Color Me Badd

Posted by Blake Howard on October 27, 2009 Share

Have you ever thought about Color as part of your sales force?

Probably not, but according to the University of Loyola, Maryland, the impact of color is critical to brand marketing and can increase recognition by up to 80%. According to Color Matters.com, and an article I read on Brand Channel.com as much as 90% of a person's assessment of a product is based on color alone, according to the Institute for Color Research.

That means that 80% of your costumers are more likely to recognize your brand and 90% more likely to buy based on the color. That's a big sales force!

A strong brand is birthed out of a consistent alignment of visual and verbal messages, and the same holds true with color. With that in mind, here are three quick thoughts on color:

Be greedy.

What's the one color you can own? Just like an ad, you can only say one thing in order for someone to remember it. Focus your color palette to one color and blanket your material with it. You can determine and set secondary and tertiary colors, if need be, but everyone should undoubtedly be able to say what your color is.

Be strategic.

What does your color represent? There are tons of resources on color theory. Color contains a deep emotional connection that speaks with out speaking. It truly is louder than words, so be intentional with what those words say.

Be considerate.

What colors do your competitors use? Look at the market horizon and position yourself in the gap. There is a reason Kobuta tractors are orange (because John Deers are green).

What's another example of a color owned by a brand?


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4 Comments

"I think UPS has to be the biggest example of a brand owning a color. What can brown do for you?"

- Jay Holden

"Home Depot is one of the best when it comes to owning a color. We pass any orange sign and my kids (who can't read yet) say "Look Daddy, Home Depot!""

- Craig Johnson

"Nickolodeon does this very well. I know they are currently/in the middle of a rebrand. That orange will always remain in my mind as only Nickolodeon."

- J.C.

"Target is also up there with their Red. Coca-cola actually own a red PMS color that you can license out. Take about greedy! Love that."

- Blake

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