Colors Speak Louder Than Words
Howard A Lim
Business and Brand Architect ? Global Presentor and Keynote ? Certified Speaker at Vistage Worldwide ? Author of Authentic Branding
Color builds meaning and instantly conveys brand personality and attributes. Your ultimate goal is to own a color that embodies your core brand essence, a color that customers will come to associate with your brand. Consistent use of color over time contributes to brand equity and helps etch your brand into the customer’s mind.
In the soft drink market, Coke owns red. In the courier market, UPS owns brown (dependable/reliable) to differentiate itself from FedEx, which owns innovation and friendliness with purple and orange. FedEx chose these striking colors to make its packages stand out on recipients’ desks.
Kodak is yellow.??
Fuji is green.??
Hertz is yellow.??
Avis is red.??
National is green.??
领英推荐
When brands become leaders, the colors they choose come to symbolize or even personify them. We subliminally translate colors to symbols because we associate color with meaning.
Colors have different connotations in different cultures, so it's important to research your target market to ensure your color choices resonate appropriately. For example, in the U.S., white symbolizes weddings and purity, but in some Eastern cultures, white symbolizes mourning. In the U.S., black is the color of mourning but also of luxury (e.g., Johnnie Walker Black Label). Blue is the color of leadership (e.g., a blue ribbon award). Purple signifies royalty (as in “born to the color purple”). Green represents the environment and health (e.g., Greenpeace, Healthy Choice).
Color can evoke physiological responses. For example, red has been shown to increase blood pressure, while cool blues and greens can decrease it.
Color has incredible psychological power and can provoke different sensory perceptions. McDonald’s uses oranges to stimulate customer appetites. Red is an in-your-face color that seems to move toward your eyes, while blue appears to move away.
When choosing a color for your brand or logo, don't simply choose your favorite color. Use color to support your brand’s message and personality. Consider the mood you want to evoke, but avoid choosing a color that mimics your top competitors.
To learn more about HOW CREATIVE, visit https://www.howcreative.com/
?1987-2024 HOW CREATIVE. All Rights Reserved.