Leveraging the Power of Color

If someone tells you color can't make you feel something, it’s a lie. Color can shift, impact or enhance the perception someone has towards your brand.

Our brains are wired to scan for shapes and colors as language direction. While you can invest considerable time writing the perfect message, people notice visual elements before they even read the copy. A study revealed that 55–78% saw increased recall, retention, and acceleration in learning based on colors.

If the visuals don’t engage your audience, you lose an opportunity to connect. But it’s equally important that your visual communication aligns with your copy.?

Color is a Deeply Rooted Emotional Language

Color can make us feel hungry, joyous, angry, sad, empowered, and more.?And while there are some universal perceptions of color, color trends can change the perception of color over time.?

Trends can influence the meaning behind color, and they can evolve. If you ever wondered why most women wear white on their wedding day, it’s because of Queen Victoria. White dresses were used in weddings only after Queen Victoria used one on her wedding day. Back then, only the wealthy could afford to keep it clean.?

Cultural heritage will also affect a color’s meaning and shift the context of your message and brand perception.

In the 1950s, Pepsi’s sales plummeted in Southeast Asia because they used light blue on their vending machines—a color of mourning.

You can learn more about Color and Cultural Connections on my LinkedIn Learning course:

We Can't Deny the Impact of Color

Color is everywhere. It's in our surroundings, the food we eat, architecture, interiors, and nature, rooted in our culture.

I’m so color-obsessed that I developed a whole LinkedIn Learning course on Color Trends updated every year! This course will offer practical advice on emotional associations related to Pantone’s 2022 Color of the year, among other color trends from Shutterstock, Behr, Benjamin Moore, and Sherwin Williams.

This year marked a Veri unique year for Pantone. Since 1999, all of the Pantone colors of the year came from their Fashion, Home + Interior color system. BUT with the landscape of the world-changing, Pantone felt we needed to open our minds to new possibilities.?

Pantone’s Veri Peri is an entirely new hue that brings us new possibilities and hopes for the future.

You can watch my course on LinkedIn Learning and discover how to apply color strategically for your marketing and branding efforts. Plus, you’ll gain insight into possible cultural influences and see design examples to fuel your inspiration for years. This course has it all.

Nicte Cuevas is an award-winning bilingual Brand Strategist and Designer, owner of Nicte Creative Design, who connects color, cultura, empathy, and design into a purpose-driven brand strategy for visionary companies. She invigorates brand awareness through her empathy-driven methodology and aligns to cultural diversity inspired by her roots in Venezuela, Mexico, and Colombia. Nicte has taught thousands worldwide with courses on branding, color psychology, and design as a LinkedIn Learning instructor.