Clear communication is critical to your brand’s success. Poor wording, bad font choices, inattention to design and inaccurate translation are just a few of the things that can end up sending a message you never intended to send.

This time around we thought we’d share a few laughs by showcasing examples of communication that was clear and to the point, communication that’s not quite so clear and a few cases where the message seems to have been lost in translation.

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Color communicates. It can provide direction and clarity. When language fails color can offer valuable associations with people, places and things. Shamrock green. Fire engine red. School bus yellow. Midnight black. Sky blue. The mere act of reading those words evokes distinct images and feelings. Color induces subtle emotions and elicits powerful responses. Because color’s impact is so profound its role as a brand signal should not be underestimated.

Humans process, store and remember images more efficiently with color. A study conducted by the University of Loyola, Maryland concluded that color increases brand recognition by up to 80%. Over time, thoughtful and consistent use of color becomes emblematic of a brand and can be as powerful an identifier as the corporate name and logo.

Automotive icon Enzo Ferrari once said of his namesake sports cars, “It’s not a Ferrari if it’s not red”. And, of course, Ferraris are no ordinary red, they’re Rosso Corsa (race red) – the official Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile designated racing color of Italy. With one vivid stroke a single color identifies the company and products, symbolizes their raison d’etre, and embodies the proud racing heritage of a nation. The effects are profound.

Ferrari is one example of many leading global brands that have utilized the associative and emotional impact of color to create an advantage. Consider the iconic green and yellow of John Deere tractors and farm equipment; so woven into the fabric and history of the heartland they’re almost as American as red, white and blue.

More than a decade ago Apple infused color into the beige world of computers with the vibrant launch of the iMac. Today, lack of color provides a vivid visual cue for the Apple brand, with minimal black, white and gray tones befitting the elegant simplicity of their designs and user experience. While a brilliant spectrum of colors distinguishes their iPod lineup it’s the distinctive stark white earbuds that are immediately identifiable.

Color can cheer your customers up or calm them down. Color can increase employee productivity or make people sick and tire them out. The right color can communicate product attributes such as flavor, freshness and purity, while the wrong color may unintentionally communicate an insulting cultural bias.

Consider these color facts when designing your brand palette:

• Among adults, blue is the most liked color worldwide. According to several studies, adults prefer blue, followed by red, green, purple, yellow and orange. Nearly 50% of those surveyed in an American Roper Organization study named blue as their favorite color.
  
  
• Yellow is the first hue recognized by infants. At first, newborns only perceive differences between light and dark, but then their eyes are drawn to the most luminous color in the spectrum – yellow.
  
  
• Blues and greens are favored by the elderly. Eye lenses yellow with advancing age, which may explain why elderly people gravitate toward hues of shorter wavelengths, and sometimes feel starved for blue.
  
  
• Overexposure to yellow puts people in a bad mood. Bright lemon yellow is the most luminous color in the spectrum and the most fatiguing if viewed for long periods of time. Conversely, it is the most cheerful if seen at a glance. Studies show that couples fight more, and babies cry more, in lemon yellow rooms.
  
  
• Pink has a calming effect. Interestingly, while red is the most energizing color passive pink has a sedating effect. The California children’s probation department found that violent children have fewer outbursts when placed in a passive pink room. All inmates in Arizona’s Maricopa County Sheriff’s corrections facilities are issued pink underwear.
  
  
• Green is the most restful color to the eyes because its light rays fall most directly on the retina. Though considered an unflattering fashion color, green has risen in popularity as people have become more environmentally minded.
  
  
• 68% of the top 100 brands studied in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2012 report use a single color. Only 5% use more than two. 41% use black or gray; 34% use red; 32% use blue; 16% use yellow or gold.

Studies conducted by the Institute for Color Research demonstrate that consumers form initial judgments about a product within 90 seconds. Between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone. So, if color is communicating on behalf of your brand, what is it saying?

The truth is, different things to different people. Though we all see the same colors, we interpret and remember them through the lens of our varying experiences. What some view as a lovely yellow ocher others may view as, well, vomit. And, despite Enzo’s decree, plenty of people don’t like red cars – even Ferraris. Ultimately, color is subjective. So, what do you do when considering color options that will represent your brand? Start by keeping these tips in mind:

• Select a color you can own: Consider a color unique in your channel. Color associations increase brand recognition and build brand equity. That distinctive blue box with a white ribbon announces there’s no ordinary bauble inside, but a Tiffany & Co. bauble. The difference in perception is significant before the box is even opened and the gift revealed.
  
  
• Understand cultural significance: Because color connotations vary greatly among cultures you must be aware of positive and negative associations. In China green is used for stop while red means go because red is the national symbol of communism. Chinese brides wear red to symbolize fertility, whereas in the United States a white wedding gown symbolizes purity, the color of death and mourning in many Asian cultures.
  
  
• Consistency is king: Whether print, pixel or paint; on paper, screen or fabric, your palette should be consistent. Your logo should appear the same color on your business card as it does on your signage or the embroidery on a uniform. Corporate colors are sacred. Coca Cola red is never Coca Cola reddish-orange.
  
  
• Understand differences in technology and production processes: Electronic file formats affect color in different ways. A CMYK .eps file set up for printing does not treat color the same way as an RGB .jpg file intended for onscreen graphics. Variations will also occur between process printing and spot color printing. Coated versus uncoated papers, and gloss versus dull finishes can completely change the complexion of color. Differences can be significant – and detrimental – if care is not taken.

• Consider the costs: Mixing a truly unique color from scratch can surely produce one-of-a-kind results. However, the cost of reproducing the color for all applications can become expensive, and custom mixes are often difficult to manage and more likely to result in errors. Distinctive colors and color themes can be had by utilizing commonly available resources. The Pantone Matching System is the industry standard for printing, and provides a broad spectrum of colors. Resources like Pantone offer economical options that are easy to reproduce consistently.
  
  
• Once you own it, really own it: Protecting a distinctive color is as important as protecting your logo, slogan, or other visual elements of your brand identity. Trademarking your color(s) will shield you from copycats seeking to infringe upon your brand equity. A Color Trademark protects colors used to perform the trademark function of uniquely identifying the commercial origin of products or services. The UPS brown, for instance, dubbed Pullman Brown, was trademarked by the company to prevent competitors from applying it to their branding.

As I’ve shown, there’s far more to color than meets the eye. From your office spaces or retail spaces, to your mobile apps and web site, to your product packaging and printed collateral, where and how you apply color speaks volumes about your brand. Color can communicate with a whisper or a shout. Find your voice.

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Effective holiday marketing means much more than tired gift card promotions and early-bird sales. Gimmicks might spur short-term gains with bargain shoppers but they don’t build long-term relationships that will grow and sustain your business. Loyalty that lasts well after the ornaments are packed away comes from connecting with consumers emotionally.

You don’t do that with discounts. You do it by wrapping your brand in the whimsy, warmth and spirit of the season and making it an indelible part of people’s holiday traditions. Savvy brands have been subtly – and not so subtly – shaping secular Christmas mythology for decades.

Don’t believe that brands have that kind of influence? You probably don’t believe in Santa Claus, either. This post will change your mind – on both counts. Many modern holiday motifs actually originated as seasonal marketing initiatives; none more indelibly than the modern Santa Claus archetype.

Santa’s Jersey Roots

In 1931 the marketing team with Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company faced a perplexing problem. Coke was viewed as a seasonal product synonymous with sun and fun. For decades, sales of the saccharine soda swelled during the spring and summer but waned in the winter. The company desperately wanted to convince consumers that Coke was a cold weather drink as well. Over the years a variety of marketing campaigns had attempted to do just that by linking Coke to the most ubiquitous winter figure in popular culture – Santa Claus. Numerous campaigns had been launched but the creative never “clicked” and ensuing seasonal sales had remained flat.

Undaunted, the intrepid creative team mustered the marketing moxie to take another crack at a Coke/Claus campaign. One wonders how they sold the 7-time-loser of an idea to senior management… “Okay, we know this concept hasn’t worked for the past seven years, but we have a really good feeling about this year.” Actually, what they had was a fresh new spin on an old idea and they were given the green light. The eighth time would prove to be the charm.

Coca-Cola wasn’t the first soft drink company to use Santa Claus in its advertising. White Rock Beverages of New York used Santa in ads for ginger ale and mineral water as early as 1915. In fact, advertisers had employed St. Nick as pitchman for years by portraying various global incarnations from wizened old sage to a magical troll. This time around Coke’s creative team sought to establish the definitive Santa archetype for their contemporary audience and turned to New Jersey-based illustrator Haddon Sundblom to conceive the Kringle for their new campaign.

Sundblom drew inspiration from traditional as well as unlikely sources. Clement Clark Moore’s 1822 poem A Visit From St. Nicholas (commonly referred to as The Night Before Christmas) provided literary context while Sundblom’s plump, jovial next door neighbor – a retired salesman named Lou Prentice – actually posed for the paintings. Hey, inspiration is everywhere if your imagination is in focus.

Sundblom’s interpretation of the larger-than-life, grandfatherly “jolly old elf” – clad in Coca-Cola red and white – was a departure from many historical depictions and became an instant hit when introduced at the 1931 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Winter sales of Coke skyrocketed and something unexpected and profound began to take shape.

During the next 35 years the “Sundblom Santa” perfectly paired Coke and Christmas in annual holiday campaigns that defined the secular yuletide aesthetic. The die had been cast. Santa Claus was forever branded in the image of Coca-Cola – as well as a retired salesman from New Jersey – and a brand name soft drink was inextricably woven into the pop culture mythology of the world’s most financially lucrative holiday.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

In the words of newsman Francis Pharcellus Church, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” Not because of clever marketing, but because just as in 1897, when those words were written in response to a little girl’s query, we long to believe in the holiday promise of, “love and generosity and devotion.”

People cling to traditions for comfort and security, especially when they come wrapped in a holiday ribbon. Tie that ribbon around your brand and offer authentic emotional value – not the discount kind. Find a way to make your brand a treasured part of your customers holiday traditions and they’ll form lasting bonds that just might make every day seem like Christmas for your business.
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“People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can’t do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man, I’m flesh and blood; I can be ignored, I can be destroyed. But as a symbol – as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting.” ~ Batman Begins

Batman’s most powerful weapon has always been branding. It’s yours, too. People don’t buy products and services they buy brands; brands they can’t ignore. And, they align themselves with brands that embody their values.

“We impose meaning on the chaos of our lives. We create form, morality, order.” That line from a Batman comic could just as well be about branding. Like Batman, brands symbolize a promise.

Unlike Batman, perhaps, brands aren’t incorruptible and everlasting; they’re only as strong and enduring as the promise they represent, and the experience people have when their expectations meet your delivery on that promise.

Whether you’re mopping the streets of Gotham with bad guys, launching a line of gourmet ice creams, or developing the next must-have technology, branding is about managing expectations and consistently delivering on promise.

Batman always delivers. In his fictional world: “[I created] an almost demonic creature of violence and vengeance; a night-beast whose very presence would strike fear into the criminal heart.” ~ Batman: Absolution

When you think about it, in our real world no object embodies that mythology better than a Batman night light. Just as Batman himself it’s a potent symbol; a beacon in the darkness, watching over the innocent, protecting you from what lurks in the shadows – and, of course, always looking cool. Like all great design, it’s form and function perfectly delivering on promise.

What does your brand symbolize? What is your brand promise? What forms, functions, and signals embody that promise? How are you consistently delivering? Are you making your brand a beacon that can’t be ignored?

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Reading Hardy Boys mysteries has been a quintessential rite of boyhood for more than 80 years. The “…lively adventure stories, packed with mystery and action …” are the stuff boyhood fantasies are made of. Consistently delivering on their action-packed promise has made the fictional detective brothers one of the most enduring – and endearing – brands of the last century.

Understanding the Hardy’s popularity isn’t a mystery; you just have to think like a boy. And, what boy doesn’t dream of thwarting bad guys with fantastic feats of derring-do during dangerous adventures; all under the approving eye of a father who respects him as an equal, and a doting mother who worries without suffocating him? Mix in good friends, guns, gear and gadgets, and it’s a young boy’s dream.

Times may change. People may change. Cultural, and consumer mores may change; but what makes young boys tick hasn’t changed from time immemorial – and since hitting shelves in 1927 Hardy Boys books have been bringing boys’ vibrant fantasy world to life.

That’s what successful brands do; they understand their consumer, opening for them windows to exciting worlds and possibilities. Hardy Boys mysteries cultivated my own love of reading as a youngster, leading me to discover other authors, and books; opening windows as only reading can. All these years later I still remember the wonder and the fun.

Which is why it was so exciting to entrust my coveted collection of Hardy Boys books to my son. At age 7 his imagination is boundless, and his love of reading burgeoning. By today’s standards, the stories may be dated (the Hardys are teens without smartphones, for cryin’ out loud!), but their spirit still connects with the joie de vivre of boyhood fantasy – and my son loves them.

As much as the books themselves, we enjoy the rituals we’ve developed around them. Of course, each night before bedtime we read a chapter, working our way through the collection. My son is thrilled to share these artifacts from my boyhood, and says that he plans to someday give them to his son. I hope that he has that pleasure.

Because our collection is incomplete, we’ve set out searching for missing titles at garage sales, antique stores, and used bookstores; keeping a keen eye open for the rare pre-1959 unedited texts that comprise the original 58 titles aficionados consider the true Hardy Boys mysteries. It’s an adventure not unlike one Frank and Joe Hardy themselves might embark upon; and it’s great fun for us to do together.

Boyhood memories are rekindled for me while new ones are created for my son. Through such rituals, brands become woven into your life – sometimes into the very cultural fabric – to be cherished and shared by generations. During more than 80 years the Hardy Boys have quietly become just such an indelible brand. Various versions, and offshoots have been in continuous print since 1927, with translations in more than 25 languages still selling more than one million copies annually – thrilling boys the world over. Not bad for a modest, kid-lit niche brand.

What is your brand doing to open windows to wondrous worlds; to empower people to greater possibilities; to thrill them? What connections are you creating – what rituals are you fostering – today that will remain relevant 80 years from now? You can do it with any product or service. All you have to do is understand your consumer; give them what they long for; deliver it consistently.

Mystery solved.

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