Do you think a colour can define a brand?

            When it comes to jewelry, what does every (most) girls want? The answer is usually Tiffany & Co.. Whether it be Christmas, a birthday or an anniversary, no girl would say no to the "little blue box". The upscale jewelry company was founded in 1837 (Tiffany & Co. 2014). Tiffany & Co. has been designing bracelets, earrings, rings, and all types of jewelry for a over a hundred years. Tiffany & Co. believes in jewelry to help celebrate the worlds greatest love stories (Tiffany & Co. 2014).
            Tiffany & Co. has successfully positioned itself in a competitive, international market. The majority of their consumers would be able to recognize the baby blue box and acknowledge the branding completed by the company. The distinct shade of baby blue is recognized internationally by consumers and has been trademarked by the company (Solomon, White and Dahl 2013). This demonstrates the new era of sensory marketing in consumer products. In this consumer market, in order to compete companies must pay attention to how their products offer memorable experiences (Solomon, White and Dahl 2013). Some main sensory focuses are sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. Tiffany and Co. excels at the sensory marketing of sight which includes their trademark colour. I find it amazing how something as simple as a colour can help define a brand and influence consumer purchase decision. Colours have the ability to influence emotions and some colours can even help stimulate arousals (Solomon, White and Dahl 2013). The video below demonstrates how Tiffany & Co. has utilized the perception of colour in their advertisements.   

              Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OGltxRxN04

 

            Marketers must be careful when selecting colours in their advertisements, packaging and branding because of their cultural meanings and symbolism (Ciotti, 2013). Colours play a large role in purchase decisions and the appropriate perception of the brand. Research conducted called the "Impact of Colour in Marketing", has discovered that up to 90% of product judgements are derived from colour (Ciotti, 2013). Colour is extremely important in creating brand identity and differentiating companies from their competitors (Ciotti, 2013). The figure below shows some of the most recognizable international brands based on their brand colours. I think it is truly remarkable how a simple colour can define a brand and help increase its overall brand awareness. 

                                    
Source: https://www.google.ca/search?q=colour+emotion&biw=1607&bih=732&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Vx6rVLDqB9imyASrkoLYAw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&dpr=0.85#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Bc9xihQ5k2nyFM%253A%3BtA8dJlbA37MhWM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthelogocompany.net%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F01%252FColor_Emotion_Guide22.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthelogocompany.net%252Fblog%252Finfographics%252Fpsychology-color-logo-design%252F%3B1500%3B1314


            Chapter Two in the Consumer Behaviour textbook by Solomon, White and Dahl, is all about perception and how important it is to consider in the marketing mix. I think Tiffany & Co. has taken full advantage of the importance colour has and used it very effectively on an international level. The “Tiffany & Co. Blue” represents high-quality jewelry, elegant stores, romance, distinctive product positioning, and excellent customer service (Tiffany & Co. 2014). The distinctive shade of blue has been successfully integrated into marketing materials, advertisements and their high-quality packaging. I think that the packaging is represents sophistication, elegance and is something every girl wants to receive. 

         

             When you think about colour, what brands stick out to you? What colours do you think companies should avoid using? Do colours make a difference to you when faced with alternatives?  

 

References

Ciotti, Gregory. 2013. The Psychology of Color in Marketing and Branding. August 3rd. Accessed September 2014. http://www.helpscout.net/blog/psychology-of-color

Solomon, Michael, Katherine White, and Darren W. Dahl. 2013. Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, Being Sixth Edition. Canada : Pearson.

Tiffany & Co. 2014. Tiffany and Co. . Accessed September 2014. http://www.tiffany.ca/WorldOfTiffany/TiffanyStory/Default.aspx

What was your first car?

            Welcome readers! This is officially my first blog post, ever. My name is Emily Dowsett and I am a fourth year Commerce student with a concentration in Marketing and Management. In my free time I love to play soccer, to snowboard, am obsessed with my two golden retrievers and enjoy spending time with my friends. This blog is going to be centered around my own consumer behaviour as well as societies with a specific focus on common purchases. In addition, my own opinions and thoughts about my personal experiences will be provided to give more of an insight into my life. I think this blog gives me a great opportunity to reflect on marketing strategies and common purchase behaviour.
            My first post is called "Conflicting Car Choice" because I officially purchased my very first car. Consumer behaviour can be studied in terms of “when individuals or groups select, purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas or experiences to satisfy needs and desires” (Solomon, White and Dahl 2013, 4). This was extremely relevant when I was deciding what kind of car to purchase. Due to a series of events, I had to research and purchase the car within a short time period of only two weeks. I had moved out to my dad's house in Carp and need a car to be able to drive to school each day. This was an on going, complex process due to the large purchase and multiple competing factors. I was only at the beginning of the process. The first stage is the pre-purchase issue which is when someone decides that they have a need for a specific product. The next stage is the purchase issue which is the actual purchasing of the product (aka my car). A consumer perspective on the ongoing process is much different when comparing it with the perspective of the marketer. A consumer is concerned with functionality, cost and convenience. A marketer will concentrate on the four marketing P's of price, promotion, product and place. For example, during the purchase stage, the marketer is more concerned with the situational environment and making the product as easily accessible to the consumer.

            As you may know, there are hundreds of questions concerning the purchase of a car. The top questions and/or requirements for me were the following: cost, new or used, gas efficiency, safety features (this was my dad's list topper), colour (more me), and length of the warranty.

                             

           



           

              There were so many options to consider and so many different types of cars. From the colour of the cars to the different companies to the costs. It was very overwhelming as a first time consumer with only having a very, very basic knowledge of cars. I began my search online and there was mass amounts of information for me to read through. There were so many advertisements between the different car dealerships which all including features, pictures, promotions, warranties, and much more. In addition to print and online advertisements, there were also multiple commercials that caught my attention when searching online. One of my top choices was the Mazda 3. Below is a recent commercial highlighting all of the product features and showcasing its technological advanced ability. I found it interesting how some car commercials differed in their focuses. Some car commercials focus on humor, others have an emotional appeal (family brands), or even focus on comparisons to other cars.   

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHLROr5awgU

            Academic sources confirm that a “consumers’ decision making is the integration process by which knowledge is combining to evaluate two or more alternative behavior and select one” (Yee, C.J. and N.C. San, 2011). This was extremely relevant during the first week of primary research. After the first week, my father and I had narrowed down the choices to a Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, or the Mazda 3 as mentioned above. We then needed to make a decision between these three alternatives. In order to have a better feel for the product, we went on three test drives at three different dealerships. Every sales person was very informative and asked personal questions to get a better understanding of my personal needs and wants. As mentioned above, there are many stages in the consumer purchase decisions process. By the end of all three visits at the dealerships, I need to evaluate all of the alternatives and make a purchase decision. After experiencing the steps in consumer purchasing, I able to drive away in my brand new, harbour grey, 2014 Hyundai Elantra. I absolutely love my car and believe I made the best decision that suited me. Something I found interesting from a marketing perspective  was the amount of effort the sales representatives put on after sales service. I think because its such a purchase decision, the sales representatives want to limit cognitive dissonance. They make effort in making sure everything is okay with the car and provide all kinds of service check-up's. So far, after three weeks, I am very happy with my decision and gain a greater understanding of making a large consumer purchase.   

            What was the last big purchase you made? What criteria did you follow in making the purchase decision? Have you ever experienced cognitive dissonance after making a large purchase?  


References

Solomon, Michael, Katherine White, and Darren W. Dahl. 2013. Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, Being Sixth Edition. Canada : Pearson.

Yee, C.J. and N.C. San, 2011. Consumers' perceived quality, perceived value and perceived risk towards purchase decision on automobile. Am. J. Econ. Bus. Admin., 3: 47-57.