It certainly comes as no surprise that colors have a huge psychological effect on sales, and specific colors are used in branding for very specific purposes. When you think of the use of color, think of Coca-Cola. Could it ever be anything but red and white? Colors used in branding and packaging are carefully chosen to elicit a certain feeling, and often are used to get the potential buyer to take a certain action – buying the product!
Here is a list of eight colors, and the psychological effect of each.
1. Red signifies energy and urgency. Think stop signs and fire trucks. Red is commonly used online for “buy” buttons and headlines but should be used sparingly so as not to overdo it.
2. Black is the color of elegance and sophistication. It adds drama, or dramatic presence, and is the main color for many clothing designers, jewelers, and makeup companies. The color black can be used as the main color or as a contrasting color, and it denotes wealth.
3. Blue elicits feelings of trust, balance, and stability. It is a great choice when you want to elicit a calm, secure feeling and that’s why it’s widely used for banks, attorneys, doctors and clinics/hospitals.
4. Pink is for ladies, young and old. If your demographic is feminine, pink is an almost sure-fire hit. It signifies playful, fun, and delicate on the lighter end, and bold, happy, and daring on the brighter end. The color pink denotes self-love, acceptance, and harmony.
5. Green is the most versatile color and can represent many different things. On the one hand, it is the color of money, so it can represent wealth and abundance. On the other hand, it is the most prominent color in nature, and so can also represent earthiness, trust, timelessness, and balance. Green tends to be a very calming color, and this is why many doctors’ offices are light green on the interior.
6. Yellow is bright, energetic, happy, and full of positive thoughts. It signifies confidence, strength, and also warmth. It is an attention-getter, and can really brighten up branding.
7. Gold is the color most closely representing wealth. Combined with another color and used as an accent, it will lend an air of prestige wherever it is utilized.
8. Purple symbolizes royalty and elegance. It also tends to be a very soothing color eliciting a calm response. Purple is a lovely accent color when used with black and white, or silver.
The use of color in your marketing materials and branding can’t be minimized. Test, test, and re-test to find out exactly what colors work the best for your audience.
