When business and art collide
If there is one thing we have learned from the late great titan Steve Jobs, is that even in business there is beauty. We all remember his signature black turtle neck and charismatic nature walking on stage to wow us with his next world-changing device. But what was it that made the world queue for hours to get their hands on the latest iPhone? Would you be surprised if I told you that it wasn’t the front and rear cameras, the Bluetooth, or quite possibly even the retina display?
No, it just looks cool!
Steve Jobs put as much, if not more, time into the colour, the sleek design and size, and the hand feel of a device as he did into its technology and functionality. Why? He knew human psychology and how much we are
hardwired for beauty.
According to one biography, Jobs was known for painting everything in all Apple manufacturing plants, right down to the machines themselves. He claimed that staff would enjoy their experience more if the workplace was as visually stimulating as the devices they were creating.
We as consumers are actually influenced by subtle uses of colour and style all the time. Many companies are beginning to modernise their branding because of this human inclination towards visual aesthetics.
Your logo and choice of branding colours represent your business and communicates a certain message to your customers. The colours of your branding are just as important as the graphics.
An excerpt from an article in Science magazine suggested that red enhances performance on a detail-oriented task and blue or green enhances performance on creative-oriented tasks. So it’s true that colours have a direct effect on human activity. From my own experience, I have long since held the belief that the colour baby blue has a calming effect and evokes a spirit of trustworthiness. What does all this mean for you as a business owner? If you are struggling for brand recognition, and the bounce rate on your website is high then a new site with refreshed branding and some digital marketing may be just the thing you need.
A fresh new coat of paint may just be the one thing you need.
Rob Jennings
