In the dynamic world of marketing, the strategic use of colours can make or break a brand campaign. Colours possess the unique ability to evoke emotions, establish brand identity, and influence consumer behaviour. The story of Youly’s 360° brand campaign, with pink as the highlight colour, during the national Barbie takeover in Australia, offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of colours in marketing. This case study sheds light on how different colour variations can yield diverse results on various platforms, and how the inundation of a colour in a promotional event can impact its effectiveness.

1. The Youly’s 360° brand campaign during Barbie takeover

Unbeknownst to Youly, a leading Australian women’s health brand, the launch of the 360° brand campaign coincided with the national Barbie takeover in Australia. Youly launched the campaign with pink as the highlight colour during the national Barbie takeover in Australia, without any intention to leverage Barbie’s popularity.

2. The choice of pink as the highlight colour

Pink, chosen for its strong associations with femininity, youthfulness, and creativity, emerged as the highlight colour for the campaign. This colour selection perfectly aligned with Youly’s brand identity, emanating positivity and fun. The incorporation of pink into the campaign was a natural fit that added to the overall appeal and charm, creating a captivating brand experience.

3. The impact of purple variations on social media

As the campaign unfolded, Youly’s marketing team noticed a surprising twist. Purple variations of the creative outperformed the pink counterpart on social media platforms. The purple colour, often associated with luxury, sophistication, and creativity, resonated more strongly with the audience, driving higher engagement and sharing of the content.

4. Pink’s superiority on non-shareable platforms

Conversely, the original pink variations of the creative outperformed the purple variation on non-shareable platforms. On channels like Youly’s website or email newsletters, the pink colour appeared more visually appealing and led to better conversion rates. The familiarity and consistency of the pink highlight colour within the Youly brand played a significant role in this result.

5. The Barbie Takeover’s Impact on Pink Effectiveness

During the national Barbie Movie takeover, the colour pink faced a unique challenge. As the promotion of the movie inundated various platforms with pink visuals and imagery, the effectiveness of Youly’s pink campaign on shareable platforms waned. The audience might have experienced pink fatigue, leading to reduced engagement and response rates.

The Results – What are the effects of Pinking-out The Crowd

“As the paid media manager at Youly, the data strongly indicates that our efforts significantly contributed to what we have dubbed pinking-out the crowd during the campaign. Interestingly, it was the purple creative that performed remarkably higher, driving 1721 percent stronger engagement, 74 percent higher CTR, and an astounding 6 times increase in conversions compared to the pink version. This underscores the power of strategic colour choices and our ability to captivate our audience amidst a vibrant and competitive marketing landscape.” says Steph Potter, paid media manager at Youly.

The statistics speak volumes about the extraordinary impact of the purple colour variation in Youly’s brand campaign. The purple creative struck a chord with the audience, capturing their attention and sparking heightened interest. There was a clear and remarkable influence on driving customer actions and ultimately boosting business outcomes.

The Barbie Effect: a lesson in colour in marketing

The Youly’s 360° brand campaign during the Barbie takeover provides valuable lessons for marketers seeking to harness the power of colours effectively:

1. Colour variations matter: Different colour variations can evoke distinct emotions and responses from the audience. Marketers should conduct A/B testing to identify the most impactful colour choices for each platform.
2. Consistency in brand identity: While exploring different colours, maintaining consistency in brand identity is essential. Familiarity with the highlight colour can positively impact customer trust and loyalty.
3. Adaptation to context: Consider the overall marketing landscape and events when deploying a colour-focused campaign. Ensure the chosen colour aligns with the context and complements any concurrent promotional activities.
4. Colour saturation and overexposure: Be cautious of colour overexposure during specific events or promotions. Overuse of a colour can lead to reduced effectiveness and audience engagement.

In conclusion, the Barbie Effect showcases the potent influence of colours in marketing. Youly’s 360° brand campaign with pink as the highlight colour exemplifies how different colour variations can yield varying results across different platforms. As marketers continue to navigate the colourful realm of advertising, understanding the nuances of colour psychology and the context in which campaigns are launched will be critical to unlocking the full potential of colours in driving brand success.