Let’s Start With The Basics Of Psychology of Colour
Anyone involved in marketing needs to understand the psychology of colour theory. Because no matter what you use in your content, you need to understand how colour affects how people perceive your offer in their minds.
Colours and their psychological effects can make or break your first impression as a brand. It’s an absolute must that you harness the power of colour meanings!
Luckily, it’s a pretty interesting subject, plus your knowledge of colour theory will help you outside of your business, too (think choosing the right outfit or decorating your home).
Take this golden opportunity to learn!
What is the Psychology Of Colour?
Colour psychology is the study of how colour affects people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
There are two types of colours: natural and artificial colours. Natural colours include black, white and all the colours in between. They are also produced by mixing different wavelengths of visible light together. Artificial colours are those that we see on television or computer screens.
The psychology of colours is used by marketers to make consumers feel good, bad or indifferent about a product.
There are many colours in the spectrum, and each has its own meaning:
- Red is associated with love, anger and danger. It’s also used to attract attention to a product.
- Orange is associated with fun and creativity. It’s also used for warning signs.
- Yellow is associated with happiness, intelligence and success. It’s also used for attracting attention to a product or service.
- Green is associated with nature and peace. It’s also used for healing and growth.
- Blue is associated with trust, security and peace. It’s also used for products that are of high quality or expensive.
- Purple is associated with luxury, and royalty and promotes healthy living, such as in the colour of traffic cones or life vests.
What are the most common colour associations?
There are hundreds of colour associations, and in many cases, the same colour will have different associations for different people. The most common and well-known colours include red (excitement, passion), green (happiness), blue (trust, serenity), yellow (creativity) and orange (stimulation).
How does the psychology of colours affect our feelings and behaviour?
Colours evoke different emotions in people and can be used to change behaviour. The colour red, for example, is associated with danger or passion which explains why it’s so often found on stop signs and warning labels.
The colour blue is calming, a fact that explains why it’s often used in bedrooms or for uniforms of the police force.
The Psychology of Colour: 3 examples of how colour affects us:
Psychology of Colour Example one:
Anytime you see Red in an ad, it’s there to grab your attention. the red colour might be telling you don’t buy this product, or it could be saying buy me now.
It depends on what the red is next to in the ad. If you see a picture of an angry-looking man next to a red button, you might think that the red button is going to make him angry.
But if you see a picture of a beautiful woman next to red lipstick, then it’s telling you that if you buy the lipstick, you’ll be more like that beautiful woman.
You can see how red is used in ads for a lot of different things – but it’s always to grab your attention.
Psychology of Colour Example two:
Green is a very common colour normally used on Call to Actions buttons (CTAs) the reason for this is that green is a very calming colour, it is a go-ahead signal, think about the traffic lights. Green means GO. So when you see it on a CTA button it makes you feel relaxed and in control.
When used to make the background of an ad green can be used to make you feel as if the product is natural and good for your health.
Psychology of Colour Example three:
The last example is the orange colour, this particular colour is normally used in ads to give a sense of urgency. The orange colour is very powerful and grabs your attention making you feel as if the product is something that needs to be bought right away. it creates a sense of urgency or alertness.
Different colours affect how we perceive the quality of a product or service.
The Completed Color Wheel: image
How to use the colour wheel in marketing: video explains
How to use the psychology of colour in marketing to build your brand.
When it comes to using colours in marketing, it is important to keep things simple. Too many colours can create a confusing message and make it difficult for people to understand what you are trying to say. The colour wheel can be a useful tool when choosing the right colours for your brand.
It can help you select two or three colours that will work well together and create a visual message that will influence how people feel about your product or service. Each colour has its own unique meaning, so it is important to choose wisely.
Colour is a powerful tool when it comes to marketing. It has the ability to influence people’s emotions, and can even change their perception of your brand or product. The right colour can help you build a strong brand identity, communicate your values and make people feel good about what they are buying.
Building your brand with colours
When you think about a big brand, inevitable the colours used by the company will come to your mind. The colours of a brand can make or break the image that you have in your head about it, and they are used by companies to try and associate certain feelings with their brand.
This is why big companies spend lots of money on the colours and images that they use, to make sure that it’s going to be something that people can relate to and remember them.
Watch the video completely, for there is a well-explained connection between colours and marketing.
Using Complementary (Opposite) Colors
An interesting study on this subject was conducted by Emerald Insight titled Impact of colour on marketing. They found that when you use complementary colours it can create high levels of contrast and visual interest, which can help your branding efforts.
Caution: Addressing Color Blindness
As colour blindness is more widespread than many people realise, it is important to be aware of the limitations that certain colours can bring to those affected. Interestingly, colour blindness is an exclusively male condition.
So if you are trying to appeal to women, you do not need to consider colour blindness. Unless a man is trying to buy a gift for his wife or girlfriend. 😁😜
Colours are often used to differentiate between male and female products, so this is something to keep in mind when creating your own marketing materials. For example, pink is a colour that is often used to market female products, while blue is a colour that is often used to market male products.
Using Split Complementary Colors
Split Complementary Colors are colours that, when combined with each other in the right order, create a high level of contrast. This is because they have one colour from either side of the colour wheel. The colour on the opposite side of the colour wheel is its complementary colour.
The best way to use Split Complementary Colors in marketing is by using one as a background and the other as a foreground. This will make the product stand out and create a contrast between your product and its background.
Colour Scheme Used Correctly
This colour scheme is most effective when you want to draw attention to one specific part of your product. For example, if you want to draw attention to the handle of a bag, use a background colour that is complementary to the handle’s main colour and then use another complementary colour as the foreground.
Let’s look at an example of a colour scheme:
In this image, the handle of the bag is red and the background colour is purple. This draws attention to the handle by creating a contrast between the handle and its background.
The foreground colour is blue, which complements the purple of the bag’s background.
How to Use Analogous Colors in Marketing?
Analogous colours are used when you want to create a visual connection between two different products. They typically have the same hue, but different colours. An example would be blue and green, which are both shades of the colour “blue”, but not necessarily the same hue as blue.
How to Use Monochromatic Colors in Online Marketing?
Monochromatic colours are a special type of colour that is often used for online marketing. Monochromatic colours have only one shade of one colour. Monochromatic colours are a great choice because they can evoke emotion, which is important in marketing.
Using Triangle, Rectangle And Square Colors
Triangles are great for use in marketing because they represent stability and strength. They symbolize the illusion of security that can be created by a strong and stable foundation.
Rectangles are used to signify structure and stability, often equated with corporations or buildings. Squares can be used to signify stability and strength, but they can also represent rigidity.
Using triangles, rectangles and squares with the right colours is key to creating the right tone in your ads and marketing campaigns.
The Psychology of Colors in Marketing
The word psychology should be telling you something about the power of colours in marketing. The human mind is complex, and it responds to stimuli from the outside world (such as colour) in a variety of ways.
Colour affects us on many different levels, and the way colours are used in marketing can have a profound effect on how we see products or brands. All of this is thanks to human psychology.
The meaning behind different colours is something that has been studied and analysed for a very long time. We know what colours mean to us, but how can we use this knowledge in marketing?
Marketing is a neuro-linguistic process
You need to consider marketing as a neuro-linguistic process. You need to use colours in a way that will trigger the right responses from your audience, and you also need to make sure you are using the correct colour combinations.
The psychology of colours is part of neuromarketing, which is a relatively new field of marketing. The basic idea behind neuromarketing is that our brain responds differently to different messages, and this can be used in advertising or branding.
The Psychology of Colour Red
Red is a colour that has been present in cultures around the world for as long as recorded history. It is often associated with negative connotations such as danger, passion and anger. Red can also symbolize love or desire.
Red is the colour most associated with energy and excitement, so it is often used to catch people’s attention or evoke a sense of urgency in them. It stimulates activity and appetite, so it is often used in fast-food restaurants and sales promotions.
The Psychology of Colour Orange
Orange is a colour that invokes emotional responses in different people. The orange fruit, for example, often reminds us of the way it feels to peel an orange and smell its strong, refreshing aroma.
The marketing world has taken notice of this and while some companies use the colour orange to invoke an emotional response in their customer base, others have found that it is better used to evoke a sense of urgency among buyers.
Orange is the colour of fall and harvest, so it often reminds people to “seize the moment.”
The Psychology of Colour Yellow
Yellow is often associated with happiness, which can be seen in the colour’s effect on moods and its use as a sign of hope. Yellow also has associations with intellect and enlightenment because it is the colour of gold, which has always been associated with wealth.
The connection between yellow and happiness also makes it an ideal choice for packaging products that are aimed at children, especially during the winter months when the days are shorter.
In China, where people associate yellow with progress and success, it is used in everything from school buses to government buildings.
The Psychology of Colour Green
The colour green is often associated with nature and this belief dates back to ancient times. In the modern era, it has been used in marketing campaigns because of its association with safety and calmness. Studies have shown that the colour green is associated with healing.
The colour psychology of green can be used to convey a sense of safety, calmness and security among consumers. This helps create trust in the brand.
The Psychology of Colour Blue
The colour psychology of blue is a complicated one. The hue has been used to represent both calmness and sadness, as well as creativity and dependability.
People who buy things online tend to prefer blue, but in real life, the tendency is to prefer purple.
The Psychology of Colour Purple
Purple is a difficult colour to define, and it has been given many definitions. Some say that purple is a combination of red and blue. Also, this colour can be seen in nature, such as in the blossom of a lilac. The colour purple has been associated with royalty and power since ancient times, and it is still common in noble colours today.
Purple is a colour that is intuitively believed to have the power of healing. It has been shown in studies that purple reduces stress and anxiety, which can be helpful for those in the autism or ADHD industry. The colour purple is also associated with wisdom, and it has been shown to increase concentration.
Purple is a very powerful colour, so it’s important to use it carefully. It should be used as an accent or for decorative purposes rather than the whole design of something.
The Psychology of Colour Pink
Pink is a colour that has been known to cause feelings of warmth and happiness. It can also represent love, femininity, and nurturing. Pink in marketing may be used to invoke feelings of warmth and caring.
The Psychology of Colour Brown
Brown is a colour that can be seen as reliable and dependable. Brown has been the primary colour of many successful brands such as UPS, Dreyer’s ice cream, M&M’s and Hershey which rely on their brown colour to exude quality.
Brown also conjures up feelings of warmth and comfort due to its association with nature, autumn leaves, trees, dirt roads and wooden furniture.
Brown is the colour of safety. It is the colour that most closely resembles soil and dirt, which are both associated with security and stability in life. Brown also signifies things that have been tested or tried many times before, which is why it is the colour of choice for many established brands.
Brown is a good colour for packaging, especially when combined with other colours. It can be used on its own or as an accent colour to give the packaging a more premium look.
Brown is also associated with nature, which makes it an excellent choice for products that are environmentally friendly or organic.
The Psychology of Colour Gold
Gold is often associated with wealth, luxury and royalty. In ancient times, gold was a symbol of power that rulers used to show their status in society. Gold is also an important colour in Hinduism.
Gold is one of the most visible colours and it has a very calming effect on people, which can be seen by its wide use as an interior design colour to create a serene environment.
This is due to the fact that gold has a very high light reflectance, which means it reflects much of the visible spectrum back into your eyes.
Using gold in your marketing can be a good idea because it is associated with many positive attributes, such as wealth and luxury.
It is important to note that gold works best when used sparingly, otherwise it can cause the brand to appear cheap and tacky.
The Psychology of Colour Black
“Black is often associated with strength, power and authority. Black also symbolizes death or mourning.”
Therefore, if a product or service is being marketed to the public that can be used in times of mourning (e.g., a funeral home), it is a good idea to use black in the marketing of that product or service.
For the backgrounds of websites, black is also a good colour to use because it makes white text and images easier to read.
If you are going to use light colours on your website (such as white or yellow), make sure that you use black text.
The Psychology of Colour White
White can represent purity, cleanliness and innocence as well as coldness, death and sterility. In the western world, it signifies mourning or death.
It is the colour of choice for many high-end products like wedding dresses and engagement rings because it symbolizes purity but at the same time, it can be associated with death or mourning if worn at a funeral.
The colour white is often associated with the feminine and purity, but in some cultures, it is considered masculine, such as in China where women wear red while men wear white.
White plays a key role in the design of products and packaging. It is often used on labels, tags and even price tags to give the product a clean look.
In marketing, white is associated with high-end products that are of good quality.
Mood Colors And Emotions (Infographic)
The Psychology of Colour Color & Brand Recognition
The colour of a brand is important in marketing. The colours that are used on the packaging or logo can help people recognize and remember the brands more easily, which may result in increased sales for the company.
In a study published on Colorcom, researchers found that colour increases brand recognition by up to 80 per cent.
This means that you should avoid changing your brand’s colour scheme unless you have a good reason to do so.
When it comes to choosing colours for your packaging and logo, there are two main factors that should be taken into account:
- Psychological factors
- Cultural factors
The Psychology of Colour Factors
The psychological factors that should be taken into account when choosing colours for your packaging are the following:
- The colour of the product
- The colour of the brand’s logo, and its font
- The colour of the packaging itself
- The colours that are associated with your brand’s category or product type
- Colour trends in your market segment and industry (if applicable)
Cultural factors refer to the colour preferences of your target market.
The cultural factors that should be taken into account when choosing colours for your packaging are the following:
- The culture of your target market
- The culture of the country where your brand is sold
- Colour trends in the country where your product will be sold (if applicable)
- Colour preferences of your target market
- The cultural background and colour associations of your brand’s name (if applicable)
- Religious factors in the country where your brand will be sold (if applicable)
- Colour preferences of your competitors’ brands (if applicable)
Using Split-Testing to Find Best Colors
One way to find out what colours will work best for your company is through split-testing. Split testing uses two different versions of the same ad and shows them both to a group of people. The ads are only shown to one group, so the responses of people who see one version or the other can be evaluated.
6 steps to do split testing:
The first step is deciding which colours you want to test for your company. The colours you choose should be representative of your brand and what you want to convey to potential customers.
The second step is deciding which design, layout, or copy will represent one group in the split test. This is the “control” and it will remain unchanged throughout the testing period.
The third step is creating a second version of your ad, which you can then show to another group of people. This second version should be different from the control in one way only – by changing the colour of an element (or elements) using a single colour palette.
The fourth step is to show this second version to another group of people, and see which one they prefer.
The fifth step is to repeat steps three and four with other colours from the same colour palette until you find the one that works best.
The sixth and final step is to use the winning colour for your ad, and then repeat steps three to five with different colours from the same palette until you’ve found the best colour combination.
This is a great way to find the best colour scheme for your ad, and it’s not just limited to ads. It can be used on websites and in any marketing material that uses colours.
Now You’re A Color Psychology Expert!
The psychology of colours in marketing is a fascinating topic with many psychological theories and experiments. Now that you know a little bit about the psychological effects that colours have on consumers. Your marketing skills went up to a whole new level.
All you need to do is apply this knowledge and you will be able to create a great marketing strategy.
If you want to learn more about the psychology of colours in marketing, check out this article:
Power Of Brand Awareness For Businesses 2022
Misconceptions Around the Psychology of Color
Many people believe that red is a very aggressive and assertive colour. However, this is not true at all; in fact, red signifies love, passion and energy.
In marketing, you will find that red is used to promote sales of products like lipstick or Valentine’s Day cards. It also signifies a warning sign in traffic lights, which is why it is used in fire alarms and emergency vehicles.
Another very common misconceived idea about the psychology of colour is that yellow signifies happiness and joy. However, this is not true; in reality, it represents intellect and knowledge.
This colour is used to promote products like highlighters, books and school supplies.
As you can see, every colour has a meaning behind it; therefore, do not use colours haphazardly in your marketing campaigns.
Colour is greatly related to online marketing, not using them wisely can be the difference in converting a visitor to a customer.
Conclusion: The Psychology of Colour in Marketing
Colour in marketing is an important aspect of the world of marketing.
It is important to know the meaning of each colour and how they interact with other colours.
It is important to choose the right colour for your business because without it you will not be able to reach your target market.
We are sure that this article has helped you understand the importance of colours in marketing and how to use them properly. However, if you still have any questions after reading this, please feel free to contact us.
We will be happy to help you.
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