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National Color Day – Green

October 25, 2016October 26, 2016 heather Branding, Color, Design, Integrated Marketing, Strategy Branding, Color, Green, Integrated Marketing

green-photo

Green: said of many things which have green in them. People speak of an evergreen oak because it is green all the time. And certain cabbages are called green cabbages because their leaves do not whiten like those of white cabbages.

-Antoine Furetiere (1619-1688) From his Dictionnarie universel (Universal Dictionary), the publication of white cause his expulsion from the Academie Francaise.

About Green:

No plant contain pigments capable of dyeing fabric a vivid green resistant to sunlight and repeated washing. Humans learned that adding yellow and blue they could create it.
To dream of green is a sign of good fortune in China: the sleeper can rely on his vitality. But if the color pervades the entire dream, it signifies that he is subject to savage forces.
Interior designers recommend using green to create a soothing atmosphere.

Famous Logos Using Green:

green-logos — BP (British Petroleum), Starbucks Corporation and The Girl Scouts of the United States of America

Thank you to Anne Varichon’s Book – Colors, What They Mean and How to Make Them, for supplying content and inspiration.

Starbucks has spent endless hours to create sticky relationships with customers. Brand loyalty and consumer advocacy is the end game. And a cup of joe.

McKenna Design Group helps Associations grow. More members. More engagement. More Green. Learn how Loyalty and Advocacy make it happen.

National Color Day – Blue

October 24, 2016October 24, 2016 heather Branding, Color, Design, Strategy Blue, Branding, Color

Blue Water with Swimmers — The Rarest Color – Blue

The man bent over his guitar,
A shearsman of sorts. The day was green.
They said, “you have a blue guitar,
You do not play things as they are.”
The man replied, “Things as they are
Are changed upon the blue guitar.”

-Wallace Stevens (1879-1955), The Man with the Blue Guitar

About Blue:

The word for blue didn’t exist in many cultures. The ancient Greeks had no term for the color blue.
Until the invention of synthetic color people only had a few substances to create blue paint. Blue does not appear in a prehistoric rock paintings.
Today blue can be a positive color, however in ancient Europe it was despised and often feared.

Famous Logos Using Blue:

blue-logos — The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Ford Motor Company and Facebook

Thank you to Anne Varichon’s Book – Colors, What They Mean and How to Make Them, for supplying content and inspiration. See what McKenna Design Group has been up to.

National Color Day

October 22, 2016October 24, 2016 heather Branding, Color, Design, Strategy Branding, Color

October 22 #NationalColorDay

Color Burst Photo — National Color Day Kicks Up a Storm

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture in color is worth millions.

Color has an important role in our daily lives since it has the power to communicate without words. Humans also naturally associate color with a mood since it can be hard to put words to what we are feeling. The most recognizable brands in the world rely on color as a key factor in their instant recognition.

Color engages and increases participation more than something in just black and white. Tests indicate that a black and white image may sustain interest for less than two-thirds a second, whereas a colored image may hold the attention for two seconds or more¹. Color can improve readership by 40 percent², learning from 55 to 78 percent³, and comprehension by 73 percent⁴.

Color is rooted in human history and culture. Color can have a big impact on User Experience. It is important to know the deeper meaning of color so you know how and when to use it appropriately. The next 2 weeks follow us to learn fun and interesting facts about your favorite colors.

(1) The findings were reported in the May 2002 issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, published by the American Psychological Association (APA) “The Contributions of Color to Recognition Memory for Natural Scenes,” Felix A. Wichmann, Max-Planck Institut für Biologische Kybernetik and Oxford University; Lindsay T. Sharpe, Universität Tübingen and University of Newcastle; and Karl R. Gegenfurtner, Max-Plank Institut für Biologische Kybernetik and Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen; Journal of Experimental Psychology – Learning, Memory and Cognition, Vol 28. No.3., 5-May-2002
(2)”Business Papers in Color. Just a Shade Better”, Modern Office Technology, July 1989, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp. 98-102
(3) Embry, David, “The Persuasive Properties of Color“, Marketing Communications, October 1984.
(4) Johnson, Virginia, “The Power of Color”, Successful Meetings, June 1992, Vol 41, No. 7, pp. 87, 90.

Chicago Cubs’ Power Branding – the W Flag

October 21, 2016October 21, 2016 Elizabeth McKenna Branding, User Experience

“W” might stand for the women’s room, a hotel or something more powerful. In the month of October, W can be seen throughout the city of Chicago. The “W” flag flies high, in the window of office buildings, atop cupcakes and sundaes, as baseball hats and even on pizza. Chicago Cubs’ fans are an w_flag_flying_high excellent example of the power of branding. Even though the Cubs haven’t won a World Series in 108 years, the fervor and passion their fans demonstrate shows how a brand can capture the hearts and minds of customers.

The Chicago Tribune published an article about how American Airlines, the official airline of the Cubs, is advocating, supporting and living the Chicago Cubs’ brand by flying the W flag – literally – in their airplanes. A pilot has flown the “W” from the cockpit. A drink has been created to fuel fan enthusiasm. The Cubs have an airline and a city cheering them on.

Powerful brands create emotional connections with audiences. Brand Loyalty is the foundation of building brand Advocates. Chicago Cubs’ fans literally “live the brand” whether it’s a tattoo, a car license plate or the food they eat. Fans believe.

Not Only for Ball Players
Seeing W flags in lobby windows of office buildings lining Wacker Drive, reminds me of the 1994 movie, “Miracle on 34th Street” where New York City bands together in solidarity showing “We Believe.”

The Chicago Cubs are primed for success in 2016. Forget about the curse of the goat, black hat or other. If the energy of the Chicago fans was enough to make it not only to the World Series but then to win then the Cubs would emerge successful. Chicago Cubs’ fan believe with the energy and fervor reserved for the truly faithful. The ultimate loyalists…and advocates.

After two wins in LA, the Cubs are up a game. Games 6 and 7 are scheduled for Wrigley Field. The timing might just be right for a “W” pizza, blue and red layer cake and a sundae with blue sprinkles and a cherry on top.

What happens when the Cubs win? The “W” flag will fly…even higher.

Giordano's W Pizza — Chicago’s Giordano’s pizzeria embraces the W flag and reinterprets for pizza.