A while back we offered insight into the right kind of colors to use in your small business marketing. Do they really matter and, if so, what kind of guidance can help you choose the right mix for your small business. Today we pose a topic that will reverberate throughout the marketing and business community since it has to deal with the ongoing BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and its affect on business and local lives.
Should you avoid using the color green in your marketing, advertising and promotions since today it makes many people think (negatively) of BP? This includes all branding and printed pieces like direct mailings, postcards, promotional flyers, and newsletters. It also includes online marketing and communications, like emails, landing pages, blogs, websites and even social media themes.
Drive down any street and if you see a sign that’s shouting the color green, I bet you initially think it’s a BP gas station. Not just because the color is a vibrant part of their gas stations on almost every corner, but also because we’re now used to seeing it on a nightly basis on almost every television news report.
Ever since late spring, when you think of BP (and that green), do you get a warm, happy feeling or just the opposite?
Consider that there was a time not long ago when BP’s brand and use of green was actually helping the company in its public opinion and perception. But with the spill, these perceptions have taken a nose dive for not just BP but many others in the oil industry.
Perhaps this is an unfair blog post calling out the color green, but with all the negative attention and perceptions being shaped through BP’s efforts, is it time to pull the plug in using green in your marketing?
In our related blog post we learned that green represents several characteristics when it comes to marketing for a company. Abundance, cool, nature, growth and fresh are all part of the green value proposition in marketing. If your company represents any one of these characteristics, it might be time to find an alternate color.
Here are other colors and what they represent:
White: mild, pure, youthful, clean
Red: excitement, sex, speed, passion, danger, strength
Orange: vibrant, warmth, playfulness
Pink: security, soft, nurture, sweet
Yellow: sunshine, happiness, cheer, warmth
Blue: reliability, coolness, belonging (also the most used color)
Purple: dignity, spirituality, royal
Black: mystery, sophistication, seductive, elegant
Silver: scientific, prestige, cold
Gold: expensive, prestige
Keep in mind we’re not saying if you have green predominantly displayed throughout your marketing people will start picketing outside your facility. That is absolutely not the message. Nevertheless, companies spend tens of millions on every aspect of marketing because they take every inch of strategy very seriously. The chosen color is no different than any other element of this decision-making process.
There’s no doubt that BP has created a very negative perception for itself. The use of green in their marketing is now easily identifiable with every aspect of the company. Perhaps the color of oil is the only color more identifiable with BP. If you can consider switching over to a color that’s out of the negative limelight (pun not intended), it may be wise to do so
What’s your take? Is green an innocent victim of the BP fallout?
Chrisanne Sternal is founder of UnderstandingMarketing.com and Sternal Consulting, which advises entrepreneurs and small businesses on all aspects of their marketing strategies.
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Yes, you should avoid using green becuase of BP.
You should also avoid red (communism ), blue (AIG and other financial institutions), black (Darth Vader) and orange (the colour of a Tiger).
Honestly, any colour can be negative. But I guess writing about BP is a good way to piggy back on massively popular search terms.
We got lots of interesting comments and feedback on this one. In all honesty we often put up some blog posts because our readers pose questions to us and we feel compelled to address them and in turn toss the question out to the blog’s community. Besides, we’d appear slightly out of touch if we didn’t have relevant content, right? Can only imagine if we started blogging about Three Mile Island. We’d get the same looks as if CNN or FOX started doing round the clock coverage of the Berlin Wall coming down. (sometimes it’s really NOT all about piggy backing on massively popular search terms but rather delivering and provoking conversation that everyone’s talking about)
John, I’m a RED guy.
(I know that Purple is supposed to be a King’s color. Can’t get there)
The Franchise King®
Certainly, we can’t remove colors from video clips or traditional corporate colors. However, you bring up a good point, because as BP likely chose green due to its obvious environmental association, they’ve not moved it to the other end, perception-wise.
I’d certainly heed your advice when it comes to choosing tones of graphic elements. At least it may cause people to weigh out automatically using (over-using) green as THE environmental color.
King, I’d expect nothing less of you lol!
Kevin, thanks for the comment. This is certainly a touchy subject because there is so much emotion involved for tens of millions who’ve been personally affected. We’re not trying to tell small businesses to remove green from their marketing. But, it’s a subject that should at least be explored in strategy and decision making for marketing.
This was very enlightening. I have been in the middle of redesigning a blog with WordPress, and founf the list of colors and their associations in helping to resolve how I will design it.
Hi Chrisanne, To answer your question “What’s your take? Is green an innocent victim of the BP fallout?” I would say I don’t think so, at least not on a conscious level.
When I take into account the negative feelings towards BP, I don’t only associate the colors but the logo as well.
I think the combination of these to things is what causes the negative impact.
However, I don’t spend thousands of dollars researching stuff such as this, and I do know that people are affected by colors. Very interesting article I have to say.
Thanks for sharing!
Well i really like the way you define colors for small business marketing. Truly amazing.
Thanks for the comment, Ed.
Thanks a bunch, iPhone. We love your phone!!
With its joint meanings of environmental friendliness and financial success, I’ve been using green since at least 1999. I’ve done my last four books with green covers (two self-published, two traditionally published), most of my websites have a green motif.
I am NOT willing to let BP hold this color hostage. I’d feel a bit silly calling myself the Blue/Ethical Marketing Expert. But I don’t think I’d be looking to combine that particular shade of green with a sun graphic any time soon.
Still Green and proud,
Shel Horowitz, primary author of Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green
Thanks for the comment, Shel.