The Ink Spot

“Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No.” ~Pablo Picasso

Color is often called the “silent salesperson”. It acts as non-verbal communication. The human eye associates meaning with color. By using color psychology, you can send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, calm a crowd, or make an athlete pump iron harder.

It is wise to consider this psychology when choosing the color for your brand. The color should appear on all your promotional materials, including your logo and product packaging. The color you choose should set you apart, work with your industry and image, and tie to your brand promise. Colors not only enhance the appearance of the item, they also influence behavior. It is important to consider the impact that the color you choose will have on your target audience.

Colors can mean different things depending on the culture, situation and industry. However, in U.S. advertising, studies suggest some universal meanings:

Blue: Cool blue is perceived as trustworthy, dependable, fiscally responsible and secure. Strongly associated with the sky and sea, blue is serene and universally well-liked. Blue is an especially popular color with financial institutions because it sends a message of stability and trust.

Red: Red activates your pituitary gland, increasing your heart rate and causing you to breathe more rapidly. This response makes red aggressive, energetic, provocative and attention-grabbing. Count on red to evoke a passionate response, though not always a favorable one. For example, red can represent danger.

Green: In general, green suggests health, freshness and serenity. However, green's meaning varies with its many shades. Deeper greens are associated with wealth or prestige, while light greens are calming.

Yellow: Yellow is associated with the sun. It communicates optimism, positivism, light and warmth. Certain shades seem to motivate and stimulate creative thought and energy. The eye sees bright yellows before any other color, making them great for point-of-purchase displays.

Purple: Purple is a color favored by creative types. With its blend of passionate red and tranquil blue, it evokes mystery, sophistication, spirituality and royalty. Lavender evokes nostalgia and sentimentality

Pink: Pink's message varies by intensity. Hot pinks convey energy, youthfulness, fun and excitement and are recommended for less expensive or trendy products for women or girls. Dusty pinks appear sentimental. Lighter pinks are more romantic.

Orange: Cheerful orange evokes exuberance, fun and vitality. With the drama of red plus the cheer of yellow, orange is viewed as gregarious and often childlike. Research indicates its lighter shades appeal to an upscale market. Peach tones work well with health care, restaurants and beauty salons.

Brown: This earthy color conveys simplicity, durability and stability. It can also elicit a negative response from consumers who relate to it as dirty. Certain shades of brown, like terracotta, can convey an upscale look. From a functional perspective, brown tends to hide dirt, making it a logical choice for some trucking and industrial companies.

Black: Black is serious, bold, powerful and classic. It creates drama and expresses sophistication. Black works well for expensive products, but can also make a product look heavy.

White: White suggests simplicity, cleanliness and purity. The human eye views white as a brilliant color, so it immediately catches the eye in signage. White is often used with infant and health-related products.

If you want to use new colors to enhance your brand, you may want to start by considering your company’s vision and from that, define what message you want to send to your customers. After that, you’ll hopefully have an idea of what colors will work best. Also remember that we are experts at color, creating designs that enhance your message and leave a lasting impression on your target audience. Our design team would love to go to work for you- give us a call today!