What your Cellphone says about you

The colour of your cellphone may say something about your personality

f Verizon and AT&T have their way, Valentine’s Day will spark thoughts of chocolate, roses--and candy-colored cellphones.

The two carriers recently rolled out brightly hued versions of some popular handsets, including a red LG Shine, a pink BlackBerry Pearl and a purple Samsung Gleam. Verizon’s site exhorts visitors to “Add some playfulness to your life with these hot phones.”

As cellphones evolve from largely functional devices into personal accessories, the wireless industry is building a wave of colorful handsets. “Phones are becoming reflections of us as individuals and an important way to express our personalities,” says Ehtisham Rabbani, vice president of product strategy and marketing for LG.

It’s a sharp contrast to the drab shades most consumer electronics sported just a few years ago. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, says tech companies, with the exception of forward-thinking Apple, largely ignored her colour recommendations up through the ‘90s. “They didn’t understand the impact of color--they felt it had nothing to do with their devices,” she recalls.

The colour trend in cellphones ramped up around six months ago. Consider the Samsung Juke, which Verizon released in October in red, aqua and royal blue. Phones like the sporty Juke, which appeal to younger consumers, are often first to get the colour treatment. Handsets that target older customers, such as pricey smart phones, are more likely to be offered in more conservative colors, says Sapna Tahliani, a device marketing manager for Verizon Wireless.

That’s starting to change, though. Research in Motion’s BlackBerry, long considered the workhorse of smart phones, now comes in pink, red, amethyst, gold and--in the U.K.--a reddish orange shade called “sunset.”

Our emotional reactions to colour guide our shopping decisions, says Eiseman. That has handset manufacturers studying colour psychology, investing in materials research and consulting colour forecasts. “Our design group is completely hooked into what’s happening in fashion, autos and interior décor,” says Rabbani. New colours can hit stores within six months.

In a sign that neutrals aren’t totally passé, Rabbani says black is LG’s most “stable” colour across all demographics. Among younger consumers, light blue is increasingly hot. “Blue is a safe colour with appeal across gender and age groups,” he notes. “Light blue stands out; it’s the new pink.” LG recently relaunched the Chocolate, a sleek music player/phone, in a pale blue and will add one to two more phones in similar shades by the end of the year.

Fittingly, blue is America’s favorite colour, says Eiseman. “Consumer products often include blue in some form because a certain percentage of the population will always respond to it,” she adds. Some colours, such as yellow and green, don’t resonate with consumers. “You won’t see a yellow phone from us soon,” says Rabbani. LG’s green enV phone, however, enjoyed surprising success despite testing poorly with focus groups. Rabbani says a promotional tie-in with a Shrek film probably helped.

Manufacturers that sell around the world customize their colors to local tastes. Americans prefer simple, unadorned colors, says Rabbani. Carriers also influence color options by requesting exclusive rights to particular shades.

Only certain handset models get a color dipping. Carriers are wary of slicing the market too thin. Occasionally, phones will sell better than expected and earn a “color refresh.” That was the case with the Chocolate, which was first offered in black, in July 2006. By December 2007, it had expanded to six more colors, including white, “mint” and “cherry.”

The newest trend is to offer handsets in several shades right away. “Sometimes you don’t get the full appeal of a phone if you only launch with one color,” explains Rabbani. When LG unveiled its Venus in November, it carried black and hot-pink versions to target both men and women.

Handset makers and carriers expect the color trend to keep growing. Over the next 10 years, as the inner workings of phones shrink and manufacturing costs drop, “You’ll be able to put a thicker texture of design around the phone,” says Christian Lindholm, director of Fjord, a London-based strategic design consultancy.

Says Eiseman, “Today, if you don’t do something that involves color, you’re seen as very backward or very boring.”

Blue: Dependable and vibrant

Phones: Sony Ericsson W350 [pictured], BlackBerry Pearl 8100, BlackBerry Pearl 8130, LG Chocolate, Palm Treo 755p, Samsung Juke, Samsung Muse, Samsung R500, Samsung SGH-A737, Samsung X830, Sony Ericsson W580i What accounts for blue’s popularity? Due to associations with the sea and sky, the human mind interprets it as tranquil and constant--and thus dependable and loyal, says Eiseman. Light blue is seen as peaceful, cool and clean. Bright blue is energetic, vibrant and--in the U.S.--considered patriotic. Deep blues like navy are classic, introspective and professional looking.

Gold: Prestigious and rare

Phones: Motorola RAZR2 Luxury Edition [pictured], BlackBerry Curve 8320, BlackBerry Pearl 8100, Motorola MOTOKRZR K1, Motorola RAZR V3xx Well-established associations with earthly wealth and luxury give gold possessions an air of richness and rarity. As such, they reflect a desire for prestige, says Eiseman.

Pantone Collection

Japanese consumers can choose from all these colours and more if they purchase a Pantone-branded phone. The product of a partnership with Softbank, Japan’s third-largest mobile operator, and electronics maker Sharp, the phones come in 24 shades, from “vivid pink” to “mint green” and “metal blue.” Softbank launched the phones in April 2007 with a fashion show, declaring mobile phones the latest fashion accessory. (Rorbes.com)