Have you ever noticed the abundance of competing brands labeled as either “red brands” or “blue brands”? The list is endless—Coke vs. Pepsi, Target vs. Walmart, Nintendo vs. SEGA, etc.
There’s no denying it—color plays an important part in brand association. However, the importance of color psychology doesn’t end there.
Every strong graphic design team understands why color theory is critical for strong marketing techniques. But how exactly do consumers react to various colors?
We’re here to fill you in. Keep reading below to learn the best colors to use for your business and why it matters.
Warm Colors
Warm colors are just that—warm and inviting. However, each color elicits very specific emotions from consumers.
Red, for example, is used by many fast-food restaurants because it makes consumers hungry. It’s also a passionate color, and it’s a great color to use to get customers excited about your product.
Orange is an energizing color, and it’s often considered a gender-neutral color. Orange is often used by more playful brands who want to market and project friendly persona.
Yellow is an extremely cheery color. It’s great for creative companies who want to project an optimistic image.
Cool Colors
Cool colors give off reliable and soothing energies. They’re often used by tech companies, large retailers, and healthy food businesses.
Blue is considered a reliable color. It has a soothing element to it, and also has clear connections to water—we can see that connection through brands like Nestle.
Green is representative of growth and nature. It’s used by many earth-friendly organizations to promote their ideals and the materials used in their products.
Neutral Colors
Lastly, we have three options that don’t fall on the color wheel: brown, black, white, and gray. However, they’re still critical to color theory.
Brown, a composite color, is great for symbolizing natural or earthy qualities. It’s also representative of utility, and it’s a good choice if you want your consumers to consider your product reliable and durable.
Black and white are a bit complicated. Technically, if you’re taking physics into account, they aren’t colors.
However, they’re often considered colors by the general public and can be just as useful at eliciting emotions in consumers. Black often projects an air of sophistication and elegance. That’s why you’ll often see it being used by fashion labels, jewelry companies, and fine dining establishments.
Gray is another color that is used for high-end products—think Apple and Mercedes-Benz. White, on the other hand, is a more inviting and open color and is great for giving off an innocent and peaceful energy.
Utilizing Color Theory for Your Business
Sometimes the first things a customer sees are the colors and graphics—not the text—of your marketing materials. To master visual communication, it’s key that you understand the importance of color theory.
Looking to incorporate color theory into your next marketing campaign? Specializing in custom signage and vehicle wraps, The Graphics Shop is ready to help you to get your next campaign off the ground! Contact us today to learn more and get a free quote!