Superman Ice Cream
When you think of kids what colors come to mind? Let me guess, primary colors, right? The true blue, solid red, bright yellow, and golden green seems to penetrate all things kids. Why is this? Is it that kids don’t know any better and therefore are given the basics, or is it that these are the best colors of all time and in the spirit of maturity adults dull them down for themselves?
Think about Superman Ice Cream… What you don’t know about Superman Ice cream? Here is a picture of it.
Superman Ice Cream was my favorite ice cream growing up. Anytime we walked into a place that was fortunate enough to be graced by its presence could be assured that they had a sale on their hands. What is Superman Ice Cream? Basically, vanilla ice cream with primary colors. The color drew me in not the taste. The color is what I looked for every time I looked into a case of ice cream. It was all about the color.
When the makers of Gummy Bears where sitting in meetings and deciding what color they were going to make their little sugar creations I wonder if the word mauve ever entered into the conversation? Of course not, even if it was 1982 when the meeting was happening. By the way, I’m glad we have moved past mauve, but I digress. Of course when Gummy Bears came out they looked like this:
Why did you think they went with primary colors? Simple, they knew their target and they knew what would sale. They knew that silver, black, gold, and bronze where not going to do it. They said give me the blue, the red, the yellow, and the green. Who is their market? Kids.
Last example to expand this point. Bring a bunch of donuts in front of kids. Have half that are chocolate covered donuts with chocolate sprinkles and the other half chocolate covered with rainbow sprinkles. Which half do you think would go first? You guessed it, rainbow sprinkles. Now do the same think with adults. This isn’t scientific but I’m willing to guess that the chocolate covered donuts with chocolate sprinkles goes first for adults. Why? It has everything to do with COLOR.
Know your audience. I see way to many spaces in churches for kids that lack color. Those churches that have color many have gone with what could be appropriate for both kids and adults and missed both. I’m not saying that you should walk into your church this weekend and start throwing up color just for color sake but I am saying think about your audience.
I think it’s sad that adults have matured past the point of these colors and moved to beige, white, and off white. Just because you may be all grown up and you like the more muted colors don’t make your audience suffer. Have some fun.
