Sunday 25 January 2009

Price Freeze: The Label and Packaging Rant









Am I having a visual breakdown? Am I essentially a design snob? Am I being duped? You tell me....please. Our Superstore (owned by Loblaws) is a giant grocer that I love. I mean, I can go in their for hours to feast on interesting art....on food products. Now, due to the 'economic downturn' and 'recession/depression' they have decided to change their marketing strategies in these changing times. (Shelf Impact + Walmart fear) They plan to market their lines in that yucky, cheap, cheap yellow. The 'yellow' that says 'costs nothing, tastes like nothing and you are officially poor.' The same yellow at Subway. The same yellow at 'No Frills'. (maybe this is why yellow is my least favorite colour) The 'yellow' that yells 'no name' and screams 'no art here' !!! The 'yellow' that turns me away, cause I don't want that 'shopping feeling'. I don't want my guests to open my cupboards to see a sea of 'no name yellow'. Ouch! (or, will it be chic and cool to have these ugly cans and bags on my shelf?) Do you think their marketing department reviewed these vital colour stats? Why oh why are you doing this to me? I want to shop in a store that looks like Pusateri's or Dean & Deluca, but charges reasonable (cheap) prices. Perhaps I will seek investors who will partner with me to open a chain of grocery stores that give people the feeling of success, luxury, indulgence, yet will extend pocketbook value. Image is everything isn't it? Or am I being unreasonable about my food supply? Where would you rather shop? Here, here or here? Price Freeze!!!
EmotionalPositive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity.
Negative: Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety, suicide.

The yellow wavelength is relatively long and essentially stimulating. In this case the stimulus is emotional, therefore yellow is the strongest colour, psychologically. The right yellow will lift our spirits and our self-esteem; it is the colour of confidence and optimism. Too much of it, or the wrong tone in relation to the other tones in a colour scheme, can cause self-esteem to plummet, giving rise to fear and anxiety. Our "yellow streak" can surface.

3 comments:

life in red shoes said...

I don't need the frills of the first store Paseturi's? Wholefoods looks warm and welcoming, and I just say NO to Walmart!

Jackie said...

This reminds me of a discussion in my business image/marketing class a couple of years back...we learned that a combination of yellow and red lends uneasy feelings and nausea...we couldn't help but point out that these were the colours of a popular fast-food restaurant...

*moggit girls said...

We were just talking about this! We hate the yellow. Packaging means everything to us! Can they not make it a little more easy on the eyes for the love of Pete?!

Joy and Janet