By Jill Morton on Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Category: Blog Archive

Monkey Butt Red?

It’s the new red … and it’s the color Toyota chose for the FT-86 sports car. Yes, it really is the red color of a Japanese monkey’s backside and if you can pronounce it, it’s “shoujyouhi” red.

Just when we’re getting used to a new genre of creative – but not always descriptive - color terms, such as "Fiji Weegee Fawn" for nail polish, "Freedom Trail" for paint, and "Peter Pan" for candles, Toyota's reference point for this new hue is beyond bizarre.


Apparently Toyota's lineup of cars has been criticized for lack of excitement. They say that this concept will put the passion back. (???) Not in my garage.

As cheeky as it may seem, I don’t think you can un-ring this bell. Any potential buyer who has seen “that red” on a monkey’s anatomy, will never invest in a sports car in this new red.

What do you think? Maybe it’s just my jet lag from a brief trip to Bermuda – the land of pink – and a place that’s truly a a color heaven. (And that's the next topic at the Color Matters blog.)

Related Posts

Leave Comments