All you need to know about Nordic Noir
Forget about white, bright and colorful. It's now a darker and warmer color scale that goes with authentic subjects. We call it Nordic Noir – the biggest trend since “White & Bright”.

Many things come together and spur the transition to a darker color scheme, such as the world situation, Instagram filters and influences of Scandinavian crime novels and their film adaptations. But there is one group that has driven the development more than others. Read on!
A trend arises
Nordic Noir is the hipster reaction to “White & Bright”. The hipster celebrates nostalgic values, and shows the advantages, not through economic superiority, but by being a connoisseur of fashion, music, and food. In short, hipsters appreciate things that are not mainstream.

If the norm is “White & Bright”, well then it becomes a natural consequence that the hipster is drawn to a more muted color scheme as proof of their independence. It needs to feel genuine and real. Authentic. Think microbreweries, vintage, sourdough and gigantic eye glasses.

The nostalgic values that hipsters promote manifest themselves in an earthy color scale. Unfortunately for hipsters, they themselves are a mainstream phenomenon these days, which means that a more muted color scheme has gained a firm foothold in advertising and popular culture.
What is typical of Nordic Noir?
With Nordic Noir, commercial photography has taken a step closer to the aesthetics of photo journalism. It's authentic, it's monochromatic. It's about a refined realism.

The color scheme is, as we have already mentioned, dull and rich in earthy tones. The motifs often switch, it's the tone that is important in this trend. Despite this, we see that nature photos are a big part of Nordic Noir. The large expanses, and the little man meeting nature with a call for reflection, stillness and a calmer pace.

If you are looking for images that fit this trend use the search words Nordic Noir. We add new pictures to this theme every day.
What can you communicate with Nordic Noir?
The colors, shapes and images you use say who you are and tell us about what you offer. Using a color scheme of warm earth tones, you signal reliability, peace, comfort and security to our reptilian brains. It's ideal for industries such as healthcare, health, education and charity. Or perhaps an organization that invests in an extra welcoming brand of customer service.

Earth tones communicate sustainability and care. Have a look at the Ben & Jerry's Foundation website, which is the famous ice cream company's charitable foundation. You are greeted by a completely different color scheme than the other parts of the brand communicate. Instead of the glaring and extrovert colors, this site uses beige, light brown and dull green. This is not at all by chance.
   
Nordic Noir meets “White & Bright”
We set the Nordic Noir trend against some of our traditional best sellers. What colors are you drawn to, the right collage or the left?
Examples of Nordic Noir in advertising and culture




Sources: Fame to Claim by Per Robert Öhlin & Karin Sandelin, Kantar Sifo.