The play with colors in the production of marketing and advertising has become an essential element, due to the spontaneous reaction that is associated with a certain color, thereby producing certain emotional reactions. Numerous studies confirm that each color maintains a relationship with different reactions to them and, therefore, advertisers have learned to make use of it.
It has been shown that the color used has a strong impact on increasing sales, which is why color psychology has become an essential element in advertising. Faced with this, strategies are used with different chromatic levels of colors depending on the emotion that wants to be stimulated, turning color into an essential element for commercial processes. In this Psychology-Online article we will show you the color psychology in marketing and advertisingexposing the meaning of colors in advertising.
The psychology of color
Edwin D.Babbitt (1878) developed, without being aware of it, what we know today as color psychology, becoming the promoter of aspects related to the play of colors in marketing. Color psychology is a branch of study that aims to analyze how colors influence us, and the emotions that different ranges of colors arouse in us.
This field of study has been applied especially in marketing and advertising. Everything we see and perceive in advertising is designed to attract the public’s attention and awaken certain emotions in a specific group. However, color psychology is not only applied in advertising to increase sales. The colors, for example, chosen to decorate a store or those used for the logo of a certain brand, are also carefully chosen to awaken an effect on you. Thus, sellers or advertisers use this tool to provoke feelings such as joy, calm, desire, passion or irritability. Faced with this, we must keep in mind that on many occasions it is our emotions that are making the decision to consume and not the rational thoughts developed by ourselves.
Color psychology in marketing and advertising
Although the symbolism of each color has not been empirically approved in the scientific field, many of the most common colors have been associated with various emotional reactions, accepted in Western culture. That is to say, . Another important author in .
Next, let’s see the meaning that has been associated with these colors and that is being used in the world of marketing and advertising. In the following sections we will see the meaning of colors in psychology.
Meaning of the color white
The color white has generally been associated with light, purity, goodness, innocence and cleanliness. The color white in advertising and marketing has a positive connotation in the eyes of the buyer. In advertising, it tends to be used to promote freshness and cleaning, as well as medical products. We also see the color white in advertisements about new technologies, with the aim of communicating simplicity.
Meaning of the color yellow
Yellow is the color of sunlight and, according to color psychology, it symbolizes joy, happiness, intelligence, energy, warmth and optimism. For this reason, the color yellow has been used to promote pleasant emotions and tends to be used in advertisements for entertainment or children’s products. The color yellow is the first that attracts our attention and even more so if it is used in contrast to black, for this reason it is the color selected to paint traffic signs. However, we must be careful with this color, since an excess can have a disturbing effect. Here you can see in depth.
Meaning of the color orange
The color orange represents a mixture of the energy sensations produced by red and the happiness projected in yellow. According to color psychology, orange carries emotions of enthusiasm, attraction, creativity, determination, success and spirit, all these emotions are emotions with a high invigorating and stimulating effect on mental activity. Usually, this color is used for advertising food products, because it is related to appetite stimulation and toys.
Meaning of the color red
The color red has been associated with strength, determination, desire, passion, danger or love, according to color psychology. It represents a color with a high emotional intensity, being associated with an increased heart rate and high blood pressure. It has frequently been used in advertising for ads with seductive content, such as red lipstick, shoes or nail color. On the other hand, it is also very suitable for advertising aspects related to energy, such as energy drinks, sports, activities that involve risk, cars or motorcycles. Here you can see in depth.
Meaning of the color purple
The color purple has been related to wealth and extravagance. According to color psychology, it denotes feelings of power, luxury, ambition, creativity, independence and dignity. However, in advertising it is used to promote products intended for women or children before the stage of adolescence, because it is a color that is not frequently found in nature and is related to magic and mystery.
Meaning of the color blue
Blue, although it is the coldest color, is the most attractive for the vast majority of people, being the color of the sky and the sea. The color blue has been related to wisdom, conscience, intelligence, truth, trust and loyalty. With this, it has become a very suitable color to promote products related to cleaning, both personal and household, and all those elements related to the sea, air, sky or water. Just like white, it is also used to promote technological products. According to color psychology, blue is not suitable for food advertisements because it acts as an appetite suppressant.
Meaning of the color green
The main color of nature, representative of feelings like security, peace, freshness, abundance, tranquility, health, stability and resistance. The color green tends to be associated with health aspects or to advertise products of natural origin, ecological, outdoor activities and gardening. Furthermore, if a darker shade of green is used, it is very suitable for the promotion of financial and economic products.
Meaning of the color black
Black is a color that arouses strong feelings, and can represent emotions of strength, intransigence, authority, power, formality, elegance and mystery. However, it tends to be used to intensify the other colors that are placed next to it to increase contrast and attention to that color. Regarding the psychology of color in marketing and advertising, black tends to be linked to classic, luxury or high-end products.
In addition, colors are also related to personality. If you are interested in the topic of color in personality, you can take the .
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
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- Añaños, E., Estaún, S., Tena, D., Mas, MT & Valli, A. (2008). Psychology and advertising communication. Barcelona: Autonomous University of Barcelona.
- Raven, M.S. (2012). The power of color. Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences: University of León.
- CC.OO Teaching Federation. from Andalusia. (2012). The influence of colors and image in advertising. Digital magazine for teaching teachers, 18, 7.
- Fierens, L. (2012). Color Marketing. Reading material, p.5.