Brand Color Marketing and Semiotics
Our Director William discussed brand color marketing and semiotics with VOGUE Business’s China Consumption Tracker column.
One of this year’s most eye-catching colors is undoubtedly Gucci’s Ancora. In March, Gucci launched the “Gucci Ancora” pop-up spaces in various cities in China, drawing in a multitude of consumers. In recent years, the color strategy of luxury brands has played an increasingly important role in marketing. Color is no longer just a simple mix; it’s an external manifestation of the lifestyle, culture, and stories that the brand represents. Our Director William also discussed brand color marketing and semiotics with VOGUE Business’s China Consumption Tracker column.
As cultural symbols, popular colors carry the important role of expressing consumer emotions, resolving contradictions, and alleviating anxieties within the context of societal and temporal backgrounds. Through the deconstruction of color as a cultural symbol, we can discover social events and consumer emotional changes that are highly associated with the meanings of colors.
Traditional Chinese cultural philosophy emphasizes balance and moderation, neither too ostentatious nor too introverted. However, with the wave of cultural confidence in China and the impact of the pandemic on daily life and travel, moderately bold, bright, and highly saturated colors have filled the gap for emotional expression. This has given rise to significant color symbol themes like “dopamine,” with consumers remembering colors such as BV Green (the vitality and evolution of the new brand image), VALENTINO Pink (the unrestrained creativity and brilliance of haute couture), and FENDI Yellow (rekindling the health and vigor amidst the tumultuous history of 1933).
Beyond seasonal changes, since the fall of 2023, amidst uncertain economic growth forecasts and a more introspective lifestyle, the “Old Money Quiet Luxury” style has aptly returned to the public eye. The popularity of the “Merlade” brown theme, such as the deep and classic GUCCI Ancora, the increase of vintage stores in Shanghai’s Plane Tree District; and the “Grey Series” for the sophisticated and high-end attire of working professionals. All these changes reflect the consumer’s inner desire to return to stability and enjoy the timeless classics of the good old days.
In recent years, some highly recognizable brand colors have become memorable and popular among consumers, not only due to the trend-setting role of fashion luxury brands but also because of the brand’s deep understanding of the Chinese market and keen insights into social and cultural dynamics.
With the next 2-3 years still full of uncertainties, luxury brands can further delve into their profound brand heritage and color assets. In the backdrop of reduced marketing budgets, careful selection of colors (whether single or in combination) becomes crucial. On one hand, these colors should be associated with and highlight the brand's core positioning and essence, while on the other hand, they should enhance localization and establish deep connections with the changing social and cultural landscape and the emotional orientation of consumers.