Part One - The Human Factor

(was supposed to be written by Matt but he’s ill with tooth ache)

I find after many years of study that the human factor has been missing from advertising as a whole. Many companies especially in technical fields have very rigid or lack of approachability. What I also find is that these types of companies draw hard lines in what they believe should be the focus of their company. How can we as consumers relate to a company that is lacking in the human feel? The answer to that question is easy; we cannot relate. In this two-part article I will try to explain how to give you company an approachable feel and a human touch.

It starts with your company’s indentity

Your logo is the very first impression for your company. If a logo is too complicated or lacking in depth you can lose valuable visual first impressions. I have found that text based logos have made the biggest impression with consumers. The reason for this is simple; words clearly denote meaning, as they require hardly any mental interpretation, even compared to iconic symbols. Our brains are used to picking out and interpreting strong words. That does not mean that an iconic symbol does not have a place in your company identity. The McDonald’s ‘M’, Nike’s swoosh and Apple’s apple are all powerful icons, which can stand alone. But they only have meaning because of our long experience with those brands. For new brands, or re-designed brands that don’t have high existing visibility in their markets, symbolic logos can be weaker than word-based logos, because they do not have the natural characteristics described above. On the other hand, symbols can be powerful when they are iconic, i.e. they make use of established signs that represent something the consumer already knows and understands. Iconic symbols are effective cognitive shortcuts: such as scales representing justice, house representing home and family, umbrella representing protection etc. If you keep these things in mind while you are going through the design process, you will bring a clear meaning of what you company does and what it represents.

How colour can quickly change a first impression

The meaning of colours varies depending on one’s culture, race, gender, and even age. So, it is not just the selection of colours in general but also which colours to use with your target customers. For instance, white is often associated with weddings in North America and evokes the feeling of innocence. In Eastern cultures, white signifies death. An exporter of white wedding gowns to China would go broke in no time. Several large brand companies associated with their corporate colours. IBM - Big Blue Signifies stability and conservatism. UPS - Brown symbolises logetivity and reliability. A colour can be connected to a product like Tide; in the bold orange box, evoking the feeling of vibrancy.

Consider the meaning of the following colours on your business marketing:

White: Pure. Clean. Youthful. It is a neutral colour that can imply purity in fashion and sterilization in the medical profession.

Black: Power. Elegant. Secretive. The colour black can target your high-end market or be used in youth marketing to add mystery to your image.

Red: Passion. Excitement. Danger. Red is the colour of attention, causing the blood pressure and heart rate to rise. Use red to inject excitement into your brand.

Orange: Vibrant. Energy. Play. Add some fun to your company if you want to create a playful environment for your customers.

Yellow: Happy. Warm. Alert. Yellow can be an attractor for your business with a relaxed feeling.

Green: Natural. Healthy. Plentiful. To create a calming effect or growth image choose green. Go green go!

Purple: Royalty. Wise. Celebration. Maybe add some purple tones to your look for your premium service business.

Blue: Loyal. Peaceful. Trustworthy. Blue is the most popular and neutral colour on a global scale. A safe choice for a business building customer loyalty.

Consider how these colours are used in your company marketing materials from logos and brochures to your website. Are your colours projecting the personality and image you want? If not, it may be time for a colour makeover.

In the end, remember colours have meaning.

In part two of this article I will talk about your web presence as well as printed materials and how each of them can effect your business in a positive way.

If you have any questions or theories, add your comments.

Thanks, Matt.