The
Psychology of Colors in Advertising and Marketing
If you know it or not, colors speak very loud to our subconscious and have a positive or negative reaction within
90 seconds. On the web you have less that 30 seconds to make a good first impression.
Are you using the silent language of color to impress, motivate, divert and persuade your prospects to buy from
you?
The following lists a partial summary of
how colors stimulate with mental and emotional responses.
BLACK suggests authority, power, boldness, seriousness, is
distinguishing and classic. Business wise it's great for creating drama
and is good for a background color (except on websites, it is very hard on
the eyes). It is ideal for text on a light background. Black also implies
submission and is associated with evil.
BLUE suggests security, authority, faithfulness and dignity. For
business it suggests sanctuary and fiscal responsibility. It is the most
popular and the second most powerful color. Blue can also be cold and
depressing. People are more productive in blue rooms.
BROWN suggests richness, politeness, helpfulness and effectiveness.
In business it suggests less important items. Solid, reliable brown is the
color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness
while dark brown is similar to wood or leather.
GRAY suggests authority, practicality, earnestness and creativity.
Business wise it is traditional and conservative.
GREEN suggests health, fertility, freedom, freshness, healing,
tranquility and jealousy. Businesses use it to communicate status and
wealth. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a
calming, refreshing color.
ORANGE suggests pleasure, cool, excitement, cheer, endurance,
strength and ambition. For business it is good for highlighting
information on charts and graphs.
PINK suggests femininity, gentleness, well being and innocence. For
business you must be aware of it's feminine links and implications.
PURPLE suggests spirituality, royalty, luxury, wealth,
sophistication, authority and mournfulness. In business it is upscale and
works with artistic types. It is also feminine and romantic. However,
because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.
RED suggests excitement, strength, sex, passion, vitality,
aggressiveness and commands attention. Business wise it associated with
debt, is great for boldness and accents. The most emotionally intense
color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing.
WHITE suggests refined, purity, devotion, contemporary and
truthfulness. For business it can be sterile and refreshing. The best
color on the web for a background color. Doctors and nurses wear white to
imply sterility.
YELLOW suggests warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness, jealousy deceit
and cowardice. Business wise it appeals to the intellectual types and is a
good accent. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads.
It also speeds metabolism. It is the most difficult color for the eye to
take in, so it can be overpowering if overused.
Green, brown, and red are the most popular food colors. Red is often used
in restaurant decorating schemes because it is an appetite stimulant.
