Blue Cross - What Color Is Your Advertising? How Color ideas Can Make Your Marketing More efficient
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What Color Is Your Advertising? How Color ideas Can Make Your Marketing More efficient
If you're planning a marketing or advertising campaign, color is sure to play a key role in the success of your venture. After all, it's pretty much the first thing your consumers will notice*, making color your best - and sometimes only - opening to get a message across.
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Use of color in most design for marketing and advertising is dictated by inevitable inevitable requirements; the need to reflect a exact brand, as well as the exertion to enumerate a inevitable mood dictated by the stock itself.
Company branding is pretty easy - exact colors dictated by logos and other devices will need to be incorporated into at least part of your design. It's the choice of color scheme for conveying the 'personality' of a stock that's often a lot harder to come up with.
Sometimes the decision is partly intuitive - most habitancy understand even at a very basic level that bright, saturated colors will convey a separate kind of mood to neutral grays or browns. Experienced designers, of course, go added still, selecting and implementing colors on the basis of their effectiveness in the extensive design. Here, the guidelines of primary color ideas often come into play as a kind of balancing act to ensure that all parts work together well and that the right kind of colors are used.
But what if some colors are legitimately more right than others?
We're about to embark on an exploration of color associated not just to its use in layout, but rather, the psychological and physical impact it's likely to have on a viewer.
A big, and sometimes controversial undertaking, and we'll first need to get a join of things straight. While habitancy often talk about a science of mind of color, in reality, most psychologists would find fault with the accuracy of this term. This is because the point given to various colors isn't universal and unchanging - in many ways it's quite the opposite: various cultures quite often associate the same color with very separate emotions and ideas.*
Yet colors and their fundamental fabric of sociological and historical connotation legitimately do yield exact reactions in singular contexts - emotions, associations and even physical effects that can help advertisers in their quest for ever more strict targeting.
And if this all sounds a bit hokey, at the very least, the idea that color can actively work on consumers shouldn't be disregarded entirely. So let's take a look at what colors seem to be telling us.
Red
Red, the most vibrant and considerable of colors, seems like a good place to start. Particularly since studies have shown that it's the first color babies recognize, and one that continues to request for retrial to most habitancy throughout their childhood and into their adult lives.
At a purely symbolic level, it's the color of fire and blood, an connection that's base to all cultures and therefore extremely powerful. Less specifically, it's a color that seems to be associated with energy, war, danger and power, not to mention passion, desire, and love.
So what does that mean for marketing?
To start with, some of these associations are so deeply ingrained that it wouldn't be wise to use a color other than red to laid out inevitable states. Try depicting greatest emotions such as violence or passion with shades of blue and you're going to run into problems.
What's more, it has been shown that in its brighter variations (tomato, pillar-box), red legitimately provokes a physical response by raising respiration rate and blood pressure.
For this reason, its use in 'sexy' advertising scenarios or as an erotically expensed statement (on lips or fingernails) should quite legitimately set hearts beating faster - and unusually, it's regarded as equally arousing by men and women.
Whether the physiological 'red effect' occurs plainly as a corollary of its associations; or because the color itself somehow provokes such a response; or, if, indeed, this corollary relies on a composition of the two isn't something that necessarily matters here. What is important is that red, like virtually every other color, exerts a measurable work on on the consumer.
More about the 'red effect'
Quite apart from any physical reactions it might provoke, red's connection with force, and therefore power, is an extremely dominant one. Reconsider all the small details in our daily lives that support this notion: red icons on switches to indicate their 'on' state, the plastic coating on 'live' wires, the tiny red glow that tells us an electrical appliance is working.
All of which makes red an ideal color to recommend fast-moving action or greatest force - examples of products that might fall into this type include computer games, action-adventure books or movies.
This deep-rooted connection with power, coupled with the fact that it legitimately raises metabolic speed, also makes red a good candidate for any stock that seeks to enumerate the idea of improvement, rapidity or physical change. Just a few of many possible examples include anything associated to sport or speed (think of those red sports cars), energy drinks, self-help guides, or batteries. Even 'fast-acting' or 'powerful' over-the-counter drugs can support their status with at least a dash of red.
Perhaps as a corollary of all that heavy breathing, red also increases appetite, making it an perfect choice for advertising food (it's popularly claimed that Chinese restaurants often use red color schemes for this reason, but there's dinky truth in this - red plainly happens to be a very beloved and 'lucky' color in Chinese culture).
However, if enticing diners to eat heartily is something you're aiming to do, an all-red environment is a good way to get stomachs rumbling.
Pink
Although it derives from red, pink has dinky of its big brother's forceful qualities. In fact, although it's ordinarily perceived as a warm and fairly upbeat color, it is, of course, popularly associated with femininity and even passivity. A cliche, perhaps, but its vigor-reducing credit has again been shown to have some basis in fact.
Famously, a shade of bubble-gum pink used in inevitable cells in a men's prison was unexpectedly found to placate aggressive inmates. Research corroborated the fact that pink did legitimately have requisite calming qualities - although subsequent study revealed that after a inevitable time these effects were dramatically reversed as prisoners became more agitated and aggressive than before. (Surprised? You try living in a bubble gum pink environment).
Nevertheless, the fact that pink does induce at least a temporary sensation of calm makes it a considerable factor in the color-coordinated approach to advertising. Its peaceful, relaxing qualities and general evocation of ease and softness have long made it a beloved for items such as toilet paper, cotton wool and 'gentle on the skin' toiletries, especially baby lotions.
This connection could perhaps be explored added as a background or accent color for items where ease is key, such as bedding, sofas or carpets. Apply with caution, any way - the strong connection with femininity means that anything 'too' pink is likely to be snubbed by men.
There's one other area in which pink has an inspiring effect, any way - and one that's far less likely to alienate males. It's well known that a high attention of color in foodstuffs will lead consumers to believe they're tastier, or even identify a flavor that isn't legitimately present.* And pink coloring is a particularly efficient way of suggesting sweetness.
This may enumerate to the fact that it's often used as a coloring in candies, but anything the case, the connection is considerable sufficient to substantially increase a food's perceived sugariness or even depth of flavor. Pink sprinkles or toppings will add oomph to vanilla ice cream, and pink marshmallows are often assumed to be sweeter than white ones (they aren't).
Although in these health-conscious times sweet, sugary foods have lost much of their popularity, the marketing of inevitable products is still likely to advantage from a dinky pink-appeal: feel-good desserts, ice creams, shakes and legitimately artificial sweeteners. It's also a color that could be used to make sugar-free, healthier foods seem more enticing to kids - as long as Mom and Dad are able to see straight through the ruse themselves.
Green
Occurring plainly as a sign of plant increase and renewal, green is one of those colors that's universally seen as positive, fresh and fertile. It's also a color that, once again, produces noticeable physical effects. It's the easiest color for the eye to assimilate and therefore one of the most relaxing; it induces feelings of calm and restfulness, and can even improve vision. In short, it's a very inevitable color indeed.
This emphasis on nature, freshness and renovation means that it's generally used to emphasize the cleansing, 'regenerative' aspect of household items such as bleaches, detergents, air fresheners. But if you notice a inevitable irony in this, well-spotted, because green, of course, has steadily evolved into the fastener of all that's ecologically aware. Which isn't a label that applies to most cleaning products.
The extensive acceptance of 'green' in its current sense is legitimately a fairly new phenomenon*, but with addition focus on ecological issues it's extremely considerable and will only gain in strength. So much so, in fact, that real care needs to be taken now that use of green doesn't recommend a stock is all-natural, organic or additive-free if it isn't. Congruity in advertising - or the understanding that what's implied about a stock should be supported by its reality - is one of the most vital aspects of marketing. Get this wrong, and there's no consumer forgiveness.
Yet despite green requiring caution in advertising, its current associations have equally led to opportunities for more refined targeting. Wholesome, healthy food items are likely to be fast identified as such straight through notable use of green, and the same can be said for products or services associated with any type of healing, spirituality, or personal growth: yoga, slimming programs, alternative medicines.
Different greens, separate meanings
Green is a symbolically involved color, and singular shades send subtly separate messages. Darker greens - the excellent color of bank-notes and bills - have long held an connection with finance. The added implication of increase and fertility therefore makes green a good choice for promotion of many financial products, particularly saving schemes, pensions and insurance plans.
Lime greens, which emerged as beloved trend color in the '90s, denote an especially vibrant freshness due to their close connection to effervescent yellows. As such, they make perfect keynote colors for fresh, healthy, energy-inducing products such as juices, tonics, vitamin supplements and energy drinks.
Finally, a added modern-day connection with green stems from its use in traffic systems to signify 'go'. This link with movement, send request for retrial and vehicles make it a potentially good choice for anything associated to transport: carriers, train networks, buses. And for online advertising, try using green for buttons or links you'd particularly like clicked - you're practically inspiring a user to go ahead and do so.
Blue
Blue is by far the world's most beloved color. And as one that, like green, occurs in nature - the hue of skies, water and sea - it's not surprising that it's so well loved. With such universal associations and extensive appeal, blue is an important asset to any color theorist.
Unlike very warm colors, which provoke impulsive, passionate responses, blue is a cerebral color that's generally associated with clear thinking and intellect. For good reason, too, as its use in offices and workplaces has been shown to dramatically increase productivity and a sense of well-being. perhaps more surprisingly, other studies indicate that blue can even improve physical prowess - weight-lifters typically accomplish good in blue surroundings. However, this is probably a secondary corollary of its capability to grind concentration.
This connection with clear understanding and precision make blue a good choice for anything inspiring a high degree of involved manufacture, such as computing products, electronic goods or hi-tech appliances in general. Darker blues emphasize this connection even further, and their extensive request for retrial among men provide a perfect keynote for high-end, precision-made items with a masculine focus - high-priced cars, bespoke tailoring, luxury grooming products.
Given such a setting, it's no real surprise whether that blue emerges as a clear beloved in the corporate world. Its implication of steadiness and calculate continue to make it an efficient choice for much company branding, although its white collar associations can also recommend stuffiness and conservatism.
In its lighter, brighter shades, blue loses much of its cool aloofness and takes on happier, sparkling and spontaneous overtones. The pure and natural aspect of such blues convey a sense of cleanliness and freshness and are often used for cleaning products, detergents, deodorants and toothpastes.
Bright blue is also an inevitable choice for the typical vacation. Evocative of cloudless skies and inspiring pools or seas, it also gives a inspiring taste of tranquility and free time by slowing down the metabolism and producing feelings of calm and well-being. A considerable message indeed, and one that makes blue an equally efficient choice for health spas, charm clinics and any other assistance where deep free time or therapy is a key selling point.
In fact, blue is such a flexible and well-liked color that it's practically impossible to mis-use - with one major exception.
Foods, particularly meats, dairy products and staples such as pasta or rice, legitimately don't advantage from any kind of connection with blue. To start with, that drop in metabolism will legitimately sell out the appetite; but this doesn't account for the fact that a blue/food combo can even induce feelings of nausea. (Try it. Add a dinky coloring to pasta, white sauce, or even better, light-fleshed meat such as pork or chicken. See how far you get before pushing your plate to one side).
It's been suggested that we instinctively associate the color with something that's rotten and unsafe to eat, but anything the case, it's not a great choice for marketing a ready-meal. And if you find yourself running low at your next dinner party, bring out the blue plates. There won't be many requests for second helpings.
Yellow
Yellow is clearly vibrant, energetic and fun - it's the color of sunshine, flame and fire and is closely associated with warmth, happiness and the inevitable energy such states create. It produces physical responses that are perfectly in retention with this reading, too; an instant feeling of well-being along with a noticeable boost to thinking activity.
For this reason, it's a color that effectively communicates the nature of products associated with vitality and stimulus, such as energy drinks, sports equipment, vitamin supplements or remedies. And as the perfect feel-good color, it's a great choice too for promoting group free time activities, clubs and social networks.
Visually, yellow has a high impact that's hard to ignore, a fact reflected in its use for items such as sticky notes and highlighter inks. Since it demonstrably sharpens attention, too (back to the notes and highlighter pens!) it's worth inspecting lighter yellows as a background for large amounts of text, especially copy that requires close attention such as tutorials, instructions, or rules and regulations.
Yellow does requires a inevitable amount of care, however. Very light yellows can often appear drab, especially on-screen, while brighter shades tend to become overpowering.
The yellow corollary is an intense one, and its enervating qualities can fast put habitancy on edge. Yellow rooms make babies cry more, and they also provoke hot tempers and arguments. And finally, while it's a color that can be used to store most products to women - from washing up gloves to high-priced scents - men are far less likely to appreciate its use with high-priced or luxury goods.
White
Pristine and pure, white appropriately signifies cleanliness, spiritual health and, of course, Syn. Clearness in most cultures. It's determined a non-color to which nothing has been added, making it an ideal choice for products wanting to accentuate their unadulterated, un-tampered with goodness: no-frills items, reduced fat, low-sugar or no-additive foods, pure juices, skin-care products.
White is also the excellent 'clean' color, providing the easiest way to add a sense of uncluttered spaciousness to print or screen graphics. Yet its connection with cleanliness and hygiene (white clearly shows dirt so is generally used in hospitals, for example) lends it a inevitable clinical capability that can deprive a marketing message of warmth or even context. For this reason, it's best used with an accent color to join the best of two worlds - the visual clarity of white and the emotional resonance of a determined chosen highlight.
Remember, too, that on-screen, the composition of light-filled white with black text is fairly hard on the eye. Try selecting a tinted background for large quantities of copy (yellow is often a good choice, as mentioned above) or change the color of the text itself.
Black
Although in western culture the color black legitimately holds several negative linguistic connotations (black magic, black market) it's also very legitimately associated with authority, credit and exclusivity (black tie event, black credit card, black mercedes).
A slightly confusing message, but in general, black can be used very effectively to denote cool sophistication and a considerable sense of greatest luxury or expense.
Pair this with the fact that visually, it's a color that creates a real sense of depth while also focusing the attention more wholly than white, and black makes an ideal backdrop for images of luxury goods or services such as high-end hotels. Men seem to respond particularly well to such a composition - perhaps because it's also been shown that for guys, black is a color with marked erotic overtones (combine it with red and you're onto a testerone-charged winner that's bound to attract male attention!)
Black is also by far the most base text color; perfect in print, although on-screen the distinction with white can often seem harsh. A good tip is to Reconsider using a very dark gray instead. And colored text against a black background is rarely a good idea except in small areas, as black backgrounds diminish readability and will fast tire viewers.
Orange
With Its composition of energetic reds and feel-good yellows, orange is a color that's clearly suggestive of fun, warmth and pleasure. And like its constituents, orange exerts an invigorating corollary by addition oxygen to the brain and stimulating thinking activity. It's therefore an perfect choice for any stock associated with energy and vigor, such as sporting tool or services, adventure holidays, theme park rides, energy drinks.
Think you've read something like this before? Well in fact, orange can enumerate very similar messages to red, but importantly, without its slightly aggressive edge.
Of all the colors, orange is also the best at stimulating appetite. So good in fact, that you may notice a lot of it in the snack or candy shelves near a checkout. Strategic thinking, because the orange capability to create sudden hunger pangs will often lead to impulse purchases.
Yet orange, particularly in its brighter shades, is also a color that's perceived as lacking prestige. perhaps this is because its high visibility means it's a frequent factor in motel signs, fast food outlets and similar 'low-frills' businesses, but anything the reasons, it's a color that's become associated with lower-budget options and shouldn't be used extensively for products wanting to enumerate a high capability message. (The opposite also holds true, however, making it a very good choice to indicate value for money, savings and discounts).
Purple
Mysterious, alluring, and very undoubtedly regal, purple is a relatively uncommon color in nature. In the antique world, its scarcity meant that it was extremely valued, and rare, high-priced purple dyes were used exclusively by nobility.
This connection with wealth and credit remains to this day, making purple, especially in its darker shades, an perfect complement to luxury items.
In fact, the connection with price is so strong that it can even be used to add a touch of instant class to economy products. For example, a bus company using purple livery would practically legitimately be perceived as more luxurious than one using orange. The risk here, though, is that the consumer's perception of comparative price might also rise accordingly - even if fares are identical.
Purple secrets
Purple also has some inspiring inexpressive talents. It's been noted, for instance, that many women find it an extremely erotic color, making it the female equivalent of the guys' libido-enhancing black.
In fact, purple turns out to be a very girly color legitimately - far more so than pink, the usual suspect. It's a exact hit surrounded by young and immature girls for example, with some studies claiming that practically 75% rate it their beloved color. So while men seem fairly neutral about purple, if you're finding for a color that speaks directly to the ladies, this may well be the one to choose.
Brown
And what about the guys? Well if you tried to guess, chances are you'd get it right. Brown, along with blue, is consistently voted a beloved color by men. And why not? Solid, earthy, dependable; it might lack the zing of the brighter primaries, but it resonates with a sense of trustworthiness and dependability. And if that's the kind of message you're finding to add to your marketing strategy, brown is often the right color to convey it - especially of course, if the product's aimed specifically at males.
An inspiring off-shoot of all this earnestness is the fact that brown is often claimed to be a extremely 'believable' color, too. In other words, it's more likely to add credibility to an advertising message - an important factor if your transportation makes claims that may seem extravagant.
Bear in mind though, that if used too extensively brown can also have a stodgy, dampening effect. And anything message your marketing is ultimately trying to convey, its main purpose is to stimulate sufficient visual interest to attract and excite instant attention.
But even in this respect, brown turns out to be pretty dependable: it legitimately converts into lighter and darker shades without losing depth, and can also be mixed with more dynamic colors - reds, yellows, oranges for a much more upbeat feel. So use the color recommendations given here to spice up a brown accordingly.
Planning an ad for well-made, hard-wearing, yet sporty gear for guys? Brown combined with a hint of red should give just the right message.
Footnotes
* While images are generally more noticeable than flat blocks of color, they are, of course, ordinarily dominated by a singular color in order to improve and support an extensive layout.
* One example would be the use of white clothing to signify mourning in India and many parts of Asia. In this description I'm focusing on color in the context of western culture.
* Numerous studies have shown that higher levels of coloring in food or drinks leads to the reliance that they are stronger in taste than identical items with less color. Assumptions regarding color-taste correlation can even cause errors when identifying flavor; for example, a cherry-flavored drink colored purple may well be identified as grape.
* The color green has long been a fastener of ecologically motivated political parties and movements, but it's only in new years that this meaning has become wholly mainstream straight through extensive media emphasis on global warming and other ecological issues.
* Oddly enough, red in this context don't seem to provoke a 'stop' response and will also work well for buttons, particularly if a quick decision is required. Green, however, will all the time be perceived as a less risky click.
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