Aesthetics
In Chapter 4, the discussion of aesthetics included perceptions of color in different parts of
the world. Global marketers must understand the importance of visual aesthetics embodied in
the color or shape of a product, label, or package. Likewise, aesthetic styles, such as the degree
of complexity found on a label, are perceived differently in different parts of the world' For
example, it has been said that German wines would be more appealing in export markets if the
labels were simplified. Aesthetic elements that are deemed appropriate, attractive, and appealing
in one's home country may be perceived differently elsewhere.
In some cases, a standardized color can be used in all countries; examples include the distinctive
yellow color on Caterpillar's earthmoving equipment and its licensed outdoor gear, the
red Marlboro chevron, and John Deere's signature green. In other instances, color choices should
be changed in response to local perceptions. It was noted in Chapter 4 that white is associated
with death and bad luck in some Asian countries; when General Motors (GM) executives were
negotiating with China for the opportunity to build cars there, they gave Chinese officials gifts
from upscale Tiffany & Company in the jeweler's signature blue box. The Americans astutely
replaced Tiffany's white ribbons with red ones because red is considered a lucky color in China
and white has negative connotations (see the Emerging Markets Briefing Book, p. 326)'
Packaging aesthetics axe particularly important to the Japanese. This point was driven
home to the chief executive of a small U.S. company that manufactures an electronic device for
controlling corrosion. After spending much time in Japan, the executive managed to secure
several orders for the device. However, following an initial burst of success, Japanese orders
dropped off; for one thing, the executive was told, the packaging was too plain. "We couldn't,
understand why we needed a five-color label and a custom-made box for this device, which
goes under the hood of a car or in the boiler room of a utility company," the executive said
While waiting for the bullet train in Japan one day, the executive's local distributor purchased a
cheap watch at the station and had it elegantly wrapped. The distributor asked the American
executive to guess the value of the watch based on the packaging. Despite all that he had heard
and read about the Japanese obsession with quality, it was the first time the American