29 Sep 2017

Scraps&Straws #20 The Royalty of Purple

And now to the final day and the final colour. A colour that’s rich not only in its significance but also in history and legend.

Here’s a bit of background on the colour purple. Purple in the olden days was a difficult dye to come by, making it the colour only the very wealthy could afford. Here’s an extract from an article from The Guardian (Link below)

Tyrian purple was made from the mucous of sea snails – or muricidae, more commonly called murex – and an incredible amount was needed to yield just a tiny amount of dye. Mythology states that it was Hercules himself who discovered it – or rather, his dog did, after picking up a murex off the beach and developing purple drool.

Tyre, in what is now Lebanon, was a Phoenician city on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea where the sea snails (still) live. Amazingly, given how many were needed to sate the appetite of emperors and kings, they didn’t become extinct. The vats used to make purple sat right on the edge of the town, because the process was a stinky one. The Roman author Pliny the Elder, not easily swayed by the fashion for purple, wondered what all the fuss was about, declaring it a “dye with an offensive smell”.

Article from The Guardian

This is why even today the colour signifies luxury, opulence, royalty and wealth. It’s classy, cool and sophisticated. Above all, it’s way above the rest.

HOW DOES PURPLE COMMUNICATE?

All in all, purple communicates in a positive way. It is said to have the power to uplift, calm nerves and encourage creativity, making it an all-inclusive color. All ages, genders and cultures can relate to purple. Here are four specific things that purple communicates.

1. Royalty
A universal connection that people make with purple is its association with royalty, nobility, and prestige. Purple was the royal color of the Caesars. In ancient times, the color purple in stained glass was seen as uniting the “wisdom” of blue and the “love” of red, therefore symbolizing justice and royalty. It’s symbolic of wealth and status in Japan.

2. Value
These notions of royalty cause purple to communicate a sense of value. For this reason, the highest value poker chip ($5,000) is purple.

3. Sacredness
Purple is also considered sacred, especially in the natural world. In Egypt, purple is symbolic of virtue and faith. In Tibet, the purple stone, amethyst, is considered to be sacred to Buddha. In Christianity, purple is associated with Advent and Lent.

4. Bravery
Purple is symbolic of bravery. The purple in the U.S. military Purple Heart award represents courage. The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the United States armed forces who have been wounded in action.

(Source: https://www.fatrabbitcreative.com/blog/psychology-of-the-color-purple-and-what-it-means-for-your-business)

Here are two of many logos that carry their purple robes with style and sophistication

Purple in Hallmark stands for creativity and mentorship.

The childlike nature of the brand and its uniqueness come out in the purple here. And of course the luxurious softness of the chocolate.

And since this is the last of the series let’s round it up with a final look at all colours! And stay with the one that you resonate with and the one that brings you the greatest joy. After all, the festive season is upon us and you can choose your colours to celebrate!