Reveal your true colours – Martin Oates Dental Express
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 2nd August 2018
There are many different factors that influence a consumer’s decision to purchase a product or service, but colour remains the most persuasive element of marketing. This is unsurprising considering vision is our most dominant sense, which is why most companies focus on implementing colour as part of business branding and advertising. While approximately ninety seconds is all it takes for someone to form an impression of a person, product or environment, dental practices cannot afford to disregard colour as part of an effective marketing strategy.[i]
In fact, 85% of consumers place colour as the primary reason for purchasing a product and a signature colour can increase brand recognition by as much as 80%.[ii]Numerous studies have explored the ways in which colour can have an effect on each individual, with personal preference, experiences, cultural differences and context all playing a part in how we react towards specific colours. The most successful companies are able to influence their target market simply by choosing the right combination of colours to promote their brand, as well as the products and services they sell.
Cadbury’s chocolate, for instance, is instantly recognisable as a result of the brand’s use of the colour purple (Pantone 2685C or so-called “Cadbury’s purple”), which is often representative of royalty and success. Cadbury had attempted to trademark the colour that had long distinguished it from competitors, but this was rejected on the basis of failing to comply with requirements for trademark registration.[iii]While the idea of trademarking a colour may be slightly bemusing, Cadbury demonstrates how some of the world’s leading brands will go to extreme lengths to use colours as a way of appealing to consumers.
Other companies, particularly those in the fast-food industry, have been manipulating our buying behaviour for years. They use colour – rather than words or shapes – as a way of communicating to the brain and triggering an emotional response. McDonald’s is one of many fast-food brands that has used red and yellow ever since its conception, attracting busy families with children and workers-on-the-go. The colour red increases appetite and creates a sense of urgency, thereby prompting customers to order food in a hurry. Red is also representative of danger, so it is unsurprising that it is not often used in a healthcare setting, other than for warnings.
Cheer and optimism, however, is represented by the colour yellow, which is used in the trademark “M” that McDonald’s has become renowned for. Even at a distance, the combination of both red and yellow attracts attention, while also stimulating excitement and energy. The success of McDonald’s is reliant on this instant reaction in order to keep customers coming back to its restaurants time and time again for affordable fast-food. However, as attitudes have shifted towards healthier lifestyles, some people are favouring a more upscale restaurant experience. This is perhaps why McDonald’s has chosen to use green as part of its rebranding campaign, promoting itself to consumers as a natural and environmentally friendly business similar to companies like Starbucks.[iv]
Global social media and technology companies have used colour to represent the “personality” and values of a brand. Facebook and Twitter use blue as a way of promoting interaction and conveying to people that they are trustworthy, reliable brands. Most other colours can distract a consumer, whereas blue is non-invasive and allows readers to absorb the information they are given – you probably do not realise how little attention you pay to the blue borders of Facebook’s website, for instance. As blue is also a soothing colour, some health institutes – including dental practices – use it to decorate interior spaces as a way of calming the mind, for the benefit of anxious patients.[v]
On the other hand, black is by far the most popular colour for representing luxury brands, with 34% of the world’s top businesses using the colour in their logo.iiSportswear companies like Nike, Adidas and Puma use black, not simply in their logos, but frequently in the design of their products as a way of representing themselves as powerful, credible and timeless brands. You might also have noticed that high-end cosmetics are frequently packaged in black, promoting a brand’s sophistication and class.
Evidently, the use of colour in branding can be fine tuned depending on the needs of any business. Dental practices can utilise colour as a way of reflecting their commitment to high quality care. With the Vibrenté range of dental consumables supplied exclusively by Dental Express, you can pick gloves, squat cups, bibs and aspirator tips from a variety of colours. These are all designed to help create a more inviting and comfortable practice environment, while serving as a positive visual representation of your practice as a company.
Although colours hold different associations to each individual, many of the brands we know and love have mastered the use of colour to attract and retain loyal customers. Consider this carefully when implementing future marketing campaigns for your practice.
For more information, visit www.dental-express.co.uk, call on 0800 707 6212 or contact our Trusted Advisor, Martin Oates at martin.oates@dental-express.co.uk
[i]Gopikrishna, R. and Kumar, M. (2015) A conceptual study on psychology of colour in marketing and branding. IJER. 12(2):501-505. Link: http://www.serialsjournals.com/serialjournalmanager/pdf/1435299483.pdf. [Last accessed: 23.04.18].
[ii]Global Banking & Finance Review. (2017) Colour increases brand recognition by 80%, but how many brands can you name from colour alone? Link: https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/colour-increases-brand-recognition-by-80-but-how-manybrands-can-you-name-from-colour-alone/. [Last accessed: 23.04.18].
[iii]BBC. (2013) Cadbury loses legal fight over use of colour purple. Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24401249. [Last accessed: 23.04.18].
[iv]Michael, J. (Unknown) McDonald’s Rebrand: Brilliant Strategy Or Foolish Failure? Link: http://www.caledonvirtual.com/branding/mcdonalds-rebrand-brilliant-strategy-or-foolish-failure. [Last accessed: 23.04.18].
[v]Shandrow, K. L. (2015) How the Color of Your Office Impacts Productivity (Infographic). Link: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243749. [Last accessed: 23.04.18].
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