Colour psychology: Luxury branding – the power of purple
Posted in Branding, colour - psychology, colour and branding, colour education, colour training, colour-psychology, Graphic design, graphic design colour, Interior design, Purple on October 3rd, 2012 by BernayChocolate firm Cadbury has won a part victory in a High Court dispute and successfully applied to register the colour purple as a trade mark for their chocolate.
Thinking that customers would associate eating its chocolate with a rich and indulgent experience, the company adopted the colour in 1905 and has remained very protective of it since!
Before more modern dyeing and colouring processes the colour purple was difficult to obtain and therefore usually only worn by royalty, the higher echelons of the church and the very wealthy. Considered a ‘regal’ colour purple is a symbol of authority and rank.
The ‘Cadbury purple’ (Pantone 2685C) sits firmly in a group of colours whose characteristics are clear and saturated and communicate excellence and sophistication. They work well visually with other similar strong, contrasting colours in a palette.
As well as communicating quality and luxury when used in branding or product design, purple can convey vision, purpose, truth, and authority. Its appeal would be in the offering of something that’s possibly decadadent, a product which we would aspire to have and own.
The colour palette above illustrates how he ‘Cadbury purple ‘ looks at odds with these other variations of pink and yellow, the colours don’t relate and the potential design is in danger of making the brand look inferior. To promote its most positive qualities whether in branding or product design, create a palette around the chosen variation of purple using colours sharing similar characteristics.
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