Why do Pakistanis show herd mentality when it comes to car colors?

Can offering car color variety by car makers be a game changer?

A snapshot from the Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics Automobile Dashboard shows just how concentrated preferences really are in terms of cars. Data below shows color of cars listed on a popular car reselling platform:

🎨 White = ~40% of all listings (6,800+ cars)
🎨 Black = ~21%
🎨 Silver = ~15%
👉 That’s ~75% of the entire market in just 3 colors
🧠 Which means…
If your car is:
🔵 Blue (~4%)
🔴 Red (~2–3%)
🟢 Green (<1%)
🟡 Yellow / Orange / Maroon (almost negligible)
👉 You are in a clear minority

Two competing explanations
1️⃣ “We like these colors”
Neutral colors are seen as clean, elegant, and timeless
White is associated with heat reduction in a hot climate
Cultural norms often favor simplicity over flashiness
👉 So yes — there is some genuine preference
2️⃣ “The market shaped our preference”
This is where it gets more interesting.
Locally assembled cars are often offered primarily in white, black, and silver
Dealership inventory is skewed toward safe colors
Buyers know resale depends on market acceptability
👉 So people don’t just choose colors — they choose what is available + sellable