Post by Lynne Stainthorpe

When I go to Wimbledon, I always think of the Suffragettes. Because they have the same colour palette of purple, green and white. Same colours, different intentions and yet drawing on aspects of colour meaning, symbolism and associations from the same roots. Take purple: it was once the most expensive colour, painstakingly created from the crushed shells of sea snails who died so the emperors and royalty could display their otherness, wealth and pomp. After the accidental discovery of synthetic purple by William Henry Perkin in 1856, purple became hugely popular, and mauve was said to be Queen Victoria’s favourite colour. Purple is still associated with luxury, along with creativity, and imagination., so you can see why it is part of the colour palette for the top tennis club in England, hosting one of the big four grand slams. And purple fits with the Wimbledon brand values of Heritage, Integrity, Respect and Excellence. So, why did Mrs Pankhurst choose purple? To represent the dignity and regality of women, along with loyalty and courage in the cause. The choice of green for Wimbledon seems obvious – it’s the colour of grass – and this is the world’s top lawn tennis tournament. Green is also the colour of money and there’s a lot of money at stake – for players, sponsors and the British game. For the suffragettes, green represented hope – of a brighter future where women would have equal rights and opportunities. Ask Billie Jean King about the fight for equality in the tennis world – it’s taken a long time. Wimbledon is renowned for being the only big tournament that insists on players wearing white, although they’ve made a welcome concession for female players (did you notice Sabalenka’s dark shorts below her Nike dress). For the suffragettes, white symbolised purity. It expressed the moral integrity of their fight for women’s rights and was linked to peaceful protest (although that changed as the fight went on). So, you can see why choosing your brand colours with intention and awareness of their meaning is key, whether it’s about psychology, cultural symbolism, personal association, spiritual meaning or physiological effect. And if you need any help with your brand colours, I'm here. So, back to Wimbledon – we have an all-Czech women’s final and who do you reckon will win the men’s title? #BrandColours #Wimbledon #BrandValues