Colour

77 commercials. In this type of changes, the packaging has only been slightly updated or altered and secured that the learned codes still provoke the same associations in the consumer's mind. It is described by several theorists as the best way to make changes (Clement 2007, Schormans et al. 1997, Southgate, 1994).

Therefore, we presented the respondents for an extreme of a redesign, where the silhouette shaped glass bottle of Coca-Cola was alone on the packaging without any text. There seems to be consensus among our respondents, that Coca-Cola is the company behind. Some respondents expressed even a kind of excitement and superiority over that the image is such a strong and recognisable characteristic together with the colours:

Therefor there seems to be something unique and familiar in the image, which makes the recognition of the brand remains high. Other respondents are more negative as they think it's stupid to remove the familiar and iconic font and experienced it, as if the brand does not dare to stand by who they are, which affect the credibility to the brand in a negative direction:

Here we see that image cannot always stand on its own, even though image can create emotions and gives personality to the brand. Through previous experience, consumers have attached great credibility to the brand logo and the colour which they use as a guide in their search, something the image is not able to do on its own.

From having analysed perception and response to changes in image, we will now explore the trends related to colour.

78 As Klimchuk and Krasovec (2012) suggests, colour seems to be closely related to brand

identification, a guidance cue and often found to be a key visual element for the brand. It is noted in the theory as one of the first visual elements the consumers see when shopping. Throughout the focus groups and the change model it became clear that colour is tied to the brand and acts as a

clear guidance and identification cue. The respondents express colour as a way of searching for the brand, as seen in focus group 1 for redesign 1C:

When respondents evaluated the redesigns in the groups exercise 2, they often expressed that change in colour could affect whether they would be able to find the product in the supermarket despite

the fact that the other elements were retained the same.

In the change model, where the red colour was kept, like redesign A2, it was evaluated very positively by respondents and for some perceived to be better than the original design.

Conversely, in the examples where we changed the colour completely in the change model –

for instance A1 respondents expressed that the credibility disappeared and that it could potentially have an influence on whether they would continue to buy the product. This was also seen in the change model for redesign where the colour has changed completely. Here a disruption of the habitual buying was expressed, when the recognition of the product decreased. We know from the theory that this process is dangerous as it can cause consumers to consider alternative brands and in the end lead to brand swop. Another example was expressed in focus group 1:

So we saw several examples of respondents being fine with colour changes and the opposite. However, colour changes that influence their ability to identify the product in a purchase situation is dangerous. As we learned not being able to identify the brand, could have an effect on consumers’ positive associations if their habits are disrupted.

Colours create subjective taste preferences and expectations

Although the theory prescribes that some colours work better than others and have different meanings and characteristics (for example, bright colours can create an emotional connection), consumers have different subjective taste preferences and expectations in relation to colour, created by the experience they have had in the past. These taste preferences and expectations can

make it very difficult when redesigning packaging, and it fits well with the fact that there are quite different

79 opinions among our respondents. We saw that in our focus groups and change model where colours provided many different taste associations. This was found and expressed for all the brands. An examples was the yellow logo on the Nutella (3c) was associated with either honey, vanilla or salt liquorice flavour or some thought it was organic:

Another example was the red Carlsberg (4D) which was associated with a fruit flavour or fruit juice and was therefore expressed by our respondents as not being suitable for the Carlsberg Pilsner beer.

So, regarding expectations, in relations to colour we saw a clear pattern in colour being tied closely to the taste and personal preference of the product and that changes in colour has a clear influence on our respondents’ expectations

Colour and habitual purchase

Respondents often expressed that radical colour changes could have an impact on their habitual purchase as they would need to make sure that it was the right product.

However, their perception or evaluation of the colour was also found to be very different - sometimes the colour affect not only the taste but also affect the respondents habitual purchase and sometimes they believed the change would open up for brand alternatives, as we saw from the examples above. Other times the respondents were not as affected by the change. As mentioned,

associations and reactions to colour are subjective, and we also see examples of colour not having an influence on consumer’s choice or trust to the brand, as below quote related to redesign 4D:

80 This is an example of brand trust being so strong that the colour does not affect the perception of the brand, however it would most likely disturb the habitual purchase, but maybe not in the long run.

Summing up, it can be said that colours are often used as a search cue. This mean, when changing colour completely or the dominant colour it is perceived negatively, as the respondents would experiences a higher doubt of whether it was the right product, which could have an effect on their habitual purchase.

Colour and learned codes

We also saw that learned codes and category norms exists for some of the brand, which is tied to the expectations and associations to the product. When discussing redesign 1D, where we switched the white and red colour of Coca-Cola, the respondents expressed that the white colour was associated with light or vanilla taste:

These statements are both an expression of expectation for flavour and the learned code connected to the light colour and the specific category. Further, in the last statement, we also see that there is something about the new and novel, that respondents find exciting, which supports the theory of familiarity and novelty. With this design, consumers can find familiarity in the colours, as they are still the same colours as the original but used in a different way and due to the other elements have been kept consistent.

We saw the same tendency with the Carlsberg beer - respondents were not fond of it losing its green bottle colour (4D):

On the other hand, most groups agreed that 4C where we have enhanced the green was a positive change, so enhancing the colour may build on the learned codes. These learned codes are important for the comprehension of the packaging, because consumers rely on these codes in a purchase decision and changing them can change the habitual purchase, which we have learned is dangerous for the brand.

81 Colour and visual identity

When we asked which of the element could be changes and which could not, especially focus group 3 expressed that some visual elements of the brands are more memorable than other (reference to the key elements) and none of the brand should change too much from the original.

Colour is closely connected to the brand, even though the red from Coca-Cola also is found to characterising the category it is also perceived by the respondents to be a unique colour for the brand. As for Coca-Cola, the explanation could be that Coca-Cola has been using the red colour for many years and consumers over time has built up a specific expectations and learnings, which is being recalled when they are exposed to Coca-Cola. An example of how important the colour is for

the brand and how it is found to be a key visual element for the brand, becomes evident when the groups are discussing redesign 1C:

The respondents answer in the change model are also proof of that. The red colour for Coca-Cola is mentioned in the theory as an element for brand identification. Klimchuk and Krasovec (2013) states, that the element thought of as integrated with the brand should remain the same during a redesign as it would influence the recognition and the actual purchase of the product. This claim it supported by the above quotes, where the respondents clearly have strong feelings about the change.

Now we will move into the analysis and discussion of the final visual element in our study

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