Alcro is one of the most well-known paint brands in the Nordic region, with a strong presence in both retail and the professional coatings sector, as a part of the PPG group. In this interview, Olivera Nivlin, Head of Marketing, and Therese Skoglösa, Channel Marketing Specialist, share how Alcro uses the Natural Colour System (NCS) in everything from product development to campaigns – and how a colour system can serve as the foundation for both creative freedom and professional precision.
About Alcro
Alcro is one of Sweden’s leading paint brands, offering a wide range of paint and paint-related products for both consumers and professional painters. With a heritage dating back to 1906, Alcro’s range is the result of over a century of research and development, delivering technically superior, high-quality and long-lasting solutions.
Alcro is part of the global PPG group, giving it access to world-leading research, sustainable technologies and international networks. At the same time, the company remains deeply rooted in its Nordic heritage, with a clear commitment to products that are safe for people and the environment.
Olivera Nivlin, Head of Marketing
Olivera leads Alcro’s marketing operations and brand communication. She develops campaigns and initiatives that position Alcro as a colour expert and ensure that the brand’s identity is expressed consistently and credibly across all channels.
Favourite colour: NCS S 7010-G50Y
Therese Skoglösa, Channel Marketing Specialist
Therese focuses on customer-facing activities and channel marketing. She translates Alcro’s colour strategy into engaging campaigns and in-store solutions that connect with both professionals and consumers.
Favorite colour: NCS S 2005-G50Y
“We can't talk about colour if we don't refer to NCS, I would say. In all departments actually, and all colleagues. Throughout our whole value chain when it comes to colours, we are addressing the NCS System."
– Olivera Nivlin, Head of Marketing at Alcro
Alcro on colour as a core
NCS as a professional framework
For Alcro, colour is a professional language. The Natural Colour System provides the framework that ensures precision and consistency throughout the coatings process. From laboratory formulation and production to marketing and retail, NCS notations are the reference point that secures accuracy at every stage.
This consistency is essential in coatings, where professionals must be confident that a specified colour can be reproduced without deviation. With NCS, Alcro maintains reliability across its value chain and enables clear communication with architects, designers, resellers and end customers.
The importance of colour accuracy – achieved with NCS
In the coatings industry, precision and consistency are decisive. Alcro integrates the NCS System throughout its business to maintain quality and ensure that every colour can be trusted. In Alcro’s stores, every colour sample carries its NCS notation, giving customers reliable information and enabling professionals to specify colours with confidence. This integration guarantees that colours remain consistent from product development to application, regardless of project or surface. For Alcro, NCS secures technical precision, supports professional communication and builds trust with customers and partners across the coatings sector.
Communicating colour with credbility in Alcro's Color picker campaign
Alcro’s use of NCS is also evident in its external communication. The campaign “The Sky is Innocently NCS S 1030-R80B”, developed with M&C Saatchi Stockholm and Ocean Outdoor Sweden, transformed outdoor billboards into live colour pickers. Passers-by could capture the exact NCS notation of the sky in real time, making colour both interactive and precise.
The campaign was nominated for the Guldägget award, Sweden’s leading advertising prize, and was recognised for its innovative use of outdoor media. By using NCS codes rather than internal colour names, Alcro underlined credibility and spoke directly to both professionals and consumers.
“NCS has been a part of our business for so long, so we see it as a foundation, a platform where we stand from, and where we can with reliability and security, always communicate around colours.“
– Olivera Nivlin, Head of Marketing
A new way of talking about colour
This unique concept received a strong response. The campaign was awarded for its creative use of outdoor advertising and was positively received by both consumers and professionals. The decision to use NCS system codes instead of Alcro’s usual in-house colour names was especially appreciated, giving the communication a higher level of credibility and professionalism.
The campaign became more than a one-off initiative – it signalled a shift in how Alcro approaches communication. By placing colour at the centre rather than just the product, the brand managed to inspire a broader audience while strengthening its position among architects, interior designers, and other colour professionals.
"It was a fun and innovative way of talking about colour. I believe we wouldn't have been able to do this kind of campaign if we weren't able to talk about NCS, as it's our common language that we use for colours, and it's the system around it. It's our foundation."
– Therese Skoglösa, Channel Marketing Specialist and Olivera Nivlin, Head of Marketing at Alcro
The team at Alcro rely on several NCS tools in their daily work. A key resource is the NCS 2050 Index, widely used internally and in Alcro stores as a practical aid in colour consultations. Its compact format makes it easy for staff and customers to find and compare colours efficiently. The NCS System also ensures that Alcro maintains high quality and consistency across its range. NCS notations are included on all colour samples in stores, giving customers precise, reliable information and guaranteeing a consistent colour experience across every touchpoint.
NCS Index 2050 with a customised cover
NCS Index 2050
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