“The Story Orange Tells”

Before “ENet” shed a few characters and got a facelift, it was “E-Networks” . A longer name with a swoosh logo that symbolized a satellite dish. Earlier iterations even doubled down with swooshes around the swoosh but this is not about any of the swooshes and thankfully, they have all been laid to rest. This is about  “the story orange tells.”

In Visual Design, Krause (2004) identifies colour or hue as one of the key design elements. ENet’s position to “own the orange” even after a competitor started adopting the colour was brave.The static visual imagery we’ll focus on is  ENet’s orange and black logo. Its signature E is orange while “Net” is  black. Let’s look at how  a single hue can affect an  audience.

Krause highlights three major functions of color in communication; attracting attention, creating emotional response, and reinforcing identity.The way people feel about a brand often starts with its colors. According to Adobe, in 90 seconds, a person will decide whether or not to like a product, and 90% of this decision is based on color.  Colour pyschology studies how colours are perceived by how they impact the audience emotionally and Marketing firm, Eckert Mathison describes orange as a dynamic color that inspires creativity, youth, energy, enthusiasm and vitality.  Its intention is to bring people together, to exchange and to communicate and that they do.

Let’s Talk ORANGE!

Krause’s emphasis on emotional response is especially clear with ENet’s embrace of orange.Interestingly, the hue orange, provokes an impulse in the brain (like red but without the alarming/ dangerous aspect) that encourages purchase without provoking urgency. It is said to be more effective than any other in encouraging impulsive, last-minute purchases. This brings me to ENet’s physical stores . Their orange branding is consistent across all 15 stores,  complimented by white counters and light brown display tables. This in itself helps to facilitate a perceived mutually-beneficial exchange relationship when customers enter a store.

The innovation, energy and prestige extend beyond products and services and into its marketing communication , specifically events/experiences. ENet’s loyal brand community look forward to curated experiences and opportunities to land in ENet’s “Orange Zone” at sponsored entertainment events. That is the power of orange.

In an industry where consumers quickly shift loyalty, brands don’t have unlimited chances to communicate their purpose. As such , never make colour an after- thought but rather your foundation ; directly linked to your values. Orange is to ENet what rhythm is to music.