Andy Lopez is the Senior Vice President and Head of North America Marketing at Behr and proud father to three children under the age of eight. At Behr, Andy leads the Brand Marketing department overseeing global B2C and B2B brand strategy, creative, media, PR, design, digital, innovation, consumer experience, and research. As the youngest Global Head of Marketing in Behr's 75+ year history, Andy has played a key role in maintaining BEHR’s position as the Most Trusted Paint brand in the U.S. and Canada. Before joining Behr, he held senior roles at leading global creative agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, and Project Worldwide, managing marketing strategies for Fortune 500 brands across diverse industries. Andy is recognized as one of the top marketers driving change in the industry.
On today’s show, Alan and Andy discuss Andy's career journey and the fascinating process behind Behr's Color of the Year program, from how the colors and their names are created to the marketing strategies that bring them to life. They also explore Behr's successful social media efforts, including their growing presence on TikTok, and their strong partnership with The Home Depot. In addition, Andy shares how Behr builds excitement and drives purchases across the paint category while staying at the forefront of consumer engagement.
“Strategize and make sure that we have collective marketing efforts that are really going to engage our DIY and professional audience the way that we feel like is truly going to make an impact and grow our businesses.”
In this episode, you will learn:
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Mark as PlayedTranscript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
you
Are you ready to go beyond the basics of marketing?
I'm Alan Hart and this is Marketing Beyond, where we talk about the questions that sparkchange and share ideas that challenge the status quo.
Join us as we explore the future of marketing and its endless potential.
(00:29):
Today on the show, we've Andy Lopez.
He's the Senior Vice President and Head of North America Marketing at Bayer Paint.
Andy's the youngest global head of marketing for Bayer in more than 75 year history.
He leads their brand marketing department overseeing global B2C and B2B brand strategy,creative media, PR, design, digital innovation, consumer experience, and research.
(00:51):
And Bayer is one of the most trusted paint brands in the US and Canada.
On the show today, we talk about his history.
where he got his start in the advertising world, how he made his way to bear.
We talk a lot about their program of color of the year.
How does it work?
How does it work from a marketing standpoint?
How do they come up with these colors and the names for the colors to boot?
(01:13):
And then we'll go a little bit further in talking about how they're seeing success insocial media and the partnership that they have with the Home Depot.
That and much more with Andy Lopez.
Andy, welcome to the show.
Thanks, Alan.
Glad to be here.
Thanks for having me.
I'm looking forward to talking about paint and color, before we...
(01:34):
Exciting, huh?
I know, very exciting.
Especially if you like decorating or changing the look of things around you.
But before we go there, I normally try to get something from people that's personal story,a fun fact, a hobby.
But I hear you have three kids under the age of eight.
So you probably have time for none of that.
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
(01:54):
My interests usually lie within whatever is that of interest to my kids.
Whether that's on the hockey rink or on the soccer field, or I recently actually justsigned them all up for Jiu Jitsu, which has been pretty fun and exciting.
I get asked a lot how you do it.
How do you manage what you're able to manage from a professional perspective while havingthree kids under the age of eight?
(02:17):
And I'm not saying my situation is...
more difficult than others.
But I think one thing that gets me through the day is every morning I wake up around 4am,I'm able to get a quick exercise in.
And then I come back and I'm usually able to at minimum squeeze one if not two cups ofcoffee and catch up on some email news.
(02:37):
And then, you know, I think about the movie Jumanji when, you know, they're all sitting inthe living room and they hear that stampede come in.
And that's pretty much my daily is all three kids usually
wake up at the same amount of time, come in, it's ready for breakfast, packing lunches,and it becomes a little bit hectic.
that little bit of time, that little small window of opportunity, that's what gets methrough the day.
(02:58):
And that's what makes me come back the next day.
That's how I get through it.
I'm reflecting on your choices of activities for the kids and I'm actually a little scaredfor you.
So you first gave them sticks with hockey, then you gave them balls with soccer, and nowthey're going to take you down.
You live dangerously.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
(03:19):
All right.
All right.
From kids to career.
Yes.
Where did you get your start in your career?
And you are now the senior vice president and head of North America marketing atFairPaint.
Yes.
I started my career in the advertising industry.
And right after college, I got a job at Saatchi & Saatchi working on the Toyota business.
(03:43):
And then grew up in the advertising industry before I came to work at Bear Paint.
And so through that experience, I was able to not only work at amazing brands like Toyota,but also really diversified my background in different industries, worked at smaller
shops, worked at larger shops.
And then found this opportunity at Bayer to just continue to grow and expand my career andchallenge myself in a different way while still hanging on to something that I was
(04:12):
passionate about, which was the creative and strategic process of being able to takebrands to a new level.
And so I started my career at Bayer about almost eight years ago.
And through those eight years, I've always been within the brand marketing space.
And I've just continued to be able to elevate my role and take on additional scope.
(04:34):
And last year I elevated to heading up the entire marketing department.
And so, it's been super rewarding and exciting to just take on new challenges and do someexciting stuff for the brand.
I love it.
love it.
Unless my listeners are living in a country that you don't reach or living under a rock,they probably already know what Bayer as a paint company does.
(04:58):
maybe you can give us just like a sense of the size and scope of the business.
Yeah, definitely.
So, Bayer is a nationally recognized architectural paint business that has been around forover 75 years.
And we employ around 4,000 people across the United States and other parts of the globeacross multiple departments, not just marketing, but we have R &D, we have an amazing
(05:25):
sales team, finance, product, everything that you can think of from a manufacturingcompany.
And so within the 75 years, over the last 45 years, we've been an exclusive brand at theHome Depot.
And so that has been an amazing trajectory of being there when the Home Depot opened itsfirst doors in Atlanta.
(05:47):
And we really have just grown beyond just paint.
So a lot of people know us for our interior paint products, but we also have stainproducts and we've expanded into other adjacent products like spray paint and interior
stain.
And so, yeah, we've been around for 75 years.
We're the most trusted paint brand in America.
And so it's been an amazing brand to work for.
(06:09):
And I think that's what makes it so exciting to be at the top of the marketing team andbeing able to drive this brand forward.
I think the thing that caught my eye was your recent release of Color of the Year.
And it me wonder, like, why did Bayer decide to begin this kind of annual Color of theYear program in itself?
(06:31):
Yeah, no, that's a great question.
So color of the year has been almost a table stake now for our industry and really, youknow, a way to talk about color in a big way.
So we started our color of the year about seven to eight years ago.
And the reason why we started it to begin with was really to make it easier for consumersto feel confident about the color that they're putting on their walls.
(06:53):
It's a pretty big decision.
It's an exciting one to be able to transform your space with a different color.
but it could be a little bit intimidating.
And so that really is what drove us to launch Color of the Year was to help give peoplethat validation that, this is a trending color.
We've done our research.
We've been able to do the legwork to make it easier for you to feel more confident abouttransforming your space with this specific color.
(07:21):
And so that's how we launched it.
And then we just continued to evolve that over the years with the goal always being to
help consumers feel good about the color that they're putting on their wall and using intheir space.
It's definitely exciting.
Like, how do you choose the right color of the year?
It's very stressful process for me anyway.
(07:42):
Yeah, definitely.
It's a collective and collaborative effort and it's a pretty iterative process.
so obviously, without giving too much away, we start really looking globally across trendsthat are happening across the globe in different industries.
So we're not just looking in home decor, but we're looking in fashion and tech and autoand just understanding what is what's resonating.
(08:05):
We're also looking outside of the United States.
We're in Europe and understanding what is some of the trends that are happening
that will eventually hit the United States across some of those industries.
And then we partner closely with the Home Depot and they have an amazing trends and designteam that look at designs and trends that are happening across other categories, obviously
(08:26):
outside of paint.
And so we work with them and then we do some consumer validation as well.
And so before we go to market and before we really put the stake in the ground on onespecific color, we want to make sure that it's a color that people
would be able to use in their space.
they, it's evoking the emotion that we're trying to convey through our messaging about howthis color can really transform the space.
(08:51):
And so that's some of the process that it takes over time in order to really come out witha color of the year to again, make consumers feel better about using it in their space.
I love that.
And not only do you, you come out with the color, the visual, if you will, but you've gotto name these colors too.
Like how does, where do the names come from?
(09:12):
They seem very inventive.
Exactly.
Yeah, that's so funny because we always we always get that question.
People are very interested in how we come up with the names for for pink colors.
And so we have some legacy color names and we have some names that we've changed overtime.
But really, we like to make sure that it's relevant within culture.
We look at specific macro and micro moments that are happening.
(09:36):
And we want to make sure that the name feels
relevant and relatable to the color that they're looking for, but it also is able to evokethe emotion that we want them to feel by using this color in their space, whether that's
interior or exterior.
And so that's how we go through the process is we look at whatever the color is, we startthere and understand the hue family.
(10:00):
And then we figure out some of the trends that are happening of how we came up with thatcolor.
And maybe there's some language there of the way that we describe it that could help.
create the name, but then we look at moments that are happening and things that arehappening in language that people are using to describe different things or different
feelings or different moods.
So we try to make it as relevant as possible and something that would also be a littletimeless so people would understand the rhyme and reason of why that color that they're
(10:26):
choosing has the name that it has.
Love it.
Interesting.
It's not that different.
In many cases, it is different, but it's from naming brands, like a new product or a newbrand.
It's very similar type of process.
Yeah, a lot of it is such an iterative process.
I don't think anyone can say whether they're naming a new product, a new brand, or even acolor that they're single-handedly doing that themselves.
(10:51):
It is something that takes an effort of a team.
And really, idea of great ideas can come from anywhere.
And we don't have just one person doing it.
It's really a team effort.
It's a huge effort.
I'm curious as you think about color of the year, it's definitely a moment, if you will,that kicks off, I'm sure, quite a bit of work for you guys.
(11:14):
But how do you think about it in terms of driving both interest and purchase across thepaint category?
definitely is because we've done it now for the last eight years, we have been able tobuild some equity in where people are now looking forward to this announcement and they
expect it from us.
And so that has been nice to build that over time.
(11:38):
And so then, since we have that expectation and that excitement, we really want to makesure that we're evolving it and continuing to change it.
again, it always is grounded in the idea of we want to help people feel great about thecolor that they're choosing to put on their wall.
But what we try to do is launch it in different ways, both to our media, when we do alarge PR event and really immerse them in the experience of how we came up with the color
(12:03):
and how the color will transform the space of the readers that are
reading their magazine or publication.
And then what we want to do is bring that same type of feeling and that same type ofexperience to our consumers and our professionals and our designers.
And so we do, we have different campaigns in order to reach that specific audience.
(12:23):
And so for this color of the year specifically, we've been able to launch it with themedia and create a very immersive experience to really bring the color rumors.
So for those who don't know that are listening, rumors is our
2025 color of the year.
And so it is a deep ruby red.
And it's the first time we've come out with a shade of red for our color of the year.
(12:45):
So that was new and that was exciting for our brand.
And then in addition to that, as many brands are doing, they're finding ways and relevantways to tap into a younger generation that is starting for our home improvement space,
buying homes and looking for ways to transform their homes in a way that we were able toconnect with them in a different way that we haven't done before.
(13:06):
is through a partnership with a nail polish company called Olive in June.
So we were able to create a custom co-branded nail polish with our 2025 Color of the Yearrumors and launch that around the same time across our social channels.
And so that was a really exciting way for us to, again, do something new in the space, beable to reach a new audience, but still stay very authentic to our brand and the idea of
(13:31):
color and just really looking at ways that you can get inspiration from anywhere.
to really drive that color leadership program.
It's interesting.
I like the application outside of your core business, right?
people, they pick a color, they pick a color because they like it and they want topotentially flaunt it.
Yeah, exactly.
(13:52):
Exactly.
that's the thing.
very, we've all, it's color can be, that's, and that's why we, when we're picking ourcolor of the year, it's not just about home decor.
Because to your point, the way people are getting inspired today, there's so many wayspeople can get inspired, whether they're traveling or they're on social or just real life
experiences where they want to be able to take that inspiration and be able to apply it totheir home.
(14:17):
and create an experience that they can continue to get that evoke that same feeling thatthey got where they initially got that inspiration.
And so that's why we always look for ways that are not just within the home, but outsideof the home, whether that's collaborative partnerships or different ways that we can bring
color to life.
Yeah.
know within the social channels, you've had a lot of success on TikTok and just wonderedlike, how are you achieving that success?
(14:44):
You're outpacing other brands.
Yeah, definitely.
And social, as you are very familiar with, and I'm sure a lot of your listeners are veryfamiliar with, has been a very evolving platform for brands.
And with new and emerging platforms coming into the space, then as you're just catching upto how to best deliver content and advertise on one, a new one pops up that this is the
(15:08):
way you're going to reach this new audience.
And so you have to adapt and evolve and really
Because there's so much content out there and so many ways for people to engage with yourbrand, the way we did it was really just to focus on where we felt like the prioritization
was for our brand to be able to get out there and provide the inspiration that we wantedto provide and really motivate people to take on more DIY painting projects.
(15:32):
And so we really honed in on partnering with platforms like TikTok to be able to createsomething new for the platform that hasn't been done before.
And so three years ago, we launched what we called to DIY for, which is a home improvementseries that's exclusive on the TikTok platform that we really partnered with them in order
(15:54):
to launch.
what it does is it's a way for us to showcase a series of content that people can watchwhere they are able to learn different how-to projects on how to use products from our
brand to really help them transform their space.
And through that, we've been able to significantly grow our following and really grow ourengagement across the platform.
(16:18):
And it's been very successful that we actually just wrapped our third season of it.
And so those are the types of initiatives and campaigns and kind of focus areas that we'vebeen able to do in order to really be successful across social and specifically on some of
those platforms like TikTok.
Congrats on the third season.
(16:40):
You mentioned Home Depot a couple of times and you have a strong partnership there.
How does that partnership between Bayer and Home Depot help elevate your marketing?
Yeah, definitely.
We have an incredible partnership with the Home Depot, really across all facets of ourbusiness.
And as I mentioned, it's been a partnership that has really been since the inception ofHome Depot 45 years ago.
(17:06):
And so within that, specifically from a marketing perspective, we really look at theirteam as an extension of our team.
And so we really try to strategize and make sure that
we have collective marketing efforts that are really going to engage our DIY andprofessional audience the way that we feel like is going to truly make an impact and help
(17:33):
grow our businesses.
And so I would say that has been, you know, a lot of times, I think from manufacturingperspective, you don't necessarily always have that relationship with the retailer.
But the one that we have with Home Depot is special.
And I think that comes through with a lot of our collective marketing efforts.
They're a huge part of our Color of the Year initiative.
(17:53):
We partner closely, as I mentioned, with their decor and design team in order to selectthe color of the year and then also bring it to life and be able to sustain that, not only
through the efforts that we're doing from a marketing perspective, but even leveragingtheir platforms like across their Orange Apron Media Network, being able to leverage that.
(18:14):
platform as a way to bring color to life in a big way as well, and to tap into some ofthose strategic audiences that we talked about.
You've got a huge platform here, both a great partnership with Home Depot, but also thecolor of the year as an annual event, if you will.
Something that you have to look forward to for the next one.
(18:34):
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
And a lot of extensions and, and really interested in the stuff that you're doing onTikTok as well with the DIY series, should say.
One of the things I love to do is to get to know you a little bit better as well.
so I've got a series of questions to ask everyone that comes on the show.
(18:55):
My favorite one to ask is, has there been an experience of your past that defines or makesup who you are today?
Yeah, that's a great question and a way to really reflect.
And I think there's a lot of experiences that have happened to define who I am today.
But I would say to just go back to the very beginning and talking about the kids, I thinkhaving my first child would probably be the one thing that really defines who I am today
(19:25):
and has really transformed me in a big way.
And I would say a way for the better as well.
I think prior to having kids, I think
if you asked me this question, would be my work really defined me.
And I think after having kids, it's not that my work doesn't define me as well, but Ithink you add on the layer of being a dad and being a husband and being able to have all
(19:51):
of these other things that really fill you up and really define you in a way that youhaven't, you didn't even know that you could experience.
And so I think that has been probably the biggest thing.
to make sure that I'm staying passionate and excited about the job that I'm doing whilebeing the best dad I can be, while being the best husband I can be, and making sure that
(20:12):
you're getting that balance within your life the way that makes it right for you.
And I think that's different for everyone.
Yeah, it's beautiful.
What advice would you give yourself if you're starting this journey all over again?
man.
So much.
So I think that I think it's a hard one to ask because obviously, I think that I have,I've obviously made the, you know, some good decisions to get to where I'm at.
(20:39):
And so I think my younger self, if I could say one thing would be to just not overthinktoo much, and to go with your gut and take some risks.
But to counteract that too, I think sometimes when you do overthink and you don't takethose risks.
You also learn from that and then it motivates you to do something different the nexttime.
(21:00):
But I think that's what I would say is learn from the risks that you don't take and thentry to take some risks and go with your gut when you're feeling really confident about
Is there a topic either you're trying to learn more about or you think marketers need tobe learning more about right now?
(22:48):
So I got two more questions for you.
Are there any trends or subcultures that you follow you think other people should takenotice of?
(24:06):
I tend to think of it as you have to have one eye on the horizon while you focus on what'sapplicable today.
Exactly.
(24:46):
Yeah, I like to think that it would be hard to be a good marketer if you're not a goodlearner.
Or at least passionate about learning.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Last question.
What do you think is the largest opportunity or threat facing marketers today?
(25:45):
Andy, it's been a great conversation.
I love getting to talk much more about color in general and how you guys are making use ofit.
Thank you for coming on the show.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker's own and do not represent theviews, thoughts, and opinions of Deloitte.
(26:08):
The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only anddoes not imply endorsement or opposition to any specific company, product, or service.
Hi, it's Alan again.
Marketing Beyond is a Deloitte digital podcast.
It's created and produced by me with close production support from Sam Robertson.
(26:32):
If you're new to Marketing Beyond, please feel free to write us a review and subscribe onyour favorite listening platform.
I also invite you to explore the other Deloitte digital podcast at deloitte digital.comslash us slash podcast and share the show with your friends and colleagues.
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can contact me at marketingbeyond at Deloitte.com.
(26:57):
You'll also find complete show notes and links to what's discussed in the podcast today,and you can search our archives.
I'm Alan Hart, and this is Marketing Beyond.
you
Are you ready to go beyond the basics of marketing?
I'm Alan Hart and this is Marketing Beyond, where we talk about the questions that sparkchange and share ideas that challenge the status quo.
Join us as we explore the future of marketing and its endless potential.
(00:29):
Today on the show, we've Andy Lopez.
He's the Senior Vice President and Head of North America Marketing at Bayer Paint.
Andy's the youngest global head of marketing for Bayer in more than 75 year history.
He leads their brand marketing department overseeing global B2C and B2B brand strategy,creative media, PR, design, digital innovation, consumer experience, and research.
(00:51):
And Bayer is one of the most trusted paint brands in the US and Canada.
On the show today, we talk about his history.
where he got his start in the advertising world, how he made his way to bear.
We talk a lot about their program of color of the year.
How does it work?
How does it work from a marketing standpoint?
How do they come up with these colors and the names for the colors to boot?
(01:13):
And then we'll go a little bit further in talking about how they're seeing success insocial media and the partnership that they have with the Home Depot.
That and much more with Andy Lopez.
Andy, welcome to the show.
Thanks, Alan.
Glad to be here.
Thanks for having me.
I'm looking forward to talking about paint and color, before we...
(01:34):
Exciting, huh?
I know, very exciting.
Especially if you like decorating or changing the look of things around you.
But before we go there, I normally try to get something from people that's personal story,a fun fact, a hobby.
But I hear you have three kids under the age of eight.
So you probably have time for none of that.
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
(01:54):
My interests usually lie within whatever is that of interest to my kids.
Whether that's on the hockey rink or on the soccer field, or I recently actually justsigned them all up for Jiu Jitsu, which has been pretty fun and exciting.
I get asked a lot how you do it.
How do you manage what you're able to manage from a professional perspective while havingthree kids under the age of eight?
(02:17):
And I'm not saying my situation is...
more difficult than others.
But I think one thing that gets me through the day is every morning I wake up around 4am,I'm able to get a quick exercise in.
And then I come back and I'm usually able to at minimum squeeze one if not two cups ofcoffee and catch up on some email news.
(02:37):
And then, you know, I think about the movie Jumanji when, you know, they're all sitting inthe living room and they hear that stampede come in.
And that's pretty much my daily is all three kids usually
wake up at the same amount of time, come in, it's ready for breakfast, packing lunches,and it becomes a little bit hectic.
that little bit of time, that little small window of opportunity, that's what gets methrough the day.
(02:58):
And that's what makes me come back the next day.
That's how I get through it.
I'm reflecting on your choices of activities for the kids and I'm actually a little scaredfor you.
So you first gave them sticks with hockey, then you gave them balls with soccer, and nowthey're going to take you down.
You live dangerously.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
(03:19):
All right.
All right.
From kids to career.
Yes.
Where did you get your start in your career?
And you are now the senior vice president and head of North America marketing atFairPaint.
Yes.
I started my career in the advertising industry.
And right after college, I got a job at Saatchi & Saatchi working on the Toyota business.
(03:43):
And then grew up in the advertising industry before I came to work at Bear Paint.
And so through that experience, I was able to not only work at amazing brands like Toyota,but also really diversified my background in different industries, worked at smaller
shops, worked at larger shops.
And then found this opportunity at Bayer to just continue to grow and expand my career andchallenge myself in a different way while still hanging on to something that I was
(04:12):
passionate about, which was the creative and strategic process of being able to takebrands to a new level.
And so I started my career at Bayer about almost eight years ago.
And through those eight years, I've always been within the brand marketing space.
And I've just continued to be able to elevate my role and take on additional scope.
(04:34):
And last year I elevated to heading up the entire marketing department.
And so, it's been super rewarding and exciting to just take on new challenges and do someexciting stuff for the brand.
I love it.
love it.
Unless my listeners are living in a country that you don't reach or living under a rock,they probably already know what Bayer as a paint company does.
(04:58):
maybe you can give us just like a sense of the size and scope of the business.
Yeah, definitely.
So, Bayer is a nationally recognized architectural paint business that has been around forover 75 years.
And we employ around 4,000 people across the United States and other parts of the globeacross multiple departments, not just marketing, but we have R &D, we have an amazing
(05:25):
sales team, finance, product, everything that you can think of from a manufacturingcompany.
And so within the 75 years, over the last 45 years, we've been an exclusive brand at theHome Depot.
And so that has been an amazing trajectory of being there when the Home Depot opened itsfirst doors in Atlanta.
(05:47):
And we really have just grown beyond just paint.
So a lot of people know us for our interior paint products, but we also have stainproducts and we've expanded into other adjacent products like spray paint and interior
stain.
And so, yeah, we've been around for 75 years.
We're the most trusted paint brand in America.
And so it's been an amazing brand to work for.
(06:09):
And I think that's what makes it so exciting to be at the top of the marketing team andbeing able to drive this brand forward.
I think the thing that caught my eye was your recent release of Color of the Year.
And it me wonder, like, why did Bayer decide to begin this kind of annual Color of theYear program in itself?
(06:31):
Yeah, no, that's a great question.
So color of the year has been almost a table stake now for our industry and really, youknow, a way to talk about color in a big way.
So we started our color of the year about seven to eight years ago.
And the reason why we started it to begin with was really to make it easier for consumersto feel confident about the color that they're putting on their walls.
(06:53):
It's a pretty big decision.
It's an exciting one to be able to transform your space with a different color.
but it could be a little bit intimidating.
And so that really is what drove us to launch Color of the Year was to help give peoplethat validation that, this is a trending color.
We've done our research.
We've been able to do the legwork to make it easier for you to feel more confident abouttransforming your space with this specific color.
(07:21):
And so that's how we launched it.
And then we just continued to evolve that over the years with the goal always being to
help consumers feel good about the color that they're putting on their wall and using intheir space.
It's definitely exciting.
Like, how do you choose the right color of the year?
It's very stressful process for me anyway.
(07:42):
Yeah, definitely.
It's a collective and collaborative effort and it's a pretty iterative process.
so obviously, without giving too much away, we start really looking globally across trendsthat are happening across the globe in different industries.
So we're not just looking in home decor, but we're looking in fashion and tech and autoand just understanding what is what's resonating.
(08:05):
We're also looking outside of the United States.
We're in Europe and understanding what is some of the trends that are happening
that will eventually hit the United States across some of those industries.
And then we partner closely with the Home Depot and they have an amazing trends and designteam that look at designs and trends that are happening across other categories, obviously
(08:26):
outside of paint.
And so we work with them and then we do some consumer validation as well.
And so before we go to market and before we really put the stake in the ground on onespecific color, we want to make sure that it's a color that people
would be able to use in their space.
they, it's evoking the emotion that we're trying to convey through our messaging about howthis color can really transform the space.
(08:51):
And so that's some of the process that it takes over time in order to really come out witha color of the year to again, make consumers feel better about using it in their space.
I love that.
And not only do you, you come out with the color, the visual, if you will, but you've gotto name these colors too.
Like how does, where do the names come from?
(09:12):
They seem very inventive.
Exactly.
Yeah, that's so funny because we always we always get that question.
People are very interested in how we come up with the names for for pink colors.
And so we have some legacy color names and we have some names that we've changed overtime.
But really, we like to make sure that it's relevant within culture.
We look at specific macro and micro moments that are happening.
(09:36):
And we want to make sure that the name feels
relevant and relatable to the color that they're looking for, but it also is able to evokethe emotion that we want them to feel by using this color in their space, whether that's
interior or exterior.
And so that's how we go through the process is we look at whatever the color is, we startthere and understand the hue family.
(10:00):
And then we figure out some of the trends that are happening of how we came up with thatcolor.
And maybe there's some language there of the way that we describe it that could help.
create the name, but then we look at moments that are happening and things that arehappening in language that people are using to describe different things or different
feelings or different moods.
So we try to make it as relevant as possible and something that would also be a littletimeless so people would understand the rhyme and reason of why that color that they're
(10:26):
choosing has the name that it has.
Love it.
Interesting.
It's not that different.
In many cases, it is different, but it's from naming brands, like a new product or a newbrand.
It's very similar type of process.
Yeah, a lot of it is such an iterative process.
I don't think anyone can say whether they're naming a new product, a new brand, or even acolor that they're single-handedly doing that themselves.
(10:51):
It is something that takes an effort of a team.
And really, idea of great ideas can come from anywhere.
And we don't have just one person doing it.
It's really a team effort.
It's a huge effort.
I'm curious as you think about color of the year, it's definitely a moment, if you will,that kicks off, I'm sure, quite a bit of work for you guys.
(11:14):
But how do you think about it in terms of driving both interest and purchase across thepaint category?
definitely is because we've done it now for the last eight years, we have been able tobuild some equity in where people are now looking forward to this announcement and they
expect it from us.
And so that has been nice to build that over time.
(11:38):
And so then, since we have that expectation and that excitement, we really want to makesure that we're evolving it and continuing to change it.
again, it always is grounded in the idea of we want to help people feel great about thecolor that they're choosing to put on their wall.
But what we try to do is launch it in different ways, both to our media, when we do alarge PR event and really immerse them in the experience of how we came up with the color
(12:03):
and how the color will transform the space of the readers that are
reading their magazine or publication.
And then what we want to do is bring that same type of feeling and that same type ofexperience to our consumers and our professionals and our designers.
And so we do, we have different campaigns in order to reach that specific audience.
(12:23):
And so for this color of the year specifically, we've been able to launch it with themedia and create a very immersive experience to really bring the color rumors.
So for those who don't know that are listening, rumors is our
2025 color of the year.
And so it is a deep ruby red.
And it's the first time we've come out with a shade of red for our color of the year.
(12:45):
So that was new and that was exciting for our brand.
And then in addition to that, as many brands are doing, they're finding ways and relevantways to tap into a younger generation that is starting for our home improvement space,
buying homes and looking for ways to transform their homes in a way that we were able toconnect with them in a different way that we haven't done before.
(13:06):
is through a partnership with a nail polish company called Olive in June.
So we were able to create a custom co-branded nail polish with our 2025 Color of the Yearrumors and launch that around the same time across our social channels.
And so that was a really exciting way for us to, again, do something new in the space, beable to reach a new audience, but still stay very authentic to our brand and the idea of
(13:31):
color and just really looking at ways that you can get inspiration from anywhere.
to really drive that color leadership program.
It's interesting.
I like the application outside of your core business, right?
people, they pick a color, they pick a color because they like it and they want topotentially flaunt it.
Yeah, exactly.
(13:52):
Exactly.
that's the thing.
very, we've all, it's color can be, that's, and that's why we, when we're picking ourcolor of the year, it's not just about home decor.
Because to your point, the way people are getting inspired today, there's so many wayspeople can get inspired, whether they're traveling or they're on social or just real life
experiences where they want to be able to take that inspiration and be able to apply it totheir home.
(14:17):
and create an experience that they can continue to get that evoke that same feeling thatthey got where they initially got that inspiration.
And so that's why we always look for ways that are not just within the home, but outsideof the home, whether that's collaborative partnerships or different ways that we can bring
color to life.
Yeah.
know within the social channels, you've had a lot of success on TikTok and just wonderedlike, how are you achieving that success?
(14:44):
You're outpacing other brands.
Yeah, definitely.
And social, as you are very familiar with, and I'm sure a lot of your listeners are veryfamiliar with, has been a very evolving platform for brands.
And with new and emerging platforms coming into the space, then as you're just catching upto how to best deliver content and advertise on one, a new one pops up that this is the
(15:08):
way you're going to reach this new audience.
And so you have to adapt and evolve and really
Because there's so much content out there and so many ways for people to engage with yourbrand, the way we did it was really just to focus on where we felt like the prioritization
was for our brand to be able to get out there and provide the inspiration that we wantedto provide and really motivate people to take on more DIY painting projects.
(15:32):
And so we really honed in on partnering with platforms like TikTok to be able to createsomething new for the platform that hasn't been done before.
And so three years ago, we launched what we called to DIY for, which is a home improvementseries that's exclusive on the TikTok platform that we really partnered with them in order
(15:54):
to launch.
what it does is it's a way for us to showcase a series of content that people can watchwhere they are able to learn different how-to projects on how to use products from our
brand to really help them transform their space.
And through that, we've been able to significantly grow our following and really grow ourengagement across the platform.
(16:18):
And it's been very successful that we actually just wrapped our third season of it.
And so those are the types of initiatives and campaigns and kind of focus areas that we'vebeen able to do in order to really be successful across social and specifically on some of
those platforms like TikTok.
Congrats on the third season.
(16:40):
You mentioned Home Depot a couple of times and you have a strong partnership there.
How does that partnership between Bayer and Home Depot help elevate your marketing?
Yeah, definitely.
We have an incredible partnership with the Home Depot, really across all facets of ourbusiness.
And as I mentioned, it's been a partnership that has really been since the inception ofHome Depot 45 years ago.
(17:06):
And so within that, specifically from a marketing perspective, we really look at theirteam as an extension of our team.
And so we really try to strategize and make sure that
we have collective marketing efforts that are really going to engage our DIY andprofessional audience the way that we feel like is going to truly make an impact and help
(17:33):
grow our businesses.
And so I would say that has been, you know, a lot of times, I think from manufacturingperspective, you don't necessarily always have that relationship with the retailer.
But the one that we have with Home Depot is special.
And I think that comes through with a lot of our collective marketing efforts.
They're a huge part of our Color of the Year initiative.
(17:53):
We partner closely, as I mentioned, with their decor and design team in order to selectthe color of the year and then also bring it to life and be able to sustain that, not only
through the efforts that we're doing from a marketing perspective, but even leveragingtheir platforms like across their Orange Apron Media Network, being able to leverage that.
(18:14):
platform as a way to bring color to life in a big way as well, and to tap into some ofthose strategic audiences that we talked about.
You've got a huge platform here, both a great partnership with Home Depot, but also thecolor of the year as an annual event, if you will.
Something that you have to look forward to for the next one.
(18:34):
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
And a lot of extensions and, and really interested in the stuff that you're doing onTikTok as well with the DIY series, should say.
One of the things I love to do is to get to know you a little bit better as well.
so I've got a series of questions to ask everyone that comes on the show.
(18:55):
My favorite one to ask is, has there been an experience of your past that defines or makesup who you are today?
Yeah, that's a great question and a way to really reflect.
And I think there's a lot of experiences that have happened to define who I am today.
But I would say to just go back to the very beginning and talking about the kids, I thinkhaving my first child would probably be the one thing that really defines who I am today
(19:25):
and has really transformed me in a big way.
And I would say a way for the better as well.
I think prior to having kids, I think
if you asked me this question, would be my work really defined me.
And I think after having kids, it's not that my work doesn't define me as well, but Ithink you add on the layer of being a dad and being a husband and being able to have all
(19:51):
of these other things that really fill you up and really define you in a way that youhaven't, you didn't even know that you could experience.
And so I think that has been probably the biggest thing.
to make sure that I'm staying passionate and excited about the job that I'm doing whilebeing the best dad I can be, while being the best husband I can be, and making sure that
(20:12):
you're getting that balance within your life the way that makes it right for you.
And I think that's different for everyone.
Yeah, it's beautiful.
What advice would you give yourself if you're starting this journey all over again?
man.
So much.
So I think that I think it's a hard one to ask because obviously, I think that I have,I've obviously made the, you know, some good decisions to get to where I'm at.
(20:39):
And so I think my younger self, if I could say one thing would be to just not overthinktoo much, and to go with your gut and take some risks.
But to counteract that too, I think sometimes when you do overthink and you don't takethose risks.
You also learn from that and then it motivates you to do something different the nexttime.
(21:00):
But I think that's what I would say is learn from the risks that you don't take and thentry to take some risks and go with your gut when you're feeling really confident about
Is there a topic either you're trying to learn more about or you think marketers need tobe learning more about right now?
(22:48):
So I got two more questions for you.
Are there any trends or subcultures that you follow you think other people should takenotice of?
(24:06):
I tend to think of it as you have to have one eye on the horizon while you focus on what'sapplicable today.
Exactly.
(24:46):
Yeah, I like to think that it would be hard to be a good marketer if you're not a goodlearner.
Or at least passionate about learning.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Last question.
What do you think is the largest opportunity or threat facing marketers today?
(25:45):
Andy, it's been a great conversation.
I love getting to talk much more about color in general and how you guys are making use ofit.
Thank you for coming on the show.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker's own and do not represent theviews, thoughts, and opinions of Deloitte.
(26:08):
The material and information presented here is for general information purposes only anddoes not imply endorsement or opposition to any specific company, product, or service.
Hi, it's Alan again.
Marketing Beyond is a Deloitte digital podcast.
It's created and produced by me with close production support from Sam Robertson.
(26:32):
If you're new to Marketing Beyond, please feel free to write us a review and subscribe onyour favorite listening platform.
I also invite you to explore the other Deloitte digital podcast at deloitte digital.comslash us slash podcast and share the show with your friends and colleagues.
I love hearing from listeners.
can contact me at marketingbeyond at Deloitte.com.
(26:57):
You'll also find complete show notes and links to what's discussed in the podcast today,and you can search our archives.
I'm Alan Hart, and this is Marketing Beyond.
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