CMF (COLOR-MATERIAL-FINISH) TREND RESEARCH | 2023 - 2024
Led CMF initiatives for Perrigo’s oral care products, conducting cross-industry trend research to shape brand-relevant color directions.
STATEMENT
Perrigo, a global healthcare company with multiple oral care brands, lacked a unified design language in color, material, and finish (CMF). To strengthen brand positioning, I was tasked with researching CMF trends, defining color directions for the portfolio, and presenting a strategy for consistent application across brands.
The project had no dedicated budget, so the team relied on existing resources, industry reports, and creative research methods to build a strong CMF strategy.
RESEARCH PROCESS
Researched color trends across fashion, cosmetics, automotive, interiors, and consumer electronics to identify relevant directions for oral care.
Analyzed the CMF landscape and developed strategic color palettes for Perrigo’s oral care brands for 2023–2024.
Led and mentored industrial design interns in CMF research, and presented the process and outcomes to internal R&D and Marketing teams.
We began by reviewing WGSN’s 2023 color forecast and Pantone’s 2022–2023 trend reports as a foundation for understanding how global forecasting organizations frame and present upcoming color directions.
Observed CMF trends across fashion, cosmetics, automotive, residential interiors, and consumer electronics to identify emerging popular colors and explore how they could be applied to oral care.
Dived into the latest color trends in the high fashion (Women’s, Men’s, Accessories & Cosmetics) catagories.
Explored the trends in residential interior design.
Latest color offerings from the major car brands.
Latest CMF from the major consumer electronics brands.
Seeing Patterns & Connecting Dots:
By analyzing CMF trends across industries, it became clear that psychological perceptions directly shape visual preferences. Colors and finishes embody emotional cues such as comfort, aspiration, fear, vitality, or authority that people instinctively associate with the products they choose.
Mood Board for Perrigo’s 2024 Oral Care Product Line & Synthesized Pantone Colors:
We selected colors trending across industries and refined them to better suit everyday oral care devices. The palettes were designed to feel contemporary yet practical—avoiding fashion extremes while staying relevant to consumer products.
Developed detailed CMF specifications, collaborated with suppliers, and reviewed samples to refine quality and preserve design intent. Began implementing the new CMF strategy across Perrigo’s oral care portfolio, shaping products scheduled for the 2023-2024 launches.
Grateful to ID Intern Lillian Lin for her support and contributions to the Perrigo Oral Care CMF research project.