In the 1950s, Pepsi-Cola was looking to shake things up by changing its vending machines in South East Asia from royal blue to light blue. Unfortunately, light blue is associated with death and mourning in that part of the world. Pepsi quickly made the change back to its original color, but by the time it did, sales took a major hit.
Pepsi’s blunder could happen to any company, but it’s one that can be easily avoided with a little research. Jennifer Kyrnin’s Visual Color Symbolism Chart is a great place to start for any company looking to distribute their products abroad.