Magazine_October_2023

FRESH SPECIAL
CULTURE IS TITEL IN OUR VAN NATURE HET STUK
STRIKING RED / AARTSEN RED PANTONE 186
To Aartsen, red is the most important
colour. It is in our logo, forms the ‘red
thread’ in the magazine, and features
in various places in our corporate
image. To us, it is the colour of apples,
a striking signal colour. But does red
have the same meaning in all cultures?
Colours can be very culture-specific,
and their significance often has its
origins in nature.
1
Western
Eastern Red
In Asian cultures, red is the colour of
happiness, prosperity and celebration.
In China, red is the colour of the new year
and is thought to bring good fortune – it is
no coincidence that new year's gifts are
wrapped in red envelopes. Red also features
prominently in both fireworks and weddings,
unlike the traditional white in western culture.
In Asia, red symbolises happiness and
prosperity for the couple. In many African
countries, red symbolises life and vitality.
The colour of blood represents power and
energy, and is frequently used in ceremonies.
3
Aartsen
Red
In western culture, red is a passionate colour
representing love and romance. Just look at
Chris de Burgh's song, ‘The Lady in Red.’
But it also expresses a person's importance,
which is why it's the colour of the red carpet.
Red is the colour of market leaders, and
highlights the status of people and events.
It's no coincidence that royal capes are often
red. And let's not forget warnings: red lights
are an important sign, and be careful if your
bank account ends up ‘in the red.’
2
Red
You really can't go wrong with the colour
red in any culture. As a company dealing
with different cultures worldwide, the colour
red holds great significance for Aartsen.
As the colour of our logo, the red of the
apple represents energy, vitality and
strength. It is a key element of our corporate
image, in which we strive to set ourselves
apart in a striking and positive manner –
throughout the world, in all cultures.
WHY
CHOOSE
AN APPLE AS
THE LOGO?
If Aartsen were a Mexican company,
would the logo have been an avocado?
Or a kiwi fruit if we had started in
New Zealand? What about an orange,
if our roots had been Spanish?
The Dutch apple symbolises our
background, our products, and the
invigorating, nonstopfresh character
of our enterprise. Apples are quite
literally a part of our culture, though
we are not the only company in the
world to use the apple as a logo.
Apple
The story goes that Steve Jobs was looking for a friendly,
non-intimidating name for his new technology company,
and was inspired after visiting an apple orchard.
The humble apple and accompanying logo were ideal for
his vision of a userfriendly and accessible technology brand.
Take a bite
The final logo with the missing bite dates from 1977.
Steve Jobs wanted a simple reference to the Apple name,
a logo that was just as accessible and approachable,
and could not be confused with a cherry or another
type of fruit. So the designer thought they should take
a bite out of it, making it unmistakably an apple.
Another advantage of the missing bite was that the
logo remained easily recognisable in a smaller format.
It also made the logo unique, and inextricably tied to
the Apple brand.
The Beatles
Some claim that the decision to use the Apple was based
on the Beatles’ record company: Apple Records.
Although they did know each other at the time, this causal
link has never been conclusively proven. The Beatles
did make more use of fruit, however, in their track titled
‘Strawberry Fields.’ And while the Apple logo today
enjoys worldwide recognition, so too does the Aartsen
apple, which can be found in every corner of the globe.
16 | CULTURES