Color Psychology in Marketing

Have you heard of color psychology? Did you know that the meaning of colors can influence your customers’ decisions? The truth is that colors can stimulate, guide and help you win over your target audience.

The study of colors is a very important topic in the field of design but also in the field of Marketing. Defining the right colors for your product, website, logo or other customer communications is key to ensuring good results. All graphic elements, such as typography for example, are important for visual communication and here colors have a special role, especially in conveying feelings and emotions.

In this article we will explore the psychology of colors in marketing!

Importance of color in marketing

The terminology “color psychology” is based on the analysis of how a color is felt by the human being, i.e. how the brain processes the information that reaches our eyes and how it triggers sensations in our body.

Colors are essential representations in the way we express ourselves and can even arouse emotions. Thus, the use of colors in marketing is of high importance, not only to get our message across in the best way but also to convey the right tone and associate emotions with our brand.

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially in a marketing context. These can provoke emotions and immediate involvement in the consumer not only from their message but also from their colors. Thus, by knowing the meaning of each of them, we can awaken in the consumer the sensations that we want to associate with our brand. The visual identity is essential for your recognition, to convey your values and business model and should be defined during the branding process, as we covered here.

Symbolism and Meaning of Colors

Our brain reacts to colors almost instantaneously, even before we perceive the images. Each color leads us to certain sensations and taking advantage of this resource, in the context of marketing, is a huge world to explore.

We’ve put together a list of colors, with their often associated meanings, so you can harness the full potential of color psychology!

White

White is a neutral color and recognized as the color of peace. It provides a sense of tranquility and balance and symbolizes purity and loyalty. It is usually combined with other colors to provide eye-catching contrasts.

Black

This is also a neutral color. Associated with elegance and strength, it is able to inspire dynamism, exclusivity and luxury and is still widely used in the creation of minimalist looks.

Grey

Still in the neutral colors, gray is the result of the combination of black and white and therefore its meaning is similar to both: serenity, tranquility and responsibility. It can harmonize very divergent color palettes, conveying confidence and refinement.

Red

Red is a dynamic color that awakens urgency and incites action, energy and youth. This is the color of passion and is able to appeal to the appetite and increases the heartbeat. It is often used in promotions and in the food and beverage area.

Yellow

This warm color conveys joy, optimism, wealth and hope. Because it is able to stimulate mental processes and encourage communication it is often used in CTA’s (Call to Action). Food companies also often use yellow as an appetite stimulant, as it is associated with hunger.

Orange

Orange represents joy, dynamism and energy. It is a color that encourages confidence but also irreverence and is therefore widely used in sports brands.

Green

Green is the color that our eyes most easily distinguish and is usually related to nature, health and hope. It conveys the idea of freshness and environmental responsibility, by association with the environment and for this reason it is used by brands of hygiene and cosmetic products.

Blue

Blue has a wide range of shades and therefore varied meanings depending on the tone. Dark blue is associated with the idea of strength, security and power, while lighter shades convey a message of peace and tranquility, but also of success. It is able to convey a feeling of freshness, as it is linked to the color of the water, as well as influence the decrease of appetite.

Purple or Lilac

Considered the color of creativity, nobility and spirituality, purple also passes emotions linked to serenity and peace of mind and is therefore often used in health, wellness and cosmetics brands. This color is also associated with knowledge and manages to arouse feelings of mystery and sophistication, as well as success and wealth.

Pink

Pink also has varying meanings depending on the shade of the color. In lighter shades it expresses delicacy, innocence and romance. When in darker shades it can be linked to power, desire and femininity.

Brown

Brown refers to stability, integrity or even sophistication. Being the color of the earth, it is easily used for products with associated value, such as organic ones. It manages to create rustic and cozy environments.

To sum up

It’s amazing the power that colors have in our communication. Through them we can convey ideas and concepts but also provoke feelings and incite actions.

The knowledge gained through research in the field of color psychology is increasingly used in the field of marketing to stimulate sensations in consumers and boost conversion rates through visual communication. A color study is essential for any brand, whether it’s for your logo, website or advertising campaigns.

Did you know that colors can help boost your brand’s performance? Want to know more about color psychology? We want to know! Talk to us at info@getvalue.pt.