Using Colour for Context

One of the biggest decisions that a brand or a company can make in the creation of their product or service is:

Does the colour fit what is being sold?

Here’s a fact: if you are a brand that has thousands of customers, there’s a high chance that thousands of versions of your brand exist in the minds of these people.

But did you know behaviors, moods, psychological state, decision-making all can be influenced using the perception of colour?

And that’s a good enough reason for marketers to manipulate the use of colours in different forms of visual communication.

Colour has a big impact on how people view things.

Colour elicits emotions and triggers emotional responses too. So, when it comes to marketing, choosing colours aptly can make a huge difference, your brand might stand out or blend in with the crowd. With the right hue of colour, you can get your audience to see what you want them to see and help them view you the way you want to be perceived.?

Let’s take a dip in the rainbow and understand how colour can evoke certain emotions.

Our brains are wired in a way that we automatically respond to visual stimulus.

In marketing, colour has a significant impact. It aids advertising in attracting attention, evoking specific emotions, and even influencing purchasing decisions without the need for words.

To fully comprehend the effects of colour, it's necessary to first learn about brand colour psychology marketing, colour trends, and how advertisers and agencies may use colour psychology to their advantage.

According to several advertisers, A/B testing has evidenced that the colour of a button on a website can alter conversions.

So, how does colour psychology work??

Colour psychology in one line is “how colours influence perceptions, behaviours and alter decision making”. We associate emotions and memories with different shades of colours. We create subconscious judgments on a person, surroundings, or product within seconds or minutes. This first impression is highly influenced by colours.

Colour is frequently the sole motivator for someone to acquire a thing.?

According to research undertaken by the Seoul International Color Expo's secretariat, 93% of purchasers are concerned with visual appeal. And nearly 85% say colour is a major factor in their purchasing decisions!

Marketers can utilize colour to impact how consumers think about and behave toward a brand, as well as how they comprehend information. Colours can assist people in deciding what is essential. That's why it's important for content marketers to know what different colours imply.

Understanding how colour works isn't just for painters who spend their days dipping their hands in paint.

Anyone working in marketing should be familiar with at least the fundamentals of colour theory because colour is used in all types of material.?

Understanding colour theory isn't easy, but this could be a good point to start with.?

Before we go into the marketing stuff, let's start with the basics of what folks call "Key Terminologies." To understand the fundamentals, you must first stay up with and be conversant with the concepts and vocabulary listed below.

?Primary Colours

Magenta, Cyan, and Yellow, or as we all know it Red, blue, and yellow are the three main hues. These are the three hues that all other colours are made up of. So, as the name suggests they are the primary colours.

Secondary Colours

Purple, green, and orange are the three secondary colours that result from evenly mixing the main colours.?

Red + Blue = Purple

Blue + Yellow = Green

Red + Yellow = Orange?

Tertiary Colours

These are created by mixing primary colours in different proportions or by mixing a primary colour with a secondary colour. They're commonly referred to as 'two-name' colours.

Pure Colours

Pure colours are primary, secondary, or tertiary colours that haven't had any other colours or black/white added to them.?

Tones

A 'tone' is created by mixing black and white (i.e. grey) with pure colour. Reckon the term 'toned down' as it? is similar to the process of creating a tone, which reduces the intensity of pure colours.

Tints

A 'tint' is a colour that has been blended with white and is pure. Adding white to a colour decreases its intensity and makes it lighter and paler; imagine pastels.

Shades

These are the polar opposite of tints; they are created by mixing black into a pure hue. By adding black to the mix, the brightness is dulled and a deeper tint is created which is then called a shade.

Contrast

In colour theory, the term 'contrast' refers to how easily two colours may be distinguished from one another. When we use two colours that truly stand out from one other, we call it high contrast, and when we use two colours that don't, we call it low contrast.?

Warm or Cool Colours

You can divide the colour wheel into 'warm' and 'cool' hues by cutting it diagonally along the middle. Yellows and reds are more prevalent in warm hues, whereas blues and greens are more prevalent in cold colours.

?You can read and get a sense of how different colours might correspond to different personality qualities by reading the following few examples. So, let’s jump into the puddle of colours to know more as we have decoded a few colours for you already.

The colour green

Green is a very soothing colour and implies health, tranquillity, power, and nature. It's utilized in stores to help people relax while also raising awareness about environmental issues. It fosters a sense of balance in your brain, which leads to decisiveness.

Brands painted in green: Starbucks, John Deere, Whole Foods, and BP

The colour red

Red calls for immediate attention which makes it a good choice for marketing. Thrill, passion, rage, energy, and action are all associated with this colour. Some firms utilize red for 'order now' buttons or packaging to make their products stand out on the shelf.?

Brands painted in red: McDonald’s and Target

The colour Purple

In colour psychology, this colour is frequently linked with monarchy, wisdom, royalty and respect. It encourages both problem-solving and creativity. It is also frequently seen promoting anti-ageing and beauty products.

Brands painted in purple: Hallmark, Yahoo, and Craigslist

The colour pink

Pink is a popular colour for brands that focuses on women mostly. Pink is associated with femininity, fun, youth, and unconditional love in colour psychology. Pink dominates the brands that cater only to women and their needs.

Brands painted in pink: Barbie, Baskin & Robins, and Jonhson’s baby.

The colour Black

We think of black as a hue, even though it is technically not a colour (it is the absence of colour since it absorbs light). Authority, power, stability, confidence, and strength are all connected with it. It is often employed as a symbol of intelligence, but if used too frequently, it can become overwhelming. Black is a difficult colour to employ in marketing, yet some people have succeeded.

Brands painted in black: Chanel, Nike.

But the question that arises here is where and how to place colours to get the best of them.

Colour psychology in marketing can assist your brand in sending a message or evoking emotion. However, the placement of these hues is as significant. Certain colours used in specific places on your website, social media images, and other marketing materials can motivate customers to take action or engage in conversation.

Using bright, dramatic colours like yellow or red for action buttons, for example, can assist increase clicks. White backgrounds with dark contrasts, such as black, can bring attention to specific details, such as your logo. When it comes to colour's impact on marketing, it's all about mixing placement with your choice of colours to get the most bang for your buck.

Now we have a basic understanding of colour psychology in marketing but still, there is no guide sheet for selecting the ideal hue or colour palette for your brand. As colours cannot be universally accepted for specific sensations as it's too dependent on human experiences, preferences, cultures, environment and other factors.

But what we can do is to put everything that we've learned about colours and their association with marketing into practice right away. Consider using colours that signify what you want your business to stand for or how you want your customers to feel about your brand.

We hope you enjoyed this "colourful read" and we'd like to hear what you think about colour psychology in marketing. Paint the comment section below!