The use of colors in marketing is about more than just aesthetic aspects. We subconsciously associate certain things with certain colors. This is why color psychology plays an important role in marketing and especially in corporate branding.
Colors have different effects on us humans. Orange, for example, has a stimulating effect, while blue - supposedly the world's favorite color - has a calming effect. In combination with each other, colors have a different effect than individually. This article shows what role color psychology plays in marketing and what you need to consider when choosing colors.
How is color psychology related to emotions in marketing?
Studies have shown that individual colors appeal to certain emotional systems in the brain. This means that they trigger different feelings. Ideally, companies succeed in optimally addressing their target group through the choice of colors for their logo, website or advertising campaigns.
The colors should evoke positive emotions so that the company is remembered and the target group is encouraged to interact or even make a purchase.
The meaning of different colors
Red
Red stands for love, passion, appetite and feelings. The color:
- stimulates the appetite
- stimulates impulse purchases
- accelerates the pulse
- acts as a signal color
Red is often used by delivery services for food. However, red also stands for discounts and is often used to draw attention to price reductions. The individual color shades have a different effect. Pink is playful, wine red is elegant or a bright red is the typical signal color. When it comes to color psychology in marketing, it should be noted that red should be used with carefully considered intensity.
Blue
Blue stands for the sky and water, for calm and peace. The color:
- increases productivity
- inhibits appetite
- is popular with men
- conveys confidence and security
Blue, for example, is the color of the technology companies Meta, Siemens and HP or the Amazon Prime brand. It radiates seriousness and makes companies look trustworthy and professional. The color is also popular with banks and insurers. Blue is also popular in cosmetics and medicine, as the associations with the color are almost exclusively positive. There are also gradations here. Turquoise has a creative and progressive effect, light blue is calming and bright blue is energetic.
When it comes to color psychology in marketing, it should be noted that blue can also stand for coldness and sadness in addition to all the positive associations.
Green
The color green stands for nature, growth, health and money. It:
- has a relaxing effect
- is associated with wealth
- stands for fertility
- symbolizes closeness to nature
Green triggers numerous positive associations. In marketing color psychology, the color symbolizes naturalness and health. Companies that use green are perceived as sustainable by their target group. Due to increasing environmental awareness, the presence of the color in marketing is steadily increasing - an obvious example is green as a frequent color of organic product brands. Dark green looks serious, light green lively, fresh and young - see Starbucks or WhatsApp.
Yellow
Yellow stands for cheerfulness, warmth, communication and stimulation. The color:
- Stands out
- symbolizes youth and optimism
- conveys clarity
- has a dynamic and lively effect
Yellow is the color of a well-known fast food chain or many postal companies worldwide. As the brightest primary color, yellow radiates warmth and energy. It enjoys a positive perception in marketing color psychology. Gold is a variation of yellow and therefore the color also stands for wealth.
Like red, the color has a signal effect. It catches the eye and is also perceived from a distance. Yellow should therefore also be used with caution. In its negative association, the color stands for danger.
Orange
Orange stands for warmth and enthusiasm, vitality and humor, but also for excitement and warning. The color:
- encourages buying
- can trigger aggression
- symbolizes self-confidence
- tempts to make impulse purchases
Orange is often used in connection with children and can also be found in beauty products. The color has a vital, friendly and fun effect. Due to its association with vitality, orange is well suited for companies in the healthcare sector and is, for example, the color of Siemens Healthineers in combination with Siemens blue. It is a good compromise between the aggressive red and the less warm yellow and is also one of the signal colors.
Violet
Violet (or colloquially: purple) stands for wisdom, success, wealth and kings. The color:
- has a calming effect
- symbolizes imagination and creativity
- is unique, as it rarely occurs in nature
Purple symbolizes luxury, which is why the color is often used in beauty and wellness products. The luxury and confectionery industries also like to work with shades of purple. Companies use the color to underline their creativity and innovative spirit. There are different shades of purple, such as telecom magenta. In marketing color psychology, purple stands for creativity, prosperity, luxury, but also for mysticism, nobility or magic. The negative association with the color is intrigue.
How to find the right color in marketing?
Companies should think carefully about their choice of color - whether it's for their corporate identity, their social media presence or their next advertising campaign. This way, important points of corporate communication or product features can be collected. This list serves as an overview for color selection. According to color psychology in marketing, you can now consider which colors best match the company values or the respective product.
The target group should also be taken into account when choosing the color. Which color matches the age of the target group or the emotions that should be triggered in them? If a company operates internationally, the specific cultural circumstances also play a relevant role. Here, for example, it is important that white is considered the color of mourning in some countries.
Which color should be avoided in marketing?
The color brown should be used with caution in marketing, even though it stands for earthiness, security and reliability. In theory, brown could also be used to express environmental awareness or naturalness, as the color is a more subtle alternative to green. The problem here is that brown is quickly associated with dirt. Nevertheless, the color is occasionally used, for example by logistics companies, outdoor clothing or - obviously - in coffee advertising.
Conclusion
Colors are very important in marketing and design. The right colors reinforce the effect that is to be created with the target group. The target group is subconsciously addressed and influenced by a targeted choice of colors. If you succeed in using colors skilfully, this can have a positive effect on the customer experience and increase your company's success.
Share
