Colors are very much present in our daily lives. They will influence many of our choices and they take a huge place in making decisions: how we dress ourselves, to buy a car, the color of our hair…
But did you know that culture can actually influence our perception of colors?
The perception of colors varies greatly across different cultures.
Colors have meanings. While some colors can have universal meanings, others have different connotations depending on where you are in the world.
For today’s article, we decided to do a case study on one of the most famous fast-food brands: McDonald’s.
But first, we would like to know, were you aware that the global fast-food chain does not have the same colors everywhere?
The logo of the global fast-food chain is not always red and yellow. It can also be green or blue-turquoise, for example. The brand has different color schemes in different countries.
When you think about red and yellow for a brand, your mind would automatically think about McDonald’s.
Throughout the years, the fast-food brand established itself into the market, not only because of their products but also because of their significant brand identity: the letter M and the colors red and yellow. We can see that establishing a good branding in Marketing is essential.
The red is a stimulating color and yellow is often associated with happiness. Moreover, those are two very bright colors. So even late at night and from far away, you can recognize a McDonald’s restaurant.
See how colors are important for a brand?
But since colors are perceived differently around the world, brands like McDonald’s decided to change their colors in some countries to fit cultural nuances, norms and rules.
People usually recognize McDonald’s mainly with the colors red and yellow. But now, we can also add the color green.
Green is mainly associated with nature and sustainability. And that is exactly why McDonald’s decided to change their logo in many European countries to green. By choosing this color, the company's purpose was to present a more eco-friendly image of themselves.
And by using green in its restaurants, McDonald's is able to align itself with the sustainable values and appeal more to local customers.
In addition to wanting to give itself a greener image, the company has also adapted its colors to other certain rules.
In the city of Sedona in Arizona, the arch of the brand is blue-turquoise. Due to its surrounding natural beauty, the city has developed regulations to prevent any structures from being overly invasive. That is the main reason why the arch has a different color. The yellow would have been too bright and a distraction from the red rocks and the desert around.
All of these individual presentations show that McDonald's is an example of an international brand that has adapted its color scheme to appeal to local needs and norms. The company also often changes their menus to fit customers’ preferences, just by the way.
By understanding the cultural associations that people have with different colors, companies can also create content for Social Media Marketing and Marketing strategies more efficiently. Companies will also have a better idea of what colors to choose for their brand content Marketing’ visuals.
This case study is a great example of how to use elements such as colors to meet cultural norms. So when you post content on Social Media for your local audiences around the world, it is essential to take into consideration those cultural factors.
And glocled can help you with that, so do not hesitate to contact us! We would gladly support you.
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