Rosso Corsa
For most brands, color is an afterthought.
For Ferrari, color is a religion.
Enzo Ferrari was an entrepreneur with an artist’s soul. Before becoming a professional racecar driver and later Ferrari’s founder, he had his sights set on the opera.
While Enzo’s need for speed would eventually surpass his desire to sing, his love for opera endured.
The supplied account describes his V12 as a “timeless symphony”. His appreciation for artistry reached beyond the mechanics of the engine.
Racing red
During Ferrari’s early years, international racing identified teams by national colors.
France raced in blue. Britain in green. Italian teams raced in red. Germany’s racing history includes both white and the later Silver Arrows tradition.
For Italy, the color was Rosso Corsa: racing red.
Enzo saw Ferrari as a racing team first and a car manufacturer second. The red of the racing cars became inseparable from the road cars and the name.
A color you remember
Rosso Corsa also gave Ferrari an opportunity to be instantly recognizable. A color could call up the car before anyone saw its name.
The supplied reflection captures that ambition in a line attributed to Enzo: “Ask a child to draw a car, and it will be red. Ask a man to dream of one, and it will be Rosso Corsa.”
The exact wording of that attribution is uncertain. The connection between Ferrari and red is visible enough without it.
An emotional decision
Colors are deeply emotional. They can affect the mood of a website, a logo, an advertisement or a product.
White can suggest purity and simplicity. Black can suggest power and elegance. Green can suggest growth or wealth. Red can suggest passion and urgency.
Those associations depend on context and culture. They are still part of the decisions a brand makes.
Enzo Ferrari knew the colors you choose matter. It’s one of the many reasons Ferrari became a brand you can’t take your eyes off.
