The Red Dress

In 2006 Delta Airlines unveiled some new looks in flight attendant uniforms. Among them was a red dress. The dress was designed to provide attendants with a classier, and somewhat sexier, look. But there is a problem. It seems that the dress is only made up to a size 18 and now the union representing the flight attendants wants it made to a size 28.

The fact is, a red dress in a size 28 is a different image than a red dress in a size 18 or smaller. And every company should be able to put forth the type of image it feels best represents their brand. Image is one of the key elements in marketing and branding.

In the case of Delta, the significance of the color red for the dress is important. Red exudes power and sex appeal. Color is the subtle influence used to establish brands. If Coca Cola changed the color of its famous red logo by using a 50% red, creating a rosy pink logo instead, it would significantly change the perception of the brand.

When I was responsible for building newsstand sales for a variety of magazines, I found that the color chosen for the magazines’ names, as they appeared on the covers each month, had an impact on the number of copies we would sell of each issue for each title.

As a result of the on-going color and picture testing we did with our magazine covers, we developed formulas for what colors and images to use to maximize our sales. Once established, we never deviated from those colors.

Color has an intense influence on our subconscious.

In process color there are 24,000 possible CMYK combinations. Pantone continually adds new color formulas and variables to create different shades and nuances of color.

Color sets moods. It inspires emotions. It makes statements. Color can trigger memories (good or bad). It can create tension or tranquility. It can soothe or arouse. We all respond emotionally to colors.

That’s why color is one of the most important decisions to make in creating and establishing a brand. And, once established, it could spell disaster to attempt to re-launch a brand using a new color palette.

What if McDonald’s golden arches were silver?

Would Victoria’s Secret lose its sassy image if it didn’t have hot pink as the color of its packaging?

Perhaps the best-branded color in the world has been done by Tiffany. There is no mistaking the robin’s egg blue color of a Tiffany box. I have been fortunate enough to have received gifts purchased at Tiffany’s and I still have every Tiffany box.

As you think about the colors you choose for your logo, products, packaging and image here are some things you should know about the way consumers respond to color.

Red is the most sensual color in the palette and stimulates emotion more than any other color. Analysts have connected our responses to color based on wavelengths. Red has the longest wavelength and it attracts and stimulates the eye faster. That gives it tremendous power.

Women wearing red lipstick are perceived to be more bold, sexy and dangerous than those wearing pink and mauve colors.

Blues and Greens have shorter wavelengths, which make them more soothing and peaceful. A person with high blood pressure might actually improve his or her health by living in a home decorated in soft blues and soft greens. Soothing, shorter wavelength colors have been shown to actually lower blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates.

Blue is most often associated with trust, excellence and leadership. For that reason it is the most popular color used by business. IBM even became known as “Big Blue.” When someone refers to a business as a “blue ribbon company” it is understood that means they’re #1.

Green is dominant for the image of nature, the environment and health. The green movement, green energy, etc. are all terms associated with a more natural, healthy way to live. When ChemLawn changed to a natural lawn treatment they called it TruGreen. Because green is also the color of money in the U.S., it is frequently used by companies in the financial services industry. Dark green combined with gold is often used to imply wealth.

Pink is associated with femininity. Toys and dolls manufactured for young girls are overwhelmingly presented in pinks, lavenders and soft purples. It isn’t sexist. Those are colors young girls like and that makes for good marketing and merchandising.

Hot, Bright Colors such as Yellow, Orange and Hot Pink are used to express cheerfulness, energy and excitement. Apple Computers used color to easily communicate the message that the iMac computer is fun to use when they started manufacturing it in bright, cheerful colors while PCs continued to be boring gray.

Gray is perceived as dull, lifeless and cheerless.

Black, Silver and Dark Blues communicate mystery, elegance and intrigue. Look at ads for upscale brands and you’ll see that black is the dominant color.

White continues to be the color of purity, innocence and cleanliness, used for both weddings and babies.

Brown is generally the color least-liked by consumers. Yet UPS has been extremely successful adapting the color for their identity with the slogan “What can brown do for you?” It is solid and down to earth.

Fed Ex, on the other hand, took the colors Purple (for royalty) and Orange (for energy) and combined them with white (purity) for a bright and bold adaptation of red, white and blue using a different spectrum.

When you look at color and how to use it to communicate your brand, it’s true that we don’t all respond to colors the same way. Each person has his or her preferences and reasons for relating to color. But color is a powerful marketing tool and can be the difference in which bar of soap you’ll pick up from the supermarket shelf.

The Color Marketing Group in Alexandria, VA are the color experts. Their studies find that color increases brand recognition up to 80% and can contribute up to 85% of the reason people decide to purchase. The bottom line, when thinking about color for your products and your image is, Color Sells!

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