Brown is Beautiful?

So last week I get this press release from Plow & Hearth’s Campaign to Re-Forest America Campaign asking, "what do you think America's favorite fall foliage color is?" If you guessed any color but brown, you'd be joining me in my belief that brown is blah, drab, and just downright depressing in the garden. Apparently though, this opinion is not shared by our neighbors to the south.

Plow & Hearth's results were as follows: Red and orange led in preference (36% each) followed by yellow (14%) and brown (11%). Regional preferences did play in the results. Those living in the Midwest are most likely to choose red or orange (38% each), while North-Easterners are most likely to choose orange (44%). Those on the West coast are most likely to like yellow (20%), and Southerners have the highest propensity to like brown (16%).

These survey responses leave me wondering if those taking the survey were not answering what their favorite or preference was, but just reporting what is actually out there window each autumn. A brown leaf to me is a dead leaf, but maybe I'm missing something here. Any southern brown-leaf-lovers out there that can explain why this particular color affection?