We reinvented the color selection experience for Sherwin-Williams by creating a first-of-its-kind AI, voice-controlled web application to identify color. Speaking in Color utilizes a combination of proprietary code and 3rd party APIs to transform the historically cumbersome and time-consuming color selection process into a ground-breaking, innovative experience. Speaking in Color not only digitized an an analogue process, it also upended the entire customer journey by putting the architects in control of finding their perfect color digitally.

To Sherwin-Williams, color is personal—it’s human. Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings has partnered with architects for over 150 years to bring their visions of the perfect building to life. With the world’s largest color set of 50,000+, Sherwin-Williams has proven that they can create any color imaginable for their customers.

But in a world of endless color, how do you find THE ONE? "Red" might mean crimson to some, yet a bright apple red to another. Historically, finding the perfect color meant paging through physical color chips, online catalogs or working with a Sherwin-Williams Color Technician— all underwhelming tasks for such an emotional topic.

We created a solution that brings together language, color and innovation—opening architects up to a world of color they never thought possible. We’ve spent years solidifying Sherwin-Williams as the color innovation experts, and knew we could bring architects a bold new way to experience the color selection process.

Sherwin-Williams believes that color is an innately human experience. The perfect color can come from anywhere— a memory, a place or a dream. The most natural way to express a thought, vision or feeling is through language. We created a digital color selection tool that brings together language, color and innovation—opening architects up to a world of color they never thought possible.

Imagine speaking the words “drinking champagne on the French Riviera at sunset” and in return you are provided with a custom color palette that fits your memory. And what if you could then fine-tune that color palette to reach your perfect color? This is what Speaking in Color empowers one of Sherwin-Williams’ most influential audience, architects, to do—with just their voice. This one-of-a-kind color selection solution was conceived by leveraging the ultimate combination of the art and science of color making with cutting-edge technology.

1.Concept identified – August 2021

2.Prototype image analysis to derive primary color – September 2021

3.Speech recognition added – October 2021

4.Beta standalone react app – Jan 2022

5.Proprietary code developed to allow NLP adjustments – Feb 2022

6.Initial production release – April 2022

Speaking in Color is a React web app that allows the customer to use natural language to find their perfect color. Describe a color via a phrase, a memory or stream of consciousness and our NLP machine will identify its best guess for that color and then allow the customer to tweak it as desired.

We use a combination of 3rd party and integrated proprietary code to deconstruct spoken or typed language into component parts of speech and use the resulting output to run an image query on Google’s custom search platform. We then use a version of Google’s Vision AI to derive the composite colors of the images returned collectively, and force-rank the most likely colors according to volume in those images. Our custom algorithm then allows users to finesse the color in a way that transliterates statements like “make it dimmer,” “add warmth,” or “more like the 1980s” into mathematical RGB adjustments.

When app usage reaches critical mass, the system will be trained on lexical inputs to get smarter over time and give Sherwin-Williams a dictionary of how its customers talk about color.

We chose to launch this innovative tool to a contingent of Sherwin-Williams’ top customers for exclusive first access, allowing us to build a roadmap for future innovation. Speaking in Color will be launched to Sherwin-Williams’ full architect audience in early 2023 via an integrated campaign and exclusive digital activations.

Through continued participation, we will create the largest dataset of color attribution in the world.? This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to deconstruct the meaning of color based on attributes such as location, culture, a memory, experience, item and many other sources of inspiration. As Speaking in Color is used by architects—and beyond—we are crowdsourcing the first language of color in real time.

We are also unlocking the opportunity to provide a unique, data-driven personalization approach to continue to engage and strengthen relationships with architects, and further demonstrate Sherwin-Williams’ obsession with color.