Why do some people prefer yellow over blue? And have you ever heard someone say paint your room a ‘happy color’? That’s because colors evoke emotional responses. The same ad in different colors could have a completely different appeal. For example, imagine a Skittles ad that was in shades of black and dark blue. It doesn’t exactly convey the image of fun candy, does it?
Colors also enhance recognition of products. When people envision your brand, what colors usually come to mind and help differentiate your brand from competitors? This is why research firms spend time and resources flashing different colored ads or logos in front of focus groups to see which one they prefer and why.
While opinions vary among color analysts, here are the general meanings associated with colors:
Red: love, anger, romance, danger, and also inspires impulsive buying. Maybe that’s why Target picked it as its main color
Orange: joy, sunshine, happiness, and also stimulates the appetite.
Yellow: spontaneity, cheerfulness, attention grabbing. However, yellow is the most straining color for the eye, and it is known that babies cry more in yellow rooms.
Green: growth, harmony, freshness, calmness, regeneration. Several air fresheners,yoga and wellness products use green palettes.
Blue: peace, serenity, trust, loyalty. It’s the most widely used and preferred color. Interesting enough, studies have shown that the use of blue in the workplace increases productivity and well-being. (Maybe that’s our secret?!)
White: purity, cleanliness, innocence, cold (snow). It’s the color of choice for ‘pure’ health and beauty products like skincare lotions, or low-fat products.
Purple: wealth, wisdom, mystery, magic. Purple is highly associated with luxury, so a purple packaging would be perceived as more expensive and valuable than an orange one.
Black: nighttime, sensuality, seriousness, evil, fear, prestige, grief. Black can have both negative and positive connotations (black magic vs. black tie event), and is the most popular color used as a background for luxury items shown by themselves (like Rolex watches)
Keep in mind that different shades of a color have different implications: lime green and forest green are completely different! Know your target market: different age groups and cultures have different associations with each color. Regardless of what color you chose, staying simple is key! You don’t want to overwhelm your target market with a dozen colors at once. Think of the most well-known brands, and for the most part they all use only one or two main colors. Does Tiffany’s blue come to mind?
– Blog writer: Maria Correa