The psychology of color in marketing and branding
blog The psychology of color in marketing and branding
We all want the right reaction from consumers toward our brand and market which will enhance and bring forth progress to the business. One of the perspectives to check out for is the essence of color and how it impacts and yield a good impression in marketing.
The psychology of color is the learning and making of research on how colors take effect on behavioral activity and knowledge. Viewing psychology of color in the aspect of marketing and branding is the effect of colors on how it has left an impression whether positive or negative on consumers about the brand you are marketing.
The kind of impressions it leaves them will determine if they will purchase your service or not. The psychology of color is useful in the aspect of promoting and merchandising brands. When starting a business, it is valuable. It is also useful when there is a need for a change of business to a new one. Reviews and comments on goods are mostly viewed from a color perspective.
Chronicles of color.
The color was observed by Isaac newton by studying a light passing through a glass prism. The ray of light then gets reflected into producing six different colors at the first observation that he named red, orange, green, blue, violet, and yellow. Later on, indigo was later added. Though, the discovery of color has been in existence thousands of years before Newton.
There has been the psychology of color dated back to the Egyptian era. Colors have been studied in relation to behaviors and emotions which they use to achieve some things universally.
A man named Carl Jung who is a psychiatrist researched color to be useful in the psychology aspect and this led him to the discovery of art therapy. Colors can help in the relief of trauma. Colors changes sometimes. It changes and goes out of style.
Checking back over the years in the 70s, earth tones were mostly used. While in the 80s, turquoise was popular. Then later on pinks, blues, grays came to use.
The impact of colors in marketing on people.
The effect of color on people’s tales impact their behavior and how they decide on pressuring issue. In aspect of one’s view or thought on things, person or situation, it can happen within a short of time to make your comment and review.
This initial thought can be influenced by color which is not excluded in matters pertaining to product, marketing, and advertising. The knowledge of colors, tones on how it releases feeling and aids in taking actions by people is known by them.
In the choice of colors by the brand that wants to package, and advertise their product, they can influence people to purchase spontaneously and make them choose their service over other brands product.
Each color has its own meaning in respect to emotion and likeness. Taking for instance a person that likes white and black will purchase a brand that produces products in that color over another brand like the Nike shoe.
At times, consumers tend to purchase a product due to color. Researchers say people get attracted to what they see and that will make the first impression.
Meaning of colors towards marketing and branding and how it influences mood.
When people see yellow, it brings excitement and makes people feel happy. Like the sunflower in yellow color. The blue gives a calm and peaceful effect. Looking at an ocean with blue color will bring a calm effect no matter how moody. Though blue sometimes means another effect like unhappiness in which the phrase “got the blues” is normally use for those feeling sad. Different meanings with different moods. Taking colors in the psychology influences and it meaning in brand and market aspect:
- Gray color
Gray can imply old age, harmony while in essence, it can symbolize sorrow or emptiness. In marketing, taking for example in Lexus and Apple brand. In the Lexus brand, a light gray color can symbolizes elegance, richness, high status. It can also represent the level of success of the successful people. Apple uses the gray color in their brand which symbolizes its creativity and advancement. Apple stands out among technologically advanced companies that will continue producing high-tech equipment.
- White color
The color white goes with the emotion of being clean and pure. It also symbolizes safety and can be applied to something not extravagant. Making use of white color in marketing can do a brand well even though it is not widely used for business. Like in Lego which uses whites, it connotes enjoyment and happiness for children when using the product.
- Orange color
It represents a cheerful feeling and symbolizes optimism. It has to be carefully chosen as a choice if it is to be used for a business because it can elevate the sense of warning which can be a feeling of discomfort but advantageously attract consumers to purchase a product creating a sense of anxiety.
- Purple Color
This color is commonly familiarized with royalty, deep insight about things, and high self-esteem in color psychology. It triggers a systematic way of dissolving problems and creativity. The color also often showcases beauty and products that rectify aging. Since the color is about royalty and wisdom, the Hallmark logo is an example of a brand that uses the color. Think of what its logo means and conveys.
There are other brands that incorporate this color and also showcase their personality in relation to what the color symbolizes like Yahoo. A popular and used brand with well-designed names. Check out your environment and society especially beauty shops, the logo and name of the spa, the colors designed with will probably be a nice combination of the color, such as lilac, violet, or fuchsia.
- Yellow color
The psychology of color in marketing and branding
This also represents cheerfulness but can trigger the hormones that make children or babies cry. Yellow and orange have the same characteristics and representation. In regards to marketing and branding, taking, for example, Snapchat and Harley Davidson, Snapchat has a yellow color for its logo which gives the users a feeling of excitement, and happiness. While Harley Davidson uses orange to tell about excitement and being in the mood for adventure because as a rider, you will want to feel happy about your drive.
Problems facing the psychology of color in marketing and branding
Color generally is been faced differently and the reactions to colors differ with individual preference. Therefore, color is solely on personal experiences which can be difficult to interpret to a particular emotion and feeling. The following affect the individual thought on color
- Experiences
- Nurturing
- Cultural and language diversity
- Individual choice
Meanings to color sometimes differ and connotes two different expressions. Like the color green which represents peace at times is used to represent nature and it can be used to brand some financial product.
Brown as a case study is used as a rugged appeal, while in another expression it gives the feeling of warmth, or expresses thanksgiving or give rise to gaining appetite like the feeling you get when you see any chocolate commercial.
In respect to this outcome of colors, it is baseless to say there is a solid and definite answer regarding color. The right solution is to make use of practical methods when deciding on the color matter in marketing and branding.
The psychology of color in marketing and branding
Practical decision methods of colors in marketing and branding.
The answer to what colors should I use for my brand all depends. There is a definite answer in choosing a particular color for your brand.
So to make a practical decision on the color for your marketing and branding,
- Know what your brand entails. The reason, the essence of your product. This will drive motivation. The feeling and emotion your brand creates is the important aim for consumers.
- Making studies about color will also help in decision-making.
Brand and color have a relationship. To make a product you have to think about the color that matches and fits in. The reactions of buyers or consumers are the utmost consideration to put to check.
Predicting how consumers react and feel about the right color is important than individual color. To pick a color for your brand, ask about customers’ opinions. You can do that in the customer feedback. Ask if the color you want to choose goes well with your product or ask yourself what color do people love.
- Right color define your brand personality
The color of your brand can tell what kind of personality it upholds. Colors influence customer views. Even though colors have a different context, every study made it clear to abide by using the right color to portray the kind of personality your brand wants to tell. Know how to use color to convey your feelings about your brand. Customers will get attracted to your brand if it is in the right color.
- Right color appeals
A researcher exhibits some choice in colors relating to gender which is judged on the environment and cultural factor. Men prefer bold colors and shades like deep blue, black where women prefer tinted colors like white, baby pink. When deciding on the kind of color of your brand, taking gender stereotypes will do good but you can also decide outside this phenomenon.
- Right color brings uniqueness
We are attracted to what we see. Viewers immediately get influenced by a brand with unique and well-defined colors. It is advised for brands to choose color that. Is different and has not been used by any other brand to show specialty in respect to the isolation effect principle.
Your brand gets to stand out among others. The idea of getting attracted to what you see as beautiful will surely create a last longer image in the brain therefore you remember clearly and you recognize faster be it text or image. In marketing, several scenarios favor the market.
Concept of color coordination.
The answer to what colors should I use for my brand all depends. There is a definite answer in choosing a particular color for your brand.
Color coordination occurs in two perspective:
- Aesthetic response
- Customer preference.
According to research made on consumer preference, a large percentage of people prefers color patterns that have almost the same hues as well as palettes in high contrast. When colors are in coordination with one another it simply means creating a visual format.
The psychology of color in marketing and branding
The visual structure is formed by contrasting base analogous color with tertiary colors that is complementary colors.
The visual structure can also be formed by using bold colors to form a pyramid on your site that tells consumers and visitors about the right choice of colors. The principle will help in keeping and solving any challenges that may arise.
- A right name attracts the right color
The name and description given to colors are important. It depends if the color is rightly maximized. Taking for a case study example, a product was shown to people and they were asked to give reviews. Products with the same color but different names.
Many people preferred and liked the product with the elegant name even though they all had the same color like Makeups with the name mocha was picked over the one named brown. Further research also came with the same result. Customers preferred products more pleasing to the eyes.
Choosing the best color for your brand.
How are you using and maximizing colors in psychology to yield the right impression in marketing and branding? Are you using the best Color? As far as the psychology of color is concerned, there is no definite best color for branding and marketing.
What will determine the color to use depends solely on the kind of image you are giving out for your brand and on personal preference. That is after taking into consideration the feeling of consumers.
Conclusion.
Finding an answer to the matter of colors is not definite. Make use of the practical research study to try to find answers to any question that may arise. Color can be a key reason for choosing something. So in branding and marketing, color is the sole feature to check and study.
Therefore, the psychology of colors in branding and marketing is all about interpretation and the situation you want things to be.
I hope you find useful this article about the psychology of color in marketing and branding, I also recommend you to read other interesting articles on my blog.
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