But there are generalizations we can make based on the science of color psychology. Our associations with a color can even vary depending on our cultural backgrounds, our personal backgrounds and our individual tastes.
The ways colors influence our perceptions of the world aren’t always obvious, nor are they always logical. People make purchasing decisions based on what they expect from the colors they see and whether they feel the colors are doing what they are supposed to do. Nature taught us what certain colors mean, and in design, it is best to use colors according to nature’s rules. Red is a popular color for food brands because bright red fruits are ripe and ready to eat, as is freshly cut meat. These colors feel wrong to us because they don’t match our expectations.Īt the end of the day, our expectations are largely rooted in biological programming. Consider colors that are bad fits for certain products or types of services, like a bright yellow and orange logo for a bank or a brown or gray box for feminine hygiene products. It’s about using colors to meet consumers’ expectations for products and brands. Design by Dakarocean.Ĭolor psychology isn’t just about evoking certain emotions. Much of our color expectations are derived from nature. Similarly, brown’s not a great choice for produce packaging because it makes us think of overripe, rotting fruits and veggies. Some of these less obvious color associations make a lot of sense, like pink, sky blue and other soft colors connecting with traditionally minded clothing shoppers. For bargain hunters, the colors of choice are teal and navy blue. 3D rendering by AL_X.įor example, researchers have noted links between specific colors and behaviors, like red, royal blue, black and orange connecting easily with impulse buyers. Color guides buyers to make decisions about products at a glance. You probably already know the basics of color psychology, like red = passion and white = cleanliness, but that’s only the beginning of all the complex ways color can influence how a buyer thinks and feels about a product. It’s one thing to know that colors are important in marketing and advertising, but the real challenge lies in harnessing color psychology to speak to your buyers. And 52 percent of the time, poor color choice and other inferior design choices send users off a website, never to return. According to color psychology researchers, 42 percent of consumers form their opinions of websites based on the sites’ designs, with color contributing more to their opinions than any other factor. Additionally, up to 90 percent of impulse decisions about products are based solely on the products’ colors. 85 percent of consumers cite color as the primary reason for choosing which products to buy. Drug manufacturers lean on color associations to make sleeping pills blue and stimulants yellow and red because these are the colors consumers associate with their respective effects.Īlthough this might sound like magic, there’s data to support it. It can even make medication (and placebos!) feel more effective. Design by Adwindesign.Ī product’s color can convince us that it tastes fresher than the same product with a different color. This eye-catching pharmaceutical display uses color to convey a sense of vibrancy and well-being. That is, they communicate with us on an emotional level and are thus more effective at persuasion. Why colors matter in marketing and advertisingĬolors speak a language words just can’t replicate. The science of color marketing is what we’re going to explore today to help you communicate your messages most effectively. It’s not a coincidence, and they’re not just your competitors’ favorite colors! These are the colors that (research shows) audiences tend to connect with their needs and expectations from brands in your industry.Ĭhoosing which colors are the ideal palette for your marketing and advertising efforts is part aesthetic, part testing and part science-much more a part than you probably realize. When you look closely at commonly used colors in advertising for your industry, you’ll see many of the same ones popping up again and again.
The associations our brains make with certain colors are key to bridging the gap between marketing materials and their target audiences.
Here’s a complete guide on how to use colors in marketing and advertising. In a nutshell, this is color psychology at work.
That’s why a shade of chartreuse that would feel appropriate for a PC is puke-inducing for a cupcake. Your brain uses colors to recognize traits about products and the brands that produce them.