"Spider-Man" star Zendaya's pink campaign for fashion house Valentino got Filipinos on Facebook commenting on politics, proving how during 2022 election season, colors can be political.
The 15-second Zendaya video posted March 6 on the official Valentino Facebook page got more than 234,000 views and more than 3,400 shares in three days, a twenty-fold increase compared to other promotional videos for the collection posted on the same day.
Valentino collaborated with Pantone Color Institute for the unique hot pink shade for its Fall/Winter 2022-2023 collection during Paris Fashion Week. Zendaya served as its muse.
"Pink as a manifestation of the unconscious and a liberation from the need for realism," according to the Valentino website.
Topping the commenters were Filipinos linking the ad to Vice President Leni Robredo, who shed the signature yellow of her Liberal Partyand adopted pink for her independent presidential campaign.
While the video had no link to Philippine politics, it shows how colors go beyond aesthetics when used by politicians as it triggers optical recall among Filipinos.
“Kapag pinakita lang sa 'yo yung green, Sara agad, 'yung red, Bongbong…. You somehow associate all the values and programs even of a candidate with a particular color,” said political science professor Gerardo Eusebio in a February interview with reportr.
It could also be why Jollibee issued an official announcement saying that it said it does not endorse any candidate.
For Eusebio, campaign colors will no longer matter once elections are over because "it has already done its job" as he reminded voters to look beyond the color and consider what candidates can do when they get elected to office.
EXPLAINERS:
Why Pantone's Color of the Year Matters
How Hashtags Say 'Vote for Me' While Telling the Story of the 2022 Elections
How Budots, Ja-Ja-Ja-Jamby Jingled All the Way to Election Victory
How ‘Angat Buhay Lahat’, ‘BaBangon Muli’ Influence Your Vote
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