Lauren
If you suddenly appeared at a retail store where everything, from the signs to the employee’s shirts, was bright red, you wouldn’t even need to ask anyone to know you were in Target. However, while Target is well known for its white and red brand colors that adorn their signature bullseye sign and their bull terrier mascot, they have started to integrate some different colors into their stores’ designs and have been using less red.
Target has recently added more grey and green into their stores on grocery aisle signs, branding on their store brand products, and product information signs on their shelves. This has left some people wondering why they are willing to cut back on their brand colors even though their signature bright red is so popular among consumers.
The answer to this has a lot to do with consumer psychology.
When it comes to marketing to consumers, there is more to color choices than what might initially meet the eye. Colors can influence the way consumers feel about a brand, and they can play a role in how long a customer stays in a store and what products the customer is drawn to during their visit.
Red, for instance, is a color that captivates attention and is associated with action and excitement. For this reason, many retailers use red on advertisements or on signs about a product sale.
This is one reason why Target has started using more neutral colors for a lot of its products and signage. At most Target stores, signs on product shelves advertising discounts or limited-time sales are red to draw the attention of shoppers. If all of the signs in the store were red, they would no longer stand out and catch the eye. Consumers would tune out all of the red signs, and Target would have a harder time suggesting products in their stores.
When brands try to keep up with trending colors and use color psychology to help customers make specific associations with their products, it can pay off in the long run. However, it can also make it seem like these brands are sacrificing their current brand colors, which are important for forming brand recognition and loyalty.
In order to maintain a proper balance between integrating new colors and holding on to current brand colors, businesses must be strategic with their use of colors. For instance, using the isolation effect can help a brand’s original colors stand out against neutral backgrounds, and making sure the brand logo is visible even in areas where different colors are used can help retain brand familiarity.
Considering color psychology can make a significant difference for a brand’s bottom line, and businesses should consider implementing colors that will have a positive influence on their target customers, even if these colors are not the ones they traditionally use for their branding.
