Color psychology in marketing and branding is very complex. Consider these research studies to make better decisions.
Do you feel calm when surrounded by green fields and blue skies? Have you ever wondered what the color red represents and why you feel a little uneasy when you stare at a stop sign? These are just two of the many effects color has on the human psyche. It is part of a study called color psychology.
What is Color Psychology?
Color psychology studies how different colors affect human behavior. Color psychology is used in advertising and marketing to evoke emotional responses. It sounds simple on the surface, but you quickly realize that there is so much more underneath.
Before we look at how the meaning of color affects human behavior (and how certain colors evoke different reactions), let's take a quick trip through the history of color.
In the 17th century, Sir Isaac Newton observed sunlight passing through a glass prism and how the light was reflected in different colors. He initially identified six wavelength hues: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
But color psychology predates Newton's time by thousands of years back to the Egyptians. They studied the effect of color on mood and used color to achieve holistic benefits.
More recently, the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung called color "the mother tongue of the subconscious". His psychological studies led him to develop art therapy. He believed that self-expression through images and colors could help patients recover from trauma or distress.
Have you noticed how colors go in and out of style? In the 1970s, earth colors were popular but gave way in the 80s to turquoise and purple. Later, pink and blue-grey came on the wallpaper.
When it comes to marketing, people often focus on the big things like text, search engine optimization, branding, social media, email marketing and PPC advertising. But there is a tremendous amount of value in getting to the point of getting the finer details perfect. One of these details is color. More specifically, you need to embrace the concept of color psychology and how the human brain perceives different shades of light.
How color psychology is used in marketing
The meaning of colors and the psychology of colors can strongly influence people's behavior and decision-making. People make subconscious judgments about a person, environment or product within seconds or minutes. Color plays a big role in this first impression.
That fact is not lost on brands and advertisers. They know that certain colors and shades evoke emotions and make people act. This effect is both subtle and powerful.
Through their choice of color in logos, packaging, signage and advertising, brands can influence consumers to buy on impulse, or choose their product or service over a competitor's.
Think about your favorite brands and how certain colors dominate. Are their logos bright red like Coca Cola or Netflix? Or are you a person who likes the colors black and white like Nike? Maybe you prefer yellow and are drawn to McDonalds.
The psychology of common colors
In this episode, we explore the ten most common colors and emotions and the psychology associated with them. This should allow you to strategically choose certain colors and optimize your website, online branding and digital presence.
- Red is a color that stimulates and attracts attention. Positive connotations include love, power, passion, energy, strength and warmth. Negative associations mean danger, warning and anger. Red can often be used to promote a sense of urgency and drive people to action (as in the actionable study we referenced earlier.) Lots of successful companies use red as their primary branding color, including Netflix and Coca-Cola. If you want something bold and edgy, this could be an option for you.
- Orange sits next to red on the color spectrum and shares some of the same warm attributes, albeit with a little less stimulation of the senses. Orange has positive associations with warmth, courage, success, kindness and confidence. But it can also evoke feelings of inertia or ignorance. It can also feel cheap. (When was the last time you saw a luxury product or brand use the color orange?) Brands that use orange are usually fun and lively, such as Fanta and Nickelodeon.
- Yellow is a bright color that demands attention and creates very distinct associations with consumers. Positive emotions include optimism, happiness, fun and sunshine. Negatives can link a brand to feelings of instability or irresponsibility. Like orange, yellow tends to be more of a "cheap" or budget-friendly color and is rarely used in luxury settings. (Although it's interesting to note that Ferrari, a very advanced brand, uses yellow as a primary color. It just goes to show that there are exceptions to every rule.) Popular brands that use yellow include Subway and McDonald's.
- Green is a color of refreshment. It is relaxing and very easy on the eyes. Green evokes positive feelings of peace, tranquility, growth, nature and health. Although it can also be used to produce emotions such as guilt, envy and jealousy (usually associated with money). Well-known green-centric brands include Starbucks and John Deere.
- Blue is a reliable color that insinuates strength and confidence. It has a calming and cooling effect on people, making them feel relaxed and light. However, it can also be seen as cold and masculine in some scenarios. So remember this if you are trying to create opposite effects. Blue is often used in companies where trust is very important - such as finance or healthcare. (Companies like IBM, Pfizer, and Oral-B use blue.) But it can also be used in a variety of other industries. Companies like Facebook depend on blue to connect with customers.
- Purple is the combination of red and blue – and it shares some common attributes with both. It is seen as a royal, creative and luxurious color that moves people to action. It can also be seen as mysterious (which can be positive or negative depending on your brand's goals). Although less common than some primary colors, purple is a popular choice for brands looking to let loose and have a little fun. Examples are Barbie and Footway.
- White is a color of balance, calm, innocence, purity and freshness. It is a minimalistic color that helps people feel centered and balanced. However, it can also be boring and uninteresting. That is why it is paired with other colors, where it provides pure contrast. While we'll let you debate which color is the primary and which is negative, brands like Apple and Wikipedia have white as one of their primary colors.
- Gray is slightly different than white. It usually evokes similar feelings, but is seen as more luxurious. It is also a very high-tech and glamorous color. You'll see many tech and luxury companies, including Apple, Lexus and Peugeot, use silver.
- Black is often used together with white or grey. It sends signals of formality, drama, class and protection. It also has a shadow side, where it can possibly create feelings of mystery, death or evil. Black is a common choice for brands such as Nike, Puma and The New York Times.
- Brown is often forgotten, but it has its place in brands. It is often associated with kindness, longevity, down-to-earth and the outdoors. However, it can also give off an unappealing aesthetic that feels conservative. Brown is not a popular color in the big brand, but you will see it in popular companies like UPS and M&M's.
As you can see, each color provokes a different set of responses. Some are obvious and intuitive, while others are more subconscious and under the radar.
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