design:retail - June 2017 - 34

style made simple

034

Color
Obsession

ERIC SAMUEL GREEN
VICE PRESIDENT,
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Charming Charlie
ericsamuelgreen.com

INTERIOR DESIGN

RO M C H R I S T I A N
LOU B OU T I N' S re d

soles to McDonald's
golden arches, the
most successful retailers have optimized their use of
color to form a lasting connection in consumers' minds.
As designers, we are keenly
aware of the importance of
color in branding and marketing. In a retail setting, colors
can help reinforce a strong
brand identity, provide subtle
cues for shopping behavior and
set the tone for a customer's
overall experience.
At Charming Charlie, our obsession with color is what sets
us apart. We've strategically applied color in every aspect of our store design to
create an environment that excites shoppers and
keeps them coming back.
Consider the following opportunities to incorporate color into your branding.

LOGO AND BRAND IDENTITY
In business, as in life, your image says a lot
about you. Use colors to help tell your company's
story and convey your brand's personality to
customers. Want to evoke energy and warmth?
Consider using orange in your logo and design.
How about romance or innocence? Think pink.
You also can take inspiration from your products. During my time at The Gap, we explored
various logo designs, but always kept the signature
navy blue color, which represented the brand's core
competency in denim.
Finally, look at your competitors' colors. In a
crowded field, your brand needs to stand out-dare
to be different.
JUNE 2017

DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM

EXTERIOR SIGNAGE AND ARCHITECTURE
For brick-and-mortar retailers, your store's exterior is the first thing potential customers see. Have
you carefully considered the colors in your signs
and window displays?
Why not paint the outside of your store in a color
that literally stops customers in their tracks and
begs them to come inside? The kind of exterior that
makes people pull out their phone to snap a picture
for Instagram.
And, no-you don't have to paint your store
bright red. Take Sephora, for instance: they've
created distinctive storefronts that stand out in
a sea of other shops using their black-andwhite-striped theme. And Apple has mastered
the art of cool, memorable exteriors by designing stores that perfectly represent their brand.
The focus on white and silver pays homage
to their core product and creates a futuristic
feel that reinforces their position as an innovation leader.

GLOBALSHOP.ORG

The colors in a store can have
a huge impact on a shopper's
experience and, ultimately,
their purchasing decisions.
Overdo it with too many bright
colors and you risk creating a
frenetic environment that overwhelms customers. But if your
colors are too muted, customers
may be bored and uninspired.
In general, warm colors like
red, orange and shades of yellow
are energetic and inviting. Sale
signs are always red, because the
color grabs people's attention and
inspires action. Cool colors, such
as blue and green, can be used to
create a calming environment.
At Charming Charlie, we use
color as an organizing principle, grouping products together by color to create eye-catching
displays that grab customers' attention.
Interior colors should reinforce your company's
branding. I like to apply brand colors in unexpected places, like ceilings, merchandise tags and
even mannequins.
In almost two decades in retail design and visual
merchandising, I've learned that shoppers connect
to brands that know who they are and can communicate that well. As you can see, color is the most
important branding tool we have as creatives. Use
it wisely!
ERIC SAMUEL GREEN HAS WORKED WITH TOP BRANDS SUCH AS
C. WONDER, BURBERRY, GAP, COLE HAAN, NEIMAN MARCUS, LIMITED
BRANDS AND THE NORTH FACE. HE CURRENTLY IS THE EXECUTIVE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR FOR CHARMING CHARLIE. HIS LIFE MISSION
IS TO CHANGE THE INTIMIDATION AND STRESS ASSOCIATED WITH
DESIGN, WHICH HE IS DOING THROUGH HIS NEW BOOK, "STYLE MADE
SIMPLE: THE 10 STEPS TO DECORATING WITH STYLE."

Photo by ERIC SAMUEL GREEN

http://www.ericsamuelgreen.com http://www.DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM http://www.GLOBALSHOP.ORG

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