The Chinese beverage company Mixue Bingcheng store sign in Sanhe city, North China's Hebei Province, which had previously been changed to green, has now been restored to its original red color. Photo: People.com.cn

China Advertising Association criticized on Monday the color prohibition for shops' signs as a clear overreach of administrative authority after an order issued by a city in North China's Hebei Province prohibited red, blue and black colors on the plaques at the doors of the merchants, which stirred wide public concerns. 

Higher-level authorities have intervened to investigate the incident in Sanhe city in Hebei, according to a statement released by the association on Monday. 

According to association, as an important form of commercial advertising, store signs are not only identifiers for shops but also effective carriers for brand communication. As a result, the management of store signs in cities should follow market principles.

The China Advertising Association noted that some well-known domestic and international brands such as Chinese beverage company Mixue Bingcheng and KFC have built up their brand identities with years' investment and accumulation. Their highly recognizable iconic store signs can be identified by consumers at a glance. These signs play a crucial role in brand promotion and marketing, and are also considered intangible assets of the companies.

If the colors of these signs are forcibly changed, it would significantly reduce brand recognition and might even lead customers to mistakenly believe the store is a knockoff, causing serious harm to the brand's image and commercial interests, the association said. 

Color is one of the core elements of advertising design and information dissemination. The use of color is a key part of the visual identity system and falls under the realm of practical aesthetics, following a scientific logic of communication. 

Imposing restrictions, such as forcing the use of only red, blue, and black, or banning the use of red, blue, and black, clearly go against the natural logic of things, according to the association's statement. 

The association believes that the management of city's store signs should reject formalism and uphold the rule of law. Despite urban management covering a wide range of areas involving many complexities and conflicts, it should not be used as an excuse for administrative inaction or improper actions. 

The public can understand and accept necessary management such as setting standards for size, materials, installation procedures, safety requirements, and maintenance. However, if even the color, font, and style of store signs are to be uniformly controlled, it clearly constitutes an overreach of authority, it said. 

Global Times