Did you know that 85% of consumers make a purchase based on colour alone? Colour truly shapes consumer perceptions. Why colour may seem like a small deal, it plays a surprisingly powerful role on consumer actions. Have you ever noticed a big red sale sign in the window and gone in to see the sale? Have you ever felt a sense of trust and security from a calm blue bank logo? In marketing colour is not just a choice; it is a psychological tool used to evoke emotions, drive the identity of brands, and even boost sales.
A colour’s impact goes beyond simple visual perception. Colours have the ability to trigger specific emotional responses. Warm colours like yellow and red are stimulating and evoke excitement, urgency, and warmth – I mean who hasn’t been excited when they see the golden arches of McDonalds with the striking red background? But cool colours like blue and green, on the other hand, evoke trust and are calming, making them commonly used in banking and health care. These emotional connections are something you cannot learn; they are deeply rooted in our biology. For instance, red might have evolved as a signal for alert and danger, whilst green symbolises safety and nature.
However, colour perception is not just about science – it is also shaped by cultural and contextual influences. For example, in many Asian cultures the colour red may signify luck but may convey compassion or danger in Western settings.
Studies have shown that attention-grabbing, bright colours prompt consumers to focus quickly, which is effective for highlighting sales and offers. But cooler hues, which promote trust and relaxation, are often usedby brands which want to establish a long-lasting, positive connection with their consumers. Whether it is catching a consumer's eye or guiding them in the right direction, colour has a profound effect on the decisions we make.
One of the brands that dominates the beverage industry is Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola consistently holds the largest share of the global carbonated soft drink (CSD) market, estimated around at around 43.7% as of 2022. This places it far ahead of competitors like PepsiCo, which holds approximately 24.8% of the global CSD market. But how does Coca-Cola do this? We all know the classic Coca-Cola packaging, the red background, and the white writing. But there is much more to this ‘simple’ packaging…
The Coca-Cola brand identity relies on colour more than you think. According to a study by University of Loyola, Maryland, Coca-Cola’s red is so strongly associated with the brand that it is estimated that 70% of brand recognition comes from its red colour alone. The colour psychology behind the colour red is facilitating. Red stimulates appetite and increases heart rate, which is why it is widely used across the food and beverage industry. Coca-Cola’s advertising often uses red backgrounds or red elements to capture and create a sense of urgency which especially in fast-paced, retail environments encourage consumers to impulse buy on the spot. The white writing also plays a crucial role in Coca-Cola’s identity. The red and white creates a uniform look making Coca-Cola become one of the most recognisable brands worldwide, with more than 94% of people worldwide recognising the Coca-Cola logo. Overall, Coca-Cola’s logo, packaging, and marketing materials consistently use colour tactically, whether that be from the powerful red colour or its easily identifiable packaging, colour plays a key role in making Coca-Cola maintain its global position as the #1soft drink brand.
In the world of consumerism colour is more than an aesthetic choice but a crucial element in what makes a brand successful. It drives behaviour, psychological responses, influences the perception of products, and creates identity, differentiating brands. So, the next time you walk past a display in a window or see a marketing campaign stop and feel what you see. After all, ‘In a crowded marketplace, sometimes the right colour can speak louder than words’.
