The Color of Status: Color Saturation, Brand Heritage, and Perceived Status of Luxury Brands

Abstract The elevation of brand status is a crucial goal for numerous luxury brands. Building on the framework of learned color associations, the current research suggests that using less saturated colors in products enhances consumers’ perception of luxury brand status. This effect arises from consumers’ association between less saturated colors and the passage of time, leading to perceptions of the brand as having a rich continuity heritage. Because continuity heritage confers a higher status on a luxury brand, consumers subsequently perceive the brand as having elevated status. Through seven experimental and field studies, we empirically demonstrate that low (vs. high) color saturation increases a luxury brand’s perceived brand status, with perceived continuity heritage mediating this effect. However, this effect is mitigated when the brand highlights its recent (vs. old) foundation years and is even reversed when the brand positions itself as innovative. Additionally, we show that color saturation can affect consumers’ willingness to pay and product choices. This work contributes to the literature on luxury branding, brand heritage, and color while offering valuable insights for luxury brand managers on effectively enhancing their brand’s perceived status.