In most cases, individual colors themselves cannot be patented because they are considered too broad and basic for exclusive ownership. However, certain shades or specific formulations of colors can be trademarked under specific conditions, especially when they are uniquely associated with a brand or product.

For example:

• Tiffany & Co. trademarked its specific shade of robin’s egg blue, known as "Tiffany Blue," for exclusive use in its branding and packaging.

• John Deere trademarked its distinct green and yellow combination for agricultural machinery.

• Cadbury trademarked its unique shade of purple for chocolate wrappers (though this has faced legal challenges).

Similarly, artist Yves Klein created a proprietary formula for his intense ultramarine shade, International Klein Blue (IKB), which he patented in 1960. This wasn’t a patent on the color blue itself, but rather on the specific method Klein developed to create a particular type of blue pigment with a rich, matte finish.

In these cases, the colors are trademarked as part of a brand identity or a specific proprietary formula, not as “general colors” that could restrict others from using similar shades.