'
Internally, the agency has stopped using terms like ‘brainstorm’ and ‘touch base,’ opting instead for mood-based colour swatches. For example, Monday morning WIPs are now coded 'Dusky Dread' and all post-3pm pitch prep is logged under 'Urgent Lilac.' When asked what prompted the chromatic shift, Fractal Lemur’s head of colour feelings, Janet, said, "We just sensed people were ready to engage tonally. And we've always cared deeply about arbitrary semiotics."