Colors can have a significant impact on human emotions and psychological responses. This phenomenon is often referred to as color psychology. Different colors can evoke various emotions and reactions in people. Color can play an important role in conveying information nonverbally, creating certain moods, and even influencing the decisions people make. Given that 90% of snap judgments are influenced by the psychological effects of color alone, it’s important to know what colors mean and what responses they can elicit when considering your brand identity and what colors your should use.
Here are some common emotional associations with colors:
BLUE
Calmness, Loyalty, Trust, Safety, and Stability
Blue is often associated with trustworthiness, stability, safety and reliability, making it a common choice for law firms, technology, public utilities, insurance companies, healthcare providers, hospitals, and financial institutions.
PURPLE
Royalty, Luxury, Imagination, Creativity, and Spirituality
Purple is often associated with luxury, wealth, and elegance. It can also represent spirituality, imagination, and creativity. Often used for products considered a cut above the competition or “premium” and paired with a metallic hue such as gold or silver.
BROWN
STABILITY, TRADITIONAL, RUGGED, EARTHINESS, AND RELIABILITY
Brown is often used to convey a sense of reliability, earthiness, and being well-grounded. It’s commonly used in branding that wants to show its longevity and attachment to a rich history. Often used in products related to nature, and food products.
BLACK
Elegance, Dramatic, Mystery, and Power
Black portrays a bold sophistication and respect, often considered a more formal option. It can also convey a sense of mystery, empowerment, and authority. Think security firms, police agencies, and formal wear companies.
WHITE
Purity, Innocence, Cleanliness, and Simplicity
White is often used to represent cleanliness and simplicity. It can also convey a sense of purity and freshness. Clearly, white needs to be paired with another color. Often white is used to inject balance to other colors and the emotions they bring.
PINK
Romance, Femininity, Sincerity, Sweetness, and Playfulness
Pink is often used to convey feelings of femininity, romance, and love. While pink is trending toward being a gender-neutral color, it usually requires a bold companion color to balance its softness. It is also can be used to create a playful and youthful vibe.
RED
Excitement, Strength, Unity, Passion, and Energy
Red is a motivating color used to grab attention and create a sense of urgency, strength, power, or courage. While being the color of love and passion, red is often used by athletic teams, military groups, car companies, and clothing designers to establish a stance of supreme agility, pride, and intimidation.
ORANGE
Confidence, Enthusiasm, Caution, Boldness, and Optimism
Orange is an bright and attention-grabbing color. It can convey a sense of enthusiasm and creativity and is often used in marketing and advertising to stand out. Orange can be added to a more subdued color like blue to increase a brands noticeability. Clearly orange is often utilized for its brightness in safety situations, giving it a sense of safety and caution.
YELLOW
Happiness, Cheer, Positivity, and Warmth
Yellow is a bright and cheerful color that can evoke feelings of happiness and warmth. It’s often used to capture attention and convey a sense of hope and new beginnings. Being the lightest hue of the spectrum, yellow is uplifting and illuminating; however, too much yellow can create a sense of apprehension and stress. Often balanced with red, green, blue, or purple for balance.
GREEN
Nature, Growth, Health, Harmony, and Relaxation
Green is often used to represent eco-friendliness, outdoors, health, and tranquility. Darker greens are associated with money and wealth; however, in branding this is not seen often. Teal is a trending hue that combines blue and green, offering both color’s attributes.
It’s important to note that individual perceptions of colors can vary, and cultural differences can influence the emotional associations with specific colors. Additionally, context plays a significant role in how colors are interpreted. For example, the meaning of a color may change depending on its use in a particular design or setting. As a result, marketers, designers, and artists often consider color psychology when creating visual materials to evoke specific emotions or responses in their audience.
Are your brand colors right for you? Vector Crush can offer some ideas. Send us a message and let’s talk about it!
