Branding Strategy Insider

How Color And Flavor Names Affect Choice

Is Moody Blue a better name for a flavor than Glacier Freeze? How will consumers react to a color named Razzmatazz instead of Bright Orange? And what’s wrong with good old Fire Engine Red? 

Two marketing professors have been studying these shades of meaning and publishing provocative papers on color-coding and what it does to buyers’ expectations. So we went to Barbara E. Kahn (at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania) and Elizabeth G. Miller (at Boston College) for some answers. 

Q: Is there anything wrong with good old “Fire Engine Red” to identify a nail polish? 

We find in our research that consumers tend to react positively to ambiguous names and specific, unexpected names. If Fire Engine Red is surprising to consumers, then they will react more positively to it. If it’s not, then it’s similar to just calling it “red.” 

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this description, but with the multitude of choices that a consumer faces every day, marketers are increasingly looking for ways to stand out and coming out with an unusual name is one way. 

Q: You have commented that it’s astonishing when Crayola comes out with names that don’t describe the color of crayons. Why so? 

Advertising in Color

Did you know? Ads in color are read up to 42% more often than the same ads in black and white (as shown in study of phone directory ads).

See here for more on the significant impact of color.

Source: White, Jan V., Color for Impact, Strathmoor Press, April, 1997

Sponsored By: Brand Aid

Color Psychology in Marketing

What colors have you chosen for your marketing materials? What were your reasons for making that particular choice? Was it because you liked those particular colors, or did you have a particular marketing message in mind? While visual appeal is an important consideration, your color choices could be sending a specific message to the people who view them. Are you sure you know what that message is?

You'd be wise to consider the psychology of color when designing your marketing materials. Be it business card, brochure, web site, posters or other material, you'll be making color choices. Colors not only enhance the appearance of the item -- they also influence our behavior. You will do well to consider the impact that the colors you use will have on your target audience.

For instance, have you noticed that most fast food restaurants are decorated with vivid reds and oranges? It's no accident that these colors show up so frequently. Studies have shown that reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave -- and that's exactly what fast food outlets want you to do.

It's also no accident that you see a lot of reds and blacks on adult web sites. These colors are thought to have sexual connotations.

Ever notice that toys, books and children's web sites usually contain large blocks of bright, primary colors? Young children prefer these colors and respond more positively than they do to to pastels or muted blends.

Market researchers have had a field day identifying the colors and the likely effect they have upon us.

Color & Brand Identity

Color is one of the most important components in creating brand identity. The purpose of a brand identity system is to encode a brand in people's memory and retrieve it from their memory. In a visual system, the two most powerful components are the consistent recognizable shapes and colors. (Scents and sounds are more powerful than visuals as understood by Cinnebons and Harley-Davidson.) It is best if these shapes and colors are distinctive (at least within the product category). Color can have a significant affect on people's perception of a product or brand. For instance, burgundy and forest green are perceived to be upscale while an orange label or package indicates an inexpensive item.

Third, colors can actually have an affect on a person's state of mind and cognitive ability as demonstrated by numerous research studies. For instance, pink has been shown to increase a person's appetite and calm prison inmates. Additionally, if your brand is sold outside of North America, be aware that colors can have different symbolic meanings (not all positive) in different countries and cultures.

Sponsored By: Brand Aid

Brand Identity: The Importance of Color

Color is an important consideration in your brand identity system.  Colors have a significant impact on people’s emotional state.  They also have been shown to impact people’s ability to concentrate and learn.  They have a wide variety of specific mental associations.  In fact, the effects are physiological, psychological, and sociological. 

For instance:

•Non-primary colors are more calming than primary colors. 
•Blue is the most calming of the primary colors, followed closely by a lighter red. 
•Test takers score higher and weight lifters lift more in blue rooms. 
•Blue text increases reading retention. 
•Yellow evokes cheerfulness.  Houses with yellow trim or flower gardens sell faster. 
•Reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave.  Red also makes food more appealing and influences people to eat more.  (It is no coincidence that fast food restaurants almost always use these colors.) 
•Pink enhances appetites and has been shown to calm prison inmates. 
•Blue and black suppress appetites. 
•Children prefer primary colors.  (Notice that children’s toys and books often use these colors.) 
•Forest green and burgundy appeals to the wealthiest 3 percent of Americans and often raises the perceived price of an item.
•Orange is often used to make an expensive item seem less expensive. 
•Red clothing can convey power. 
•Red trim is used in bars and casinos because it can cause people to lose track of time. 
•White is typically associated with cool, clean and fresh. 
•Red is often associated with Christmas and orange with Halloween and Thanksgiving. 
•Red and black are often associated with sexy and seductive and are favored by porn sites. 
•Black clothes make people look thinner. 
•Black is also associated with elegance and sophistication.  It also seems mysterious. 
•Black is the favorite color of Goths.

Did You Know? - November 4th

What are the Favorite Colors of American Consumers?

1.Blue
2.Red
3.Green
4.White
5.Pink
6.Purple
7.Orange
8.Yellow

Source: Carlton Wagner, founder of the Wagner Institute for Color Research in Santa Barbara

When it Comes to Colors, Names Matter

I have written before about the importance of color choice in brand identity systems and retail environments.  Recently, The Journal of Consumer Research reported on research conducted by Barbara Kahn of the Wharton School and Elizabeth Gelflan Miller of Boston College.  These two marketing professors conducted research to understand what effect unusual names might have on the popularity of colors and flavors.  They found that unusual names were more popular than expected names if people were given enough time to think about their decisions.  So, while a surprising name might not get someone to buy a color or flavor that he or she does not like, it would make the difference if a person was choosing between two brands of the same color, one bearing a common name and the other an unusual name.  The unusual name will almost always be preferred.  Whether you are in the cosmetic, paint, ice cream, or crayon business, this finding has implications for you.