Brands often get lost looking for gold at the end of a rainbow

Years ago, during a branding project for a traditional Indian business, I suggested a bold new colour scheme, only to be met with silence. The client gently explained how those hues would clash with cultural symbolism. It was a lesson. 

In India, colour is more than design. It’s emotion, tradition and meaning. While the perfect shade can elevate a brand, the wrong choice can alienate customers or tarnish trust. I saw first-hand how a misplaced colour decision could risk a brand’s reputation and sales. Branding isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about understanding and respecting the deeper connections that colours create.

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Consider the case of Bisleri. Its signature green bottle cap was a subtle but powerful cue that helped consumers instantly identify this brand of mineral water. The colour signifies freshness and purity. It is also aligned with the brand’s positioning. When Bisleri briefly switched to a blue cap, the move confused loyal customers. Many mistook it for a rival product, and sales dipped significantly. It had disrupted the brand’s familiarity built over decades.

Similarly, Micromax tried to revamp its image by adopting a loud neon-green logo. Its aim was to appear youthful and cutting-edge, but the result was disastrous. It came across as garish and overly aggressive, which alienated the brand’s core audience of budget-conscious consumers. Instead of boosting appeal, it created a disconnect between the product and its users.

Even global giants like McDonald’s have learnt the hard way in India that colour choices can affect consumer perceptions. It launched limited-edition blue-and-white packaging for special meals, aiming to offer something fresh. Blue, typically associated with calmness and sterility, clashed with its vibrant, fun-loving identity. It failed to click with customers.

Hindustan Unilever’s Rin detergent also fell victim to a colour misstep when it launched a yellow variant aimed at younger consumers. Yellow packaging clashed with Rin’s long-established white theme, which symbolized cleanliness and brightness. The new colour evoked associations with its rival Tide (of P&G) and caused dissonance.

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The challenges faced by brands in India are compounded by the country’s cultural diversity. For instance, red is associated with prosperity and celebrations in North India, while in the south, it could signal danger or caution.

Another lesson comes from the rise and fall of Kingfisher Airlines. The brand used a vibrant red-and-gold palette to exude luxury, flamboyance and a premium feel. While this initially helped the carrier position itself as a glamorous airline, its 2007 acquisition of Air Deccan and the creation of a low-cost variant affected that image negatively. The same red that once signified excitement and exclusivity later came to represent failure, excess and financial irresponsibility.

Even seemingly minor mistakes can be costly. One high-end tea brand tried to break into the market’s premium segment with minimalist white-and-silver packaging. While the design was clean, it failed to gel with tea consumers, who typically associate tea packaging with warmth and vibrancy. Sales remained flat as the brand failed to connect emotionally with potential customers.

In the real-estate sector, a luxury developer launched a high-end project with dark-themed promotional material, including charcoal and navy blue. This palette, meant to exude sophistication, failed to connect with potential buyers, who expected bright and welcoming colours to signify optimism and new beginnings. Sluggish sales ensued as a direct result of this disconnect. 

There are many more examples. Brands as well known as Kissan Squash, Frooti, Haldiram’s and Tata Nano have erred at some point. These cases show that brand colour choices are not just aesthetic decisions, but often hold deep cultural and emotional significance.

Here are some general lessons for brands:

Consistency is key: Like Bisleri’s green and Frooti’s mango, colours are integral to a brand’s identity. Changing them without a clear strategy will confuse customers.

Cultural sensitivity: Perceptions of colour may vary from one market to another. Tata Nano’s emphasis on yellow, for example, clashed with Indian car-colour preferences.

Audience alignment: This is a must. Himalaya’s clinical green packaging extended to baby-care products, for example, missed the emotional appeal that parents seek.

Differentiation versus familiarity: Be clear about this trade-off. Micromax’s colour switch failed to set the brand apart, while the bold black of Kotex’s U showed how colour can effectively disrupt a category.

Adaptability: No less crucial. Brands like Kissan and Frooti had to change strategies to win back customer trust.

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It pays to pay attention to colour. A wrong shade can mar a bold venture, while the right hue can immortalize it. To steer clear of missteps, firms must conduct meticulous research, test colour schemes and align with local sensibilities. In branding, a misplaced stroke of colour can ruin even the brightest masterpiece.

The author is co-founder of Medici Institute for Innovation.