The Psychology of Color
Color psychology is the study of colors in relation to human behavior. We can use this information to determine how color affects our day to day decisions, including the items we buy.
Color plays a critical role in how people perceive your brand because it evokes feelings and can create emotional responses. By studying color meanings, you can use that knowledge to attract and connect with your ideal customer.
The tricky part is that not all people relate to colors in the same way. Color meanings may have something to do with your past, your experiences or even your culture. Unfortunately, this means that the same color can have both negative and positive associations.
We have listed a few of the most popular colors below to help educate you on the color meanings for the most popular colors used.
RED- POWER, ENERGY, PASSION, DESIRE, SPEED, STRENGTH, POWER, HEAT, LOVE, AGGRESSION, DANGER, WAR, VIOLENCE, INTENSITY, CELEBRATION, LUCK, STOP OR DANGER.
YELLOW- JOY, OPTIMISM, HAPPINESS, DANGER, SUNSHINE, IDEALISM, IMAGINATION, HOPE, SUMMER, DECEIT, PHILOSOPHY, DISHONESTY, COWARDICE, BETRAYAL, JEALOUSY, DISEASE AND WARNING.
GREEN- NATURE, ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH, GOOD LUCK, RENEWAL, YOUTH, VIGOR, SPRING, GENEROSITY, FERTILITY, JEALOUSY, INEXPERIENCE, ENVY, MISFORTUNE, START SIGNAL.
BLUE – PEACE, HARMONY, UNITY, TRUST, TRUTH, SECURITY, CONFIDENCE, CONSERVATISM, ORDER, COLD, TECHNOLOGY, CLEANLINESS, DEPRESSION, LOYALTY, IMMORTALITY, STABILITY, MASCULINITY AND PROTECTION.
PURPLE- ROYALTY, NOBILITY, SPIRITUALITY, CEREMONY, MYSTERY, TRANSFORMATION, WISDOM AND ENLIGHTENMENT.
ORANGE- ENERGY, BALANCE, WARMTH, ENTHUSIASM, VITALITY, EXPANSION, FLAMBOYANT,
GRAY- SAFETY, RELIABILITY, INTELLIGENCE, MELANCHOLY, MODESTY, DIGNITY, MATURITY, SOUNDNESS, FUNCTIONALITY, OLD AGE AND GRIEF.
BROWN- EARTH, HEARTH, HOME, OUTDOORS, RELIABILITY, COMFORT, ENDURANCE, STABILITY, SIMPLICITY, COMFORT, NATURE.
WHITE– REVERENCE, VIRGINITY, NOTHINGNESS, CLEANLINESS, PEACE, HUMILITY, PRECISION, INNOCENCE, YOUTH, BIRTH, WINTER, SNOW, GOODNESS, MARRIAGE, COLD, CLINICAL AND STERILITY.
BLACK– POWER, SOPHISTICATION, FORMALITY, ELEGANCE, WEALTH, MYSTERY, FEAR, EVIL, ANONYMITY, UNHAPPINESS, DEPTH, STYLE, SADNESS, REMORSE, ANGER, UNDERGROUND, TECHNICAL, GRIEF AND DEATH.
In summary, color can indeed influence a person, and although color can be useful in marketing, its value and extent of use depends on how it is used and the audience it is used on. The use of color will have different effects on different people, therefore experimental findings cannot be taken as universally true.
It’s our business to know how to capture all colors with precision so that your visual solutions reflect the values that your brand stands for. Contact us today for a consultation.