“Colors used in branding influence consumers’ perception, are used to identify products, and carry meaning that’s evolved into a relationship between the brand and the consumer” (Cunningham 186).
Those were the findings of Meagan K. Cunningham from a survey of how women aged between 18 and 37 perceived color-centric images. In the article titled, “The Value of Color Research in Brand Strategy”, the author states that color exudes emotional and physical reaction in consumers because they associate it with product attributes like quality, price and niche market. Moreover, he found from previous studies that people perceive an organization according to the message communicated by its brand color, and that, unlike taglines and logos, the brain translates color without considering context. As such, people consistently link colors with specific meanings.
For instance, they associate blue with trust and tranquility, purple with power, and green with safety. Consumers also express themselves through color. Therefore, many companies have successfully used color to drive sales through unique selling points. For example, Volkswagen used black color to associate VW Golf with self-sufficiency; the Susan G. Komen Foundation used pink to make US women aware of breast cancer.
Similarly, Jaguar uses black to symbolize elegance and luxury. Pepsi also rebranded itself with electric blue to change its market appeal from that of Coca-Cola. To pass the intended message and reach the desired market niche, companies need to research perception of color before launching their products.
Today, many brands have trademarked colors that identify them in the market. In conclusion, color research helps brands to stick out in the market and appeal deeply to customers. Hence, it helps businesses to maximize success. However, the survey suggests that brand recognition involves many other communicative elements apart from color. Therefore, further research should be done to establish the specific role of color in creating brand-consumer relationships.
Works CitedCunningham, M. K. “The Value of Color Research in Brand Strategy.” Open Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 05, no.
12, 2017, pp. 186-196, doi:10.4236/jss.2017.
512014.
