
Color is everywhere. We love it by association. We trust it as a positive influence. We relax with it because it’s calming. Color is an intricate part of our lives.
Color Delivers a Message
Color is like a messenger pigeon. It speaks in silence. It flutters through our lives with unassuming importance. Yet, its influence is impactful.
My dad always wore a blue shirt to work. He said people trust blue and he felt more professional in that color.
One of my lecturers at college often wore soft pink. She said it calmed her especially after a long week.
When I want to convey anger, I say, ‘I see red’, because red is a powerful color.
Color evokes emotion from all of us whether we consciously acknowledge it or not. It can remind us of a person, place, time, or tradition.
Color Me with Emotion
Red
A provocative color with intention. We associate red with stimulation in a variety of ways. Many food outlets use it to spark quick responses.
Red grabs our attention and stimulates our senses. Red can increase our feeling of excitement and our blood pressure.
In Industry:
Automotive and food companies often use red as part of their logo or marketing strategies because they want you to be passionate and spontaneous about your purchase.
Like buying extra fries when all you wanted was the dollar burger. They catch me every time!
Orange
It isn’t as forceful as red. It’s more playful and makes us feel excited and enthusiastic. It’s a perfect balance between lighthearted yellow and vibrant red. A 2018 study revealed that orange increases our energy levels.
In industry:
Companies use orange in their logo to associate their brand with happy energy. It promotes curiosity. Children’s TV channels like Nickelodeon use it extensively. It’s not as effective for a law firm for instance. Law isn’t considered playful and is more serious.
Harley Davidson uses orange in their logo because this brand wants to promote a fun lifestyle.
Mastercard includes red and orange in their logo. It’s fun to buy things. I wonder if the backside is black because it’s not so fun to make the monthly payments. Been there. Done that.
Yellow
When I think of yellow, I think of the sun, or a field of daisies. It’s warm and welcoming. It makes me happy and inspired. It isn’t as forceful as red or orange, but it still creates a sense of joy. It has a subtle influence on my mind while it’s still eye catching. Since we react to it, you’ll often find this color in warning signs. Think of street signs.
In industry:
I love salty food over sweet, and chips are my favorite. Lays chips are yummy, and the packet is yellow.
Next time I eat too many, I’m blaming the color not my appetite.
As with traffic signs, yellow often provokes a pause. We stop to think. We take notice. Or, in the case of a yellow sticky note, we pause to make notes.
Denny’s restaurant uses the ‘stop — come and eat’ marketing strategy with their yellow sign and red lettering. So, we stop for the yellow, while red makes us hungry. Think of McDonalds, they are just as sneaky with their color choices.
Those fries again! I can’t resist them.
Consider The Color
Understanding some fundamentals about color is a huge asset.
It helps us decorate a room for a particular mood. Color can be bright and playful in a craft room or soft and serene in a bedroom.
We might choose a blue outfit for an interview or a bright Hawaiian shirt on vacation.
Whether we acknowledge it consciously or not, color influences us moment by moment.
Comments