Brand logo perception in China

[Maria1809]

Hello!

I am studying marketing design and have heard, that it is quite bad to use number 4 (four) and green colour creating brand logos. But is it a critical issue?

For example in Europe number 13 is being perceived as a bad number, but that does not mean, that this number is not used in Brand names and logos.

The same with colour - in Europe black colour symbolise funeral, but we still use it a lot in marketing design.

Is it really true, that a good logo for Chinese people should be red/gold only?

Thank you very much for your opinions!

[DongLian]

I have a hunch that Chinese may care more than Europeans but again.. just a hunch.. the number 4 sounds similiar to death or dying.. so that's the taboo.  I'm not sure why green is bad though.. I've heard white is the color of death in China but that's it.

[Geiko]

I guess only green hats are to be avoided, not colour green in general.

[michaelS]

Can't think of any company in China that uses green in its branding... *cough* WeChat *cough*

[Angelina]

  

 

禾绿回转寿司、Starbucks (Starbucks has a large presence in China, they didn't have to rebrand) 

[aone]

Green is widely used, especially in the food/beverage industry; except that it is conected to having affair. Both white and black symbolise funeral in China.

[Shelley]

This might be of some help http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_in_Chinese_culture

[liuzhou]

Oppo, one of China's top brands of electric goods, including cell phones, uses green in its branding.

 

 

I am sure there are many more. 

[Demonic_Duck]

Green is widely used, especially in the food/beverage industry, except despite the fact that it is conected to having affair.

 

I don't think you can really say the colour green symbolises having an affair, it's only green hats that have that connotation. Even wearing a bright green suit with a green shirt, tie and shoes is fine, as long as you don't wear the matching hat.

 

It's like saying that blue symbolises eroticism in anglophone culture - sure, it might have that meaning in the term "blue movie", but no-one would ever imagine that meaning extended to other contexts (wearing blue, using blue in branding etc.)

[liuzhou]

Pharmacies are usually green. A good few banks including the Agricultural Bank of China, one of China's largest, use green. China Post is green.

 

BTW, Not all Starbucks outlets are green.Here is one of my local branches.

 

[Demonic_Duck]

The logo is still green, though.

[liuzhou]

 

The logo is still green, though

 

Yes, but that's all. The other branch nearby is very green.

[Angelina]

What happened to your Starbucks? Is that a rebellion? 

[liuzhou]

No idea. I never use the place.

 

Just remembered that what is possibly China's most famous brand is very green too. Tsingtao beer!

[eion_padraig]

I thought this topic was going to discuss Haier and their gay-friendly, pro-interracial relationship logo. I've always hoped the designer of that logo created it as a subverse image fighting against heteronormative views in China. But it's possible that's just my foreign values filter at work.

[GaHanna]

I read somewhere sometime of a Chinese business delegation in America in order to sign up with some partnership company. The American company decided that a small gift for the Chinese CEO would be appropriate. Since golf was gradually taking hold in the business community in China, the Americans thought that a golf cap would bond the deal. Unfortunately, the cap was green and they lost the contract.

 

I am not sure, but since reading the story, I was always under the impression that the green cap was a sign that another man is, er, playing with your wife. I think that the Italians have a similiar expression based on the middle finger used by the Romans. I think that the Romans would place their hand on their forehead with the middle finger pointing out.

 

My tuppence.

[Demonic_Duck]

^ Again, the above is correct (not sure about the anecdote, though), but either way it only applies to hats.