The Implication of Colours in Branding

Based on marketing research, there is a lot of thought given by major brands in their choice of colours for their corporate imaging and branding.  Science has given us an entire field of study about hues being a determinant of human behaviour, called colour psychology.  Marketing has naturally taken advantage of these studies, using them to determine shades which apply to products, advertising, points of sale, among many other areas, in order to influence customers. 

There is a reason, for example, why Starbucks, Coffee Bean, and almost every major coffeehouse chain chooses browns and greens for their outlets and packaging.  These  colours are sedate, and encourage people to relax, have a cup, and maybe order a cake – and not think too much about how over-priced the coffee is.  In contrast, McDonalds, Burger King, and Pizza Hut have reds and yellows because those are the colours that make people think they are hungry, and want to eat – preferably quickly. 

When it comes to colour psychology for products, for example, we need to consider the real market.  This is a fundamental mistake many younger marketing teams make.  For example, if you are selling young children’s books, the immediate instinct is to make it bright and colourful, because young children would be attracted to that.  But we must consider that children have no direct spending power.  They do not choose the books.  Parents and grandparents choose those books.  As such, the market that needs to be attracted are the adults, and market research has shown that they are more likely to buy colours that appeal to their notions of what children would like – or more likely, what they what children to like.  In this day and age, it is still blues for boys, and pinks for girls, or variations of the theme.  Yellows appeal to both genders. 

The idea that blues belong to boys and pink belongs to girls is a modern phenomenon.  The concept of associating individual colours with specific genders began in the mid-19^th century.  At this point, with the advent of modern dying due to the Industrial Revolution, light tones and pastel colours started to be seen on children.  Individual colours of red and blue began to be linked with one gender or the other.  In fact, blue was usually worn by girls and red was the preferred shade for boys.  The concept of pink as a distinct colour, and not just another shade of red, only became distinct from just before this period.  In the late 19^th century and early 20^th century, it was common for mothers to be told that boys should be dressed in masculine colours like pink, while girls should be dressed in a more feminine alternative like blue.  After World War II, pink started being marketed by fashion brands as the “perfect” colour for women, while blue was now masculine.  In the intervening decades, the pink/blue divide spread to toys, and accessories. 

Depending on the environment and era we grew up with, and our notions reinforced during our formative years, colours become directly related to conceptions and feelings.  This is the consumer demonstration effect, people imitate others in their association, and this is a powerful tool in shaping that consumer experience in marketing.  These influences have a cumulative effect.  The more people who follow it, the more acceptable it is, and the more it gains momentum.  This is what happened with the pink/blue divide.  And this shapes how modern brands use colour association in marketing. 

Black is a colour with interesting connotations.  It is viewed as the colour of power, authority, mystery and strength, from ancient times, and transcends culture.  It is also seen as the colour of death.  Black is not a colour many brands use as their primary branding colour.  They tend to be exclusive, or exclusive in their original market.  It makes sense that this is the colour of brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Adidas.  The former two are not mass market, while Adidas had practical reasons for the colour, long before colour association was viewed as important in branding. 

Blue is the colour of the sky and the ocean.  The ocean is seen to be deep, with much of its depths hiding secrets.  The sky is about having no limits.  People associate blue with emotional control, with freedom, and possibilities.  It is seen as the colour of tranquility.  Blue appeals to young people, and is regularly cited as a favourite colour for many. Blue is the colour of Facebook, General Motors, and Skype. 

Brown is the colour of the earth, and is associated with humility, stability, and health.  Civilisation began with agriculture, and we have that unconscious relationship with it.  Brands that use this colour include UPS, M&Ms and Nescafe.  A lot of chocolate brands use this colour, for obvious associative reasons. 

Gold is associated with luxury, and is used extensively by luxury brands in their packaging, and overall branding.  This does not mean, of course, that non-luxury brands do not use gold.  Gold is used because it stands out from among other colours.  Brands that use gold in their branding include Warner Bros, Chevrolet, and Lindt. 

Green evokes greenery and the forest.  It is the colour of contemplation, calm, and quiet reflection.  This is the colour of companies that want to evoke an awareness of environmental issues, appealing to the conscious activist customer, for example.  These are the colours of Starbucks, Garnier, and BP.  The last one is deliciously ironic. 

In the information age, grey has taken on the connotation of being the latest technology, and modern.  It used to reflect conformity.  Now, it is about dynamic technological advancement.  Companies that use grey include Toyota, Apple, and Nissan. 

The colour red is associated with dynamism and extroversion, a socially acceptable form of aggression.  It also has connotations of sexual aggression, both phallic, as in red Ferrari sports cars, and in feminine seduction, as in red Chanel lip stick or red Christian Louboutin heels. 

Yellow is seen to radiate warmth, like the Sun, and is seen in new offers.  Yellow is seen as friendly, accessible, and relatable.  This is why it is the colour of choice for brands that seek broad appeal such as CNN, DHL, and Lay’s.  it is also found in many fast food corporate colours, from McDonalds to Burger King. 

These are examples of some common colours in corporate imaging and branding, and how these companies relate their products to their customer base.  The story, implied and overt, developed over time, in massive branding exercises carried out periodically to cement their market leadership.