Before a consumer reads a label or registers aroma, the liquid itself has already communicated something about taste, quality and intent.
And increasingly, consumers are paying attention.
The rise of the ‘aesthetic drink’
According to Alyssa Williams, Food, Beverage & Wellness Category Insights Manager at Spate, visual appeal is no longer secondary, it is central to beverage discovery.
“Searches for ‘aesthetic drinks’ are up +131.1% year-over-year, signaling that consumers are increasingly seeking beverages for how they look, not just how they taste,” she says.
“On social platforms, visually distinctive drinks – particularly layered, colourful beverages served in clear cups or glasses – are driving engagement, reinforcing the importance of presentation in beverage discovery.”
The implication for brands is clear: the liquid must perform in the glass.
In on-trade settings, where drinks are poured into stemware, tumblers or highballs, color becomes part of the theater. At home, as consumers continue to premiumize everyday rituals, whether through functional hydration or zero-proof mixology, a visually dynamic beverage enhances the experience.
On social media, meanwhile, color is arguably at its most influential. Bold blues, vivid purples, fresh greens and ombré gradients generate shareability in ways muted or ambiguous tones often cannot.
Color as a cognitive shortcut
Color also shapes flavour expectations. Consumers have developed strong associations between hue and taste profile.
Williams notes that colour-based search behavior reveals distinct thematic clustering.
“Blue drinks often skew toward summer-oriented flavours and visuals, frequently tied to oceanic, refreshing cues,” she says. “Pink drinks tend to be positioned as more whimsical, playful and fun in social content.”
Spate’s search data reflects this momentum. Pink drinks lead in demand, up +31.5% year-over-year with +37.9K popularity growth. Blue drinks show sustained interest, rising +20.3% year-over-year (+10.9K popularity). Purple drinks, while smaller in volume, are emerging quickly at +29.7% year-over-year (+2.1K popularity).
Dana Trull, Product Manager at Vivify, says visual impact has never been more central to beverage success.
“Whether served across a bar, poured at home, or captured on a phone camera, colour is the first sensory signal consumers receive – often shaping expectations before aroma or taste ever come into play,” Trull explains.
“Vibrant, well-defined hues suggest freshness, flavour intensity, and quality, making colour a powerful driver of trial, repeat purchase, and social sharing.”
Trull emphasizes that colour is no longer merely aesthetic; it is communicative, signaling flavor expectations, positioning a product as refreshing or indulgent, and strengthening brand recall in crowded social media feeds.
Natural vs. synthetic: Regulation meets perception
While color remains critical, the way brands achieve it is evolving.
Williams notes that while Spate does not track regulatory policy changes directly, consumer perception data tells a compelling story.
“Interest in dye-free products is surging, up +277.9% year-over-year growth overall,” she says. “Momentum is especially strong on social platforms – TikTok up more than +1,000% year-over-year growth and Instagram +507.4% year-over-year growth.”
This suggests rising consumer sensitivity around artificial dyes and growing demand for beverages positioned as free from synthetic colours.
At the same time, regulatory pressure is mounting. In North America, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has signaled intent to reduce reliance on petroleum-based synthetic dyes across the food supply. While not framed as an immediate statutory ban, this direction has accelerated reformulation efforts. Several U.S. states have also taken steps to restrict artificial dyes in specific settings, such as government-funded school meals.
For beverage manufacturers, this dual force regulatory scrutiny/consumer demand is reshaping color strategy.
Trull notes that many brands are proactively eliminating synthetic dyes from portions of their portfolios, driven by both market expectations and future-proofing considerations. At the same time, regulators are expanding the range of approved color additives, creating more pathways for plant-, fruit- and algae-derived alternatives.
However, natural colours introduce formulation challenges. They can be less stable under heat, light and pH variation, and certain vibrant shades (particularly electric blues) remain technically complex to achieve without synthetic inputs.
Interestingly, this constraint is also influencing aesthetics. Slight haze, softer tones and subtle variation can now reinforce authenticity. In functional beverages and botanical-forward drinks, muted or cloudy appearances may signal minimal processing and “real ingredients.”
The future: Communicative colour
Ultimately, beverage colour sits at the intersection of sensory science, marketing and regulation.
It influences perceived sweetness and flavour intensity. It shapes brand storytelling. It drives social media engagement. And increasingly, it reflects broader consumer values around transparency and ingredient integrity.
As Williams’ data illustrates, consumers are actively searching for beverages defined by how they look. As Trull emphasizes, colour is often the first signal of quality and intention.
In that instant, colour does more than catch the eye. It sets the stage for the entire sensory experience.
