JeffCroft.com

Research tells us that about 70% of American corporations use blue as their corporate color. Blue is defined by most experts to be a generic, calming color that is well-liked by both genders. It often emits a feeling of stability and “big-ness.” When a committee sits around and chooses a color for their brand, it’s often the one color that everyone can agree on.

That all sounds pretty good. The problem, of course, is that is sounds pretty good to everyone. A quick look at the websites of Dell, Microsoft, and IBM will show you that there is a serious lack-of-identity problem going on. If you were to glance at these sites from ten feet away, you’d not have any idea which was which.

Now, take a look at MTV, Nickelodeon, and Nike. I hear what you’re saying: “Yes, Jeff, but it’s a different target audience completly!” And you’d be right. Obviously these companies have younger, and generally hipper, audiences — but they still prove my point: to use the same color as every other guy on the block is to miss an opportunity to differentiate your brand.

And if you want an example in the business PC market, look no further than HP. A few months ago, HP was very blue and generic and could have easily been lumped into my earlier you-can’t-tell-them-apart diatribe. Recently, though, HP has made a point of standing out (we love you, Carly Fiorina), and hence, has gone very, very red.

There are some companies, such as Gap and BMW, which do the blue thing and pull it off very well. They do so, it seems, by letting their logo and identity stand secondary to their product(s). The simplicity and understated-ness of their brand allows their products to shine through. Generally speaking, though, I think it’s best to avoid blue and look for something that sets your brand apart.