The Psychology of Colors in Advertising and Marketing
By Kurt Geer
Are you stimulating emotions while marketing with your business logo, stationary, business
cards, brochures, signs and with your website? If you know it or not, colors speak very
loud to our subconscious and have a positive or negative reaction within 90 seconds.
On the web you have less that 30 seconds to make a good first impression. Are you using the
silent language of color to impress, motivate, divert and persuade your prospects to buy from you?
BLACK suggests authority, power, boldness, seriousness, is distinguishing and classic.
Business wise it's great for creating drama and is good for a background color (except
on websites, it is very hard on the eyes). It is ideal for text on a light background.
Black also implies submission and is associated with evil.
BLUE suggests security, authority, faithfulness and dignity. For business it suggests
sanctuary and fiscal responsibility. It is the most popular and the second most powerful
color. Blue can also be cold and depressing. People are more productive in blue rooms.
BROWN suggests richness, politeness, helpfulness and effectiveness. In business it
suggests less important items. Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant
in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather.
GRAY suggests authority, practicality, earnestness and creativity. Business wise it is
traditional and conservative.
GREEN suggests health, fertility, freedom, freshness, healing, tranquility and jealousy.
Businesses use it to communicate status and wealth. It is the easiest color on the eye
and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color.
ORANGE suggests pleasure, cool, excitement, cheer, endurance, strength and ambition. For
business it is good for highlighting information on charts and graphs.
PINK suggests femininity, gentleness, well being and innocence. For business you must be
aware of it's feminine links and implications.
PURPLE suggests spirituality, royalty, luxury, wealth, sophistication, authority and
mournfulness. In business it is upscale and works with artistic types. It is also
feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.
RED suggests excitement, strength, sex, passion, vitality, aggressiveness and commands
attention. Business wise it associated with debt, is great for boldness and accents. The
most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing.
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