What Are the Colors for a 100th Anniversary?

Although there are standard colors for every anniversary year up to the 25th, and colors for every five years to the 75th anniversary, there are few conventions for reaching the 100-year milestone. Although purple tends to be the most commonly used color, the choice is up to you.

When deciding what colors to use to mark the 100-year anniversary of your company or organization, consider matching the colors to the theme of the celebration. If you are having a Hawaii-style cookout to mark the occasion, use bright pastels like pink, orange and yellow. If you are throwing a party with an autumn theme, decorate the site with browns, oranges, yellows and other earthy colors. If you want your celebration to be environmentally friendly, green decor will be appropriate.

In the absence of traditional 100th anniversary colors, a likely alternative can be to use the company's colors. Since the celebration is about the long-standing endurance of the organization, using its own colors is an appropriate way to mark its success. Consider making shirts for attendees with the logo and its corresponding color, as that helps spread the color through the party. You can also make decorations based on the logo or trademark designs.

The choice of colors for the important occasion can correlate with the type of organization or business it is for. A strawberry farm may choose red and green themes, while an association that works to promote sustainable fishing practices may want blue, green and other aqua-related colors. The benefit of using colors associated with the business is that casual observers or those who are not familiar with the organization will quickly understand what the company does, and will be more likely to associate that activity with it in the future — a useful marketing ploy.

One way of getting all the members or employees involved in the planning of the anniversary celebration is to allow them to choose the colors and the themes. This can help them feel included in the process, as well as generate excitement about the occasion. You can field ideas openly or open it up to a vote. It is easy to send a memo or email to those involved and receive their feedback.