Color and its significance in global marketing

Marketing research has focused primarily on the quality of products and the price offering when establishing the criteria for consumer purchasing decisions (Schiffman & Wisenblit, 2015). However, color is increasingly becoming an essential component of consideration with researchers increasingly identifying its significant in consumers’ purchasing decisions. Hence, Coca-Cola has become associated with the color red, UPS has a distinct association to brown and McDonald’s distinctive color is yellow. These organizations are aware of the significant role that efficient use of color plays in creating a positive perception among consumers. These organizations understand that color is critical in memory recall as well as in stimulating consumers’ senses and conveying an important message in an efficient manner than many other marketing approaches (Clow & Baack, 2007). Thus, this discussion focuses on the importance of color as it relates to Coca Cola’s advertising or packaging when focusing on the different meanings and cultures and segment markets.

The Coca-Cola Company is one of the largest companies in the world with global presence in almost every corner of the world. The company, whose operations have their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, is renowned for the famous soft drink Coca-Cola as well as other popular beverages. The focus of this discussion, however, shall be on the Coca-Cola soft drink, which is synonymous with the company in different aspects. First, the company borrows its name from this popular soft drink while the color of the soft drink, red, represents the color that is associated with the brand that is Coca-Cola Company.

Concerning the use of color in Coca-Cola Company, red is synonymous with the company as well as its most popular soft drink, which is the face of the company. According to Spence et al. (2010), business organizations amplify the smell and taste of different foods and beverages by adding colors. In this case, some colors make foods and beverages appear to be non-tasty or even be associated with awful smells. Indeed, studies indicate that the color red makes foods and beverages smell and taste better (Sørensen et al., 2003). By using red in its popular soft drink and as its brand color, therefore, Coca-Cola sends the message that their products are sweet with this strategy making consumers act by purchasing products from the company based on the red color.

Different colors produce different effects based on the cultural undertones in various regions of the world. With globalization, it is significant for business organizations to consider the colors that they used to package their products as well as package their promotional messages. According to Jacobs et al. (1991), the color red sends a message to an individual’s brain that signals a chemical reaction that raises their heartbeat and their body temperatures, which signifies an attraction to the color. Hence, a consumer more likely to choose a product packaged in color red in comparison to any other product packaged in a different color. By packaging its popular soft drink with red labels as well as using the same color for the company’s brand, Coca-Cola seeks to attract individual consumers to its products, which have become popular in different parts of the world.

Culture plays a significant role in the meaning that individuals attach to color. Hence, consumers attach a lot of relevance to color just as they do to words. Therefore, a global company, such as Coca-Cola, should be aware of the color implications when developing its global marketing and promotion strategies. At every level of marketing, color plays a dominant role right from the display, brand logo, product packaging, the product and company’s image of the product as well as the color of the product (Labrecque & Milne, 2011). Therefore, it is critical to understand the approaches in which different consumers perceive the message based on the choice of color an organization uses and their culture’s perception on the color. For instance, color red signifies happiness among Chinese consumers, it signifies celebrations among the Japanese, it is sacred among the Mexicans and it is the universal color of love among different cultures (Priluck Grossman, & Wisenblit, 1999).

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Although not exhaustive, this discussion has elucidated the importance role that color plays in a company’s advertising or packaging as it relates to the different meanings and cultures and segment markets with reference to Coca Cola’s distinctive red color. Red is synonymous with Coca Cola’s brand image, packaging as well as the company’s most popular soft drink. The association of the color with emotions of love, happiness, attractiveness and other positive emotions has contributed to the global success that the company has achieved in its marketing and promotional strategy.