Have you ever wondered why a branding professional came up with a specific colour scheme, or why some industries all seem to opt for a specific colour theme?
People make subconscious judgments about a person, environment, or product within a few seconds or minutes, and colours play an important role in this. For this reason, the effect different colors have in the human mind is a powerful tool used by people working in marketing. In fact, research has found that 93% of buyers focus on visual appearance, making it even more important to use the right colors.
Color psychology studies are a massive field of science that study on how different colors determine human behavior. The psychology of color is used in marketing to evoke emotional reactions. As for all psychology, the field is complex, but with some of the key insights for main colors, you already understand the very basics.
Blue is associated with peace, reliability, and water. It has a calming effect on mind and is said to promote trust in brand and sense of security. The colour is also often preferred by men which may be handy if this forms the majority of the target group. Blue is also said to increase creativity and for this reason, it is commonly used in office spaces. Also notice that blue is often used by large corporations, so if you want to differentiate your company from other large corporations, you may want to rethink using blue. Similarly, young people tend to associate blue with maternity.
Green is associated with nature, tranquility, and health. Today, it is commonly used when wanting to underline the environmental impact or health benefits a product or service has. Green boosts the sense of harmony in our brain, creating a connection between body and mind. Interestingly enough, green is also associated with wealth and money.
Red boosts a sense of urgency. It is associated with things such as sales and promotions and encourages appetite, so no wonder it is often used by fast-food companies. The colour is high in energy and pulls focus extremely well, for which reason it is popular with activism and causes. Red colour physically affects the body and nerve impulses, rising heart rate and blood pressure.
Orange and yellow promote optimism. Curiously, orange also creates a sense of caution, while yellow has been proven to make babies cry. These uncomfortable feelings have been used by marketers to create a sense of alert to draw in people.
Black is a symbol of intelligence that is often associated with power, stability, strength, and authority. While black is a powerful colour, it is crucial to remember that it easily overwhelms people when used too much.
White is often associated with purity, cleanliness, and safety. It can also be used to boost the feeling of neutrality or lack of colour when it serves as an accent of a sort. Large white surfaces are often associated with creativity, reminding people of a white canvas.
