Colour theory and persuasion in marketing is becoming the most acceptable platform to launch a campaign, thematic or product driven. Several brands have used this window.
Yellow was identified with Lipton before MTN claimed it. When yellow is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is MTN.
Red, green, and orange have also been picked, but Guinness Nigeria, with its new thematic campaign, #madeofblack, has made a familiar statement with the colour ‘black’.
Having trended for over a month in social media, Guinness finally revealed itself last week as being behind #madeofblack that kept everyone guessing.
Guinness has made other pitches, such as ‘Made of More’, ‘My friend Udeme’, “Fly with the Eagles’, and ‘Michael Power’, but the new one focuses on attitude rather than colour.
Guinness Nigeria Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Seni Adetu, disclosed at the launch that #madeofblack redefines black not as a colour but as an attitude that inspires people to greater heights.
“We have signed up some of the finest acts in the entertainment industry; these unique individuals are made of more, made of attitude, made of swag; simply they are Made of Black,” he said.
The company’s Head of Consumer Planning and Research, Tayo Salami, added that it provides a platform for those whose bold, go-getting spirit can inspire others.
“This campaign has been in development for almost two years and we have strived to create a campaign that will reverberate with and also shine a light on a movement that has been created by a new generation of Africans whose boldness cannot be contained.”
There is a lot of conversation around the use of colour in branding.
Zenith Bank and United Bank for Africa (UBA) lay claim to red, Lipton Tea and MTN grab yellow, Etisalat and Glo mumble over the ownership of green, Guaranty Trust Bank’s adoption of orange almost pit it against Orange Telecom.
In a study called the Impact of Colour in Marketing, researchers found that up to 90 per cent of snap judgments made about products can be based on colour alone – depending on the product.
Results from studies such as The Interactive Effects of Colours showed that the relationship between brands and colour hinges on the perceived appropriateness of the colour being used for the particular brand; in other words, does the colour “fit” what is being sold?
The study, Exciting Red and Competent Blue, also confirmed that purchasing intent is greatly affected by colours due to the impact they have on how a brand is perceived.
This means that colours influence how consumers view the “personality” of the brand in question (after all, who would want to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle if they did not get the feeling that Harleys were rugged and cool?)
It is, however, left to be seen how the repositioning by Guinness helps the brand.
