This thesis aims at examining the impact of red on the marketing of consumer goods. It explains the way color vision is created in the human brain and emphasizes the relevance it has for individuals to help orientate in everyday surroundings. The thesis focuses on the color red as it causes strong body reactions such as the increase of blood pressure, eyelid move-ment and breathing frequency as well as the production of adrenaline. Furthermore, people’s different associations with red, e.g. blood, fire, love, hate, life and death are examined.
The major part discusses the suitability of using red in the different sections of the marketing mix (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). Practical exam-ples back up literature findings and show that red can be a very helpful tool, for example, to attract customers’ attention for a shopping window or adver-tisement. Following, marketers need to consider that influencing factors such as gender, age, social status, cultural background or product-involvement affect the successful use of red.
The case study of Xerox Inc. shows the applicability and popularity of red as a corporate color. At the same time, it reveals limitations to the color choice as the red logo does not differentiate Xerox from its competitors’ logos. Besides summarizing the different ideas of this thesis, the last chapter high-lights that, even though a lot of research has been done, marketers need to decide for each case specifically whether or not to use red in their marketing strategy.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Principles of Color Vision
2.1. Definition of Color
2.2. Physiological Process of Color Vision
3. Perception of Red
3.1. Introduction to Red
3.2. Physical Reactions to Red
3.3. Associations with Red
3.3.1. Generic Associations with Red
3.3.2. Associations with Specific Tones of Red
3.3.3. Ambivalent Associations
3.4. Influencing Factors
4. The Use of Red in the Marketing Mix
4.1. Marketing Mix and the 4 P’s
4.2. Product
4.2.1. Basic Considerations
4.2.2. Branding
4.2.3. Packaging
4.3. Price
4.4. Place
4.5. Promotion
5. Use of Red with Regard to Different Factors
5.1. Product-Related Factors
5.2. Personal Factors
5.2.1. Age
5.2.2. Gender
5.2.3. Socioeconomic Status
5.3. Cultural Factors
6. Red: The Corporate Color of Xerox - A Case Study
7. Implications and Further Research
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis examines the impact of the color red on the marketing of consumer goods, exploring how biological responses and psychological associations influence consumer behavior. The research investigates whether red can effectively serve as a marketing tool across the traditional marketing mix and identifies key factors—such as age, gender, and culture—that affect the success of using red in corporate branding and product design.
- Psychological and physiological effects of the color red on the human brain.
- Application of red within the 4 P's of the marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion).
- Influence of personal variables like age and gender on color preference.
- Cultural significance and context-dependent interpretations of red.
- Case study analysis of Xerox Corporation's branding transition.
Extract from the Book
3.2. Physical Reactions to Red
The perception of the color red has different effects on the physical condition of the human body. First of all, just by being aware of red, the production of adrenaline increases. Resulting, other physiological processes accelerate, such as blood pressure and heart beat. Additionally, the lid movement and breathing frequency ascend. Consequential, as the body requires additional energy to perform these activities, according to Theroux, the metabolism increases by 13.4%. Furthermore, red light lowers the rationality.
Moreover, rooms are perceived warmer when painted in red or orange. In an experiment, people felt cold in an orange-painted room only at 2 degrees, while they perceived a blue-green-colored room to be cold at 15 degrees already. Even though there are differences between red and orange, a similar, yet not as strong, effect can be expected for red color as well. Beer supports this theory by mentioning that red painted walls make individuals perceive the room to be warmer. This know-ledge can be valuable when considering wall color or lightening for shops, rooms or other locations. Chapter 4.4. Place will deal with this topic in greater detail.
Even though Beer explains all the above findings to be verifiable, it needs to be questioned in which timeframe those alterations happen. Is having a short glance at a red flower enough to boost the metabolism or do these effects only occur if focusing a certain time on the colored object? Braem gives further infor-mation by explaining that the human nervous system ‘Sympaticus’ causes the physiological reactions in case of excitement or danger. Those states of mind occur when seeing red, which again might be traced back to subconscious feelings. Continuatively, Braem points at the fact that these arousing reactions do not last endlessly. Once the brain has evaluated the situation not to be dan-gerous, “Parasympaticus” induces that body reactions normalize again.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the historical and symbolic significance of the color red and highlights its pervasive use in modern advertising and marketing.
2. Principles of Color Vision: Details the physical definition of color and the physiological processes within the human eye and brain that enable color perception.
3. Perception of Red: Explores the physical reactions to the color red, its diverse emotional associations, and the external factors that influence its perception.
4. The Use of Red in the Marketing Mix: Analyzes the strategic application of red in the 4 P's—Product, Price, Place, and Promotion—to influence consumer behavior.
5. Use of Red with Regard to Different Factors: Discusses how personal factors, product involvement, and cultural background affect the success of marketing strategies employing the color red.
6. Red: The Corporate Color of Xerox - A Case Study: Examines Xerox Corporation's transition to red as a corporate identity and the subsequent market reception and challenges.
7. Implications and Further Research: Summarizes key findings and provides recommendations for marketers, while suggesting areas for future investigation into the role of color in marketing.
Keywords
Color Marketing, Red, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Mix, Physiological Effects, Branding, Packaging, Price Perception, Store Design, Corporate Identity, Xerox, Cross-cultural Studies, Advertising, Consumer Psychology, Color Perception
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis focuses on examining the impact of the color red on the marketing of consumer goods, specifically analyzing how it influences consumer perception and buying behavior.
What are the main thematic areas covered in the work?
The work covers the physiological and psychological effects of color, its application within the 4 P's of the marketing mix, and the influence of personal and cultural factors on color preference.
What is the central research objective?
The objective is to determine how marketers can effectively utilize the color red in their strategies while considering target group differences and contextual limitations.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The study relies on a synthesis of existing literature, psychological research, and industry-related studies, complemented by a specific case study of the Xerox Corporation.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the text?
The main body discusses color vision principles, the specific impact of red on human biological functions, and practical applications in branding, pricing, and retail environment design.
What are the characterizing keywords for this research?
The study is characterized by keywords such as Color Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Branding, Cross-cultural Studies, and Color Perception.
How does the color red affect the physical state of the human body according to the thesis?
The research notes that red can increase adrenaline, blood pressure, and breathing frequency, effectively creating a state of physical arousal that can lower rational decision-making.
Why did Xerox choose red for its corporate identity?
Xerox switched to red to shift its company image from a traditional copier manufacturer to a more dynamic, "hotter," and emotional technology-focused firm.
What is the primary criticism of Xerox's use of the color red?
The case study highlights that Xerox's chosen shade of red is highly similar to its direct competitors like Canon and Ricoh, which potentially causes brand confusion and allows for unwanted spillover effects.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Julia Bölke (Autor:in), 2007, Impact of the Color Red on the Marketing of Consumer Goods, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/81751
