Color symbolism can take on many different meanings in different cultures or even within the same culture. For instance, the color red can be tied with romance, resulting from its association with Valentine’s Day; however, it also can take on a much more urgent connotation as a warning symbol, such as with stop signs or emergency exit signs. Although color usage within beverages might not have the same life-altering effects of these examples, the concepts that beverage-makers employ still can evoke a strong response from consumers.
“Color is the first attribute consumers consider when evaluating a product,” says Olivier Cima, director of sweet markets for Diana Naturals, a division of Symrise AG, Holzminden, Germany. “Color drives the interest for buying a product for the first time. Taste will then play the major role in consumers buying the product again. It is also known from several ad hoc consumer studies that colors can change the perception of taste.