1. How do colors influence Theme Furniture sales ?

Theme furniture is niche-oriented furniture, esthetic of which makes direct reference to tastes, habits, past experiences, nationalities, ways of life, values, etc., specific to the target consumer at hand. An example would be Amen Wardy Home’s Rajah’s Ride, set of armchair and foot rest combination resembling a Rajah’s Ride on an elephant. On the other hand,

“Color accounts for 60% of the acceptance or rejection of an object and is a critical factor in the success of any visual experience” (The Power of Color, Dr.Morton Walker, Avery Publishing Group, 1991)

As theme-furniture usually is a most emphatic visual experience, obviously enough its color and/or color combinations should be part of the marketing, design and manufacturing strategies. By the same token, the color(s) of any theme furniture must meet the target consumer’s expectations, needs, values and habits. A good example of the above is the preference for black amongst the punk consumers as “black” is part of the punk niche core philosophy, despite the fact that plain “black” runs 180 degrees away from current mainstream color trends (please see sources at footnote).

2. What are “color trends” and where do they originate ?

We have all heard about and considered how purchasing trends may vary with time as expressed in the product’s life cycle. But clearly enough, we also have purchasing trends as a function of color. These “color trends” take place as a result of value transfers from other very personal and intricate scenarios, as they are related -although not necessarily directly linked to- events, habits, music, wars, and many other positive or negative influences that the target consumer is or has been exposed to at some critical, value-shaping point in time.

For example, strong environmental awareness in Northern Europe in the 80s and 90s produced a sharp increase consumption of so-called “natural”, earth-connected colors, greenish browns, etc.
Also, immigration waves may also strongly modify color trends as different ethnic groups entail different values for different colors hues and combinations thereof.

No wonder then that “using color can increase motivation and participation by up to 80 percent”
(The Persuasive Properties of Color; Ronald E. Green, Marketing Communications, October 1984), most particularly if we adequately address niche markets. Actually, it was Vance Packard (The Hidden Persuaders) who broke new ground way back in the 60s by pioneering hints about how colors could shape up future niche marketing parameters. But getting back to color focus, we should agree that the target consumer’s past experience and correspondingly attached values play a strong role in partial or total acceptance (or rejection) of theme-furniture through color perceptive associations, reason for which it is important to take into account his or her generation’s history and subsequent evolution. For example, depending upon selection criteria, many/most 30 year-olds (married ? children ?) were brought up with “high speed” color TV and “hard core” color video games to which they relate. This may have lots of color impact for theme-furniture purchasing decisions taken today (many years later), either for themselves or for their kids. On the other hand, his/her own 58-year-old babyboomer father (now grandpa) most probably was brought up constructing bridges with his naive Meccano erector set and “soft” black & white television series. Their appeals should definetly be affected by their “values memory” differences. Thus, the color issue necessarily has to be interpreted in the light of the precise cultural niche context at hand.

3. What are market-niche color trends ?

By definition, a market niche is composed by consumers with enough and precise purchasing behavior parameters in common to make them belong to the same, distinctly unique marketing niche. Color, as described above, strongly affects the characterization parameters of such niches. Consequently, no color is “good” or “bad” or “so-so” by itself. It all depends on the market niche perspective and the color’s capacity to unleash or trigger-off the correct valorization reaction. No color is “dangerous” or “classic”, for that matter. For example, “blood-shot” red, currently not part of any mainstream color trend, is ideal for “gambling loving” consumers. To them, blood-shot red does not recall sad war experiences but rather the winner’s power of money. Cassinos know this and take it to their advantage, and although conservative people and young nerds would most probably not like blood-shot red, they rarely go to Cassinos. Theme-furniture designers should also take advantage of these and other color-related facts.

4. What is color development good for ?

The development of spanking new colors allows to differentiate theme furniture through specific “value differences” niche appeals, thus being able to recall specific things in some peoples minds, and nothing (or negative things) in others. Furthermore, if the new color or hue is complex enough, it may very well eliminate the possibility of being copied by others fast enough or well enough. Manufacturing techniques many times can mean a competitive edge in un-thought of ways.

Furthermore, color perception is what really matters in theme furniture applications, which in turn is also affected by age-dependent color sensitivity.

color perception = material + color + texture + special effects + matching

Color : The introduction of an innovative color can be the “make it or break it” factor under today’s marketing environment. Remember how successfull Heinz’s bright green (rather jurassic) Ketchup was? Or the shocking pink margarine for a young girls’ “healthy” diet ?

Material: Reflectivity and finish.

Texture: tactile feel, rugosity/smoothness.

Effects: Degradé, pearlescence, glitter, metallics, iridescence, glow, fluorescence, “layering”,
lighting conditions variations, temperature conditions variations, transparency, holographics, translucency, lacquered effect, suede effect, etc. Undefined color perceptions may arise from
different combinations thereof.

Matching: “Metamerism” may cause two supposedly different colors to be perceived as identical depending upon the lighting source under which they are seen, and then turn back to be ‘different’ again as soon as lighting conditions vary. These “surprises” are due to the different chemistries and corresponding reflectance curves of the coloring agents used.

5. What are today’s mainstream color trends ?

2003 was dominated by tranquilizing watery and atmospheric blues, with lots of metallic and pearlized hues, thus confirming that color no longer has a single dimension, which makes it difficult , if not impossible, to classify colors with obsolete denominations such as “reddish brown”. Good examples of this are “silger” car paint, a rare overlay of silver and gold, or the burnished pewter hues and the glamorous “champagne beiges”. The tech-look fad pushed the “liquid silvers” and the vivid fluorescent colors. (Source: Color Marketing Group, Virginia, USA.).
Furthermore, by post-modern impact, today’s mainstream color trends also tend to be ever-more varied, with overlapping and simultaneous, niche-dependent sub-trends.

6. Bibliography sources:

www.Colormarketing.org Información sobre tendencias de color masivas.
www.colorcom.com Color Demographics - Data and Research
www.demographics.com Comportamientos de consumo.
www.colorexpert.com Pronóstico de tendencias de color.
www.colordesigner.com Consultoría en color.

Copyright de Cecilia Vilches (2004).
Theme Furniture designer

www.CeciliaVilches.com.ar