5.05.2010

Theory: I Should Work for Ikea

Branding means constantly thinking about and defending your color choices. What will communicate Authority? What will evoke Friendly Political Discourse? Rootsy yet Technologically Forward? Delicious? It’s lots of fun to sell by color. (And even more fun to sell by music because you get to use words that make you sound ridiculously effete in normal conversations: modal, percussive, etc. Even I make myself sick sometimes. Also, since when do I write about work so much?)

It’s so interesting what colors communicate. It constantly surprises me how differently they’re seen. For my synesthete allies, it’s expected. We all make connections between colors and items and moods without even thinking about it. For clients and everybody else, red can only mean anger, love, war, or Christmas. Come to think of it, even these four aren’t conceptually that far apart.

People seem to be stuck in these cultural symbolic ruts like this, from time to time, and it might be a good idea for us to push out of this.

Apropos, how is it that people get the job of Professional Color Namer?

You know, like the people who decide your sweater will be available in Honeydew instead of Light Green?

How do I get that job?

I think I’d be really good at it, and it would make your Ikea catalog much more interesting.


"Yes, I'd like that DRAGĂ–R in Stroganoff." See! So fun to say!

Alright, friends. Show me what you got. I'll pick my favorites and send the winner, well, something colorful.


Love,

Swedish Meatball

15 comments :

becca said...

green: aphid (or dipsy (teletubby))

salmony thing: nudity

blue: stage light blue

grey: elephant (or death star, if we're sticking with the star wars theme)

i'm lost with the lavender.

Shawna said...

Mint Julep, Blush Apricot, Purple Persuasion, Jailbreak Grey, Lovely in Lilac

dn said...

Prairie
W.C. Fields
Powerpoint
London
Bluebell

Gav said...

Hoth
Gecko
Ear Lobe
Mariana
Drive Shaft
LSD

miccolene said...

Yo, adrienne. Cindy and Micci here.

1. Dryer Lint
2. Essence of Adrienne
3. Squished neighbor cat
4. Naval Salute
5. Ole Maire
6. Bit O Barney

lauren said...

Going clockwise from Hoth:

Margarita with Salt
Giant Peach
Amsterdam Tulip
Scottish Castle
Velvet Cape (or maybe Royal Scepter)

Sherry said...

green: Electric Kool Aid Acid Test
pinkish: Pubertal Changes
navy: Sad smurf (cause he's blue!)
grey: Compost
purple: The Lady Man

l i z said...

Hoth
Treehugger
80's Prom
The Fuzz
Inversion Layer
Lady Gaga

Nicolas Frisby said...

Nice timing! xkcd's color survey

Nicolas Frisby said...

booger
fishmeat
batman blue
shroom
easter

Leah Z said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Leah Z said...

left to right, top to bottom. (...a group of words together is called a sentence.)

(Hoth)
Let go of your 20s
Grannie’s Nails
The Number Three
School Tomorrow
Fraggle Hair

Yancy said...

Hoth
Cotyledon
Rooibos Tea
Mesopelagic
Colonial Slate
Hood River Valley

Miss K$ said...

the comments were almost better to read than your blog. i can't compete with these, but if you ever need to be inspired by color names go look at OPI nail polish colors.

Gav said...

I'm on pins and needles over here. Winners?