Purple flowers are known to be highly attractive to bees and butterflies, but will this colour be as effective at drawing the attention of your customers? There is no doubt it is important to Cadbury’s which unsuccessfully attempted to trademark Pantone 2865C. We explore the associations and shades to help you understand why companies pick purple branding.
Why is Purple Associated With Royalty?
Before artificial dyes, the colour purple was extracted from two sources. One is a shellfish only found in the Mediterranean Sea and the other is a lichen. Neither were easy to collect and process, which created scarcity and prices that only the most wealthy could afford. Therefore, wearing purple was a sign of status. This is not just in the UK, purple is the colour of the Imperial family in China.
For Cadbury’s, the colour purple has royal associations, as it was introduced in 1914 as a tribute to Queen Victoria. She awarded the company with a Royal Warrant 60 years earlier. Royal heritage is also recognised in the branding of Asprey of London.
Although we can now create purple as easily as most other colours, purple’s association with regal indulgence remains. To achieve a sense of luxury, branding typically draws on deeper tones of purple, with colours such as plum and aubergine.
Bright Purple Sparks Creativity
We also see bright purple used to evoke fun and creativity. As such, it is used by brands who want to be seen as out of the ordinary, but why is this?
Purple sits between energising, fiery red and cool, tranquil blue on the colour wheel. This is said to have both an energising and calming effect on the brain, which is the ideal balance for imaginative and innovative thinking.
So, let’s have some examples. Firstly, the television channel E4 is bright purple to represent the more playful, youthful and rebellious nature of the channel. It was a considered break away from the formal traditions of broadcasting. Equally, other industry disruptors including property search company Zoopla and Hungarian airline, Wizz Air have opted for purple branding.
We recently manufactured purple boxes for furniture company, Roomix. They create custom home furnishings and kits, to perfectly fit the dimensions of your home. Crafted from timber, the items can be painted to match an interior scheme. It’s a great option for creative DIY home improvements.
The Calming Effect of Purple
We’ve touched on the fact that purple has a calming effect on the brain. It is widely seen as a spiritual colour that allows for deeper focus and inner peace. As a result, purple branding can be used by companies promoting relaxation and well-being. From the décor of a spa to the branding for Premier Inn, it works as a restful and reassuring tone. Building on this, lighter hues, such as soft lilac and muted heather have a comforting quality.
Purple Branded Boxes
So purple is a colour that sets a brand apart as sumptuous, sparky or spiritual. If these words align with your company values, explore the tones that can be used consistently across your branding. If you require boxes, we colour match the shade to ensure your printed packaging ties in and helps to build brand recognition.
With on-site facilities, we undertake every step in our Buckinghamshire factory, from mixing colours to box manufacture and printing. The lowest cost option is flood printing, which creates a solid base of colour. Alternatively, speak to our team about tooling to add logos, fonts, graphics and other detailing to your retail packaging and postal boxes.
Call us 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk to find out more.
