In order to create strong branding across cultures, it is important to understand and demonstrate the vision, message, and value of your brand.
Vision
Did you have a vision for export when creating your logo design and building the foundations of your brand? If not, you may not have considered that colour psychology varies across cultures. Therefore, it is important to review your colour palette and assess whether the colours communicate the right messages about your brand.
Message
Understanding the colour psychology of the target culture is crucial in positioning your brand effectively into the new market.
Here are a few examples of how colours have different meanings in different cultures:
- Purple
In Eastern and Asian cultures, the colour purple represents wealth and nobility, except for Thailand, where purple signifies mourning. - Orange
In the Netherlands, the colour orange signifies royalty, whereas, in the Middle East, orange is associated with mourning and loss. - Red
In Eastern and Asian cultures, the colour red signifies happiness and celebration, whereas, in the Middle East, red represents caution.
Value
Have you thought about your value proposition for your new market?
The audience based in the new market may value different aspects of your brand. For example, they may choose to work with you based on a principles-first (or theory-first) approach to your marketing material rather than an applications-first approach.