Tangerine #F28500

Tangerine is cheerful, fresh and a little zesty. Like other citrus colors, it suggests flavor and fruit, so it is common on juice cartons, snack packaging and summer menus.

It carries orange's sociable energy but feels more playful and specific, closer to a piece of fruit than to a traffic cone. That makes it a friendly choice for brands aimed at families and young adults, and it rarely feels corporate.

Pantone picked Tangerine Tango as its 2012 Color of the Year, which put tangerine shades into fashion and home products that season. Beyond that, tangerine has no deep symbolic history. Most of its meaning comes from the fruit and from orange in general, which keeps it light and easy to use across markets.

Tangerine is a high-energy accent for food, drinks, fitness, kids' and travel brands. Dark text reads best on it, so use charcoal or navy for labels; white text struggles at small sizes. It makes a lively call-to-action button and stands out on social posts, especially against deep blue or teal.

Large tangerine backgrounds can feel loud, so give them white space. A tangerine price tag or badge draws the eye on a busy product page. In interiors and fashion, a tangerine accent pairs well with white, navy and soft pink.