Colour & Tone in Successful Marketing >>
Flipping through the journal I took with me to Nicaragua last night and came across a segment I had written about my experience with brand advertising in Nicaragua. **you’re thinking, hmm, sounds interesting**
“I’m on the bus to Leon, driving through Masaya, taking in everything as we progress outside the city and I am struck by the reactions of my team members to the visual imagery they are encountering. Some people are amazed by the transit uniquenesses of the country (motorcycles with multi-passengers, rickshaw “taxis”, oxen pulled wagons, troupes of people standing in back of pickup trucks, etc.). Others are drawn to the people, stoic and calm, almost timeless in their duties. Me, on the other hand, I am completely focused on the advertising and brand marketing presence in Nicaragua. (hey, it’s who I am)
Among the stable of brands being marketed redundantly (and I mean redundantly, with stacked billboards) were Coca-Cola, Del Monte, Esso, Eskimo, Victoria and Tona (beer brands I personally tasted and highly support) and Colgate. These brands utilized marketing mediums standard to the North American market and in some weird way provided me with some comfort and familiarity in Nicaragua.
Two brand marketing campaigns completely stood out for me, one for the use of colour and one for their communication tone…
(For those of you living under a rock, Kotex is a feminine protection product). In a country so heavily riddled with alcoholism, poverty and single mothers, it was not surprising that a necessity brand for women was so highly advertised. After viewing many of the Kotex billboards and poster signage placements, the entire team started doing a “Kotex Alert”, everytime they saw the colour pink. BRIGHT pink usage in all of the Kotex advertising was overstated (to say the least) yet very effective in idenifying and remembering the brand. I don’t know if the Kotex product packaging in Nicaragua or North America is pink, (will be checking next time I am in the aisle) but let’s hope so for their sake.
(Internet and phone service provider) You don’t even need to know spanish to be affected by this brand. It is EVERYWHERE and each message is visual and effective. The logo alone is a fantastic icon to express their ability to connect people and their marketing is friendly.
Their taglines used frequently are “Que tienes ma”(slang term said, when people understand you) and “La navidaden la palma de tu mano” (the world is in the palm of your hand). They have an approachability in their brand that draws the consumer to their products, a memorable and friendly corporate identity and a credibility in their offers as the marketing placement is vast.
The two above brand marketing examples are excellent at showcasing successful colour usage and communication tone in your marketing. I look forward to seeing new players in this arena, next year when I go back to build another home for a family.
Tags: 3 Degrees West, ads, advertising, billboards, Claro, Coca-Cola, Colour, communications, Del Monte, effective marketing, Eskimo, Esso, Kotex, Leon, Managua, Nicaragua, sandy gerber, Successful marketing