Color does not just significantly affect visual perception. Color is a tool that is widely used in marketing. The results of numerous studies confirm that colors affect consumers. Different colors, stimulating parts of the brain, provoke different emotions: from excitement to calmness. Using this psychological factor, brands have learned to attract the target audience. How do you use color in marketing?
How color affects a person
Red
- Stimulates appetite, often used in fast foods.
- Causes a sense of urgency, urgency.
- Often used during full sales.
- Associated with movement, emotional excitement and passion.
- Instantly draws attention.
- Physically stimulates the body, causes nerve impulses, increases blood pressure and accelerates the rhythm of heart contractions.
Blue
- Preferred color for men.
- Associated with tranquility, water and reliability.
- It evokes a sense of security and a sense of trust towards the brand.
- Suppresses appetite, stimulates productivity.
- The most popular color for offices and conservative brands.
- It has a calming effect on the mind, causes a feeling of peace.
- In children, this color is associated with growing up.
Green
- Associated with health, tranquility and nature.
- Also associated with money, wealthy people or successful brands.
- It is used to decorate the interiors of shops, promotes relaxation.
- Often used to promote environmental responsibility.
- Green is associated with harmony, helps to achieve a balance between the body and emotions, gives determination.
Violet
- Associated with loyalty, wisdom and respect.
- Stimulates the parts of the brain responsible for solving certain problems and creativity.
- Often used in the cosmetic industry, especially for anti-aging products.
- Popular with creative and original brands and services.
Yellow
- Inspires optimism and cheerfulness
- Used to attract impulsive shoppers and window shoppers.
- Stimulates the logical centers of the brain, causes enthusiasm.
- If applied too often, it can cause feelings of anxiety.
Black
- Associated with power, strength, power, stability.
- Often used as a symbol of intelligence.
- Used as a way to reduce the size of something.
- Excessive blotches of black acts depressingly on a person.
Grey
- A symbol of practicality, constancy and solidarity.
- Excessive presence often causes a feeling of insignificance of something.
- Gray somewhat smooths out the emotions associated with an age crisis, depression or death.
White
- White is a feeling of impeccability, purity and security. Neutrality.
- The absence of something specific (used when there is no need to evoke any specific emotions provoked by certain colors).
- It can serve as a signal for a creative impulse.
Proper application of color theory
Contrast selection
Contrast reduces the load on visual perception and focuses the user's attention on specific objects.
one-stop fashion
- The choice of strong, complementary colors makes it easier to read
- A color scheme in which a certain element is the lightest prevents eye strain by focusing attention.
- The lack of contrast between the design element and the background inevitably leads to eye strain.
- The current design trend is the background in very light colors, the text and other elements are dark. Or vice versa...
Color Resonance Sets the Mood of Your Web Design
- Choosing lighter colors conveys brand vibes to users, so it's easier to elicit feedback from potential customers.
- If the site is filled with content and it is desirable for readers to focus on it, it is better to choose a more neutral or dark color scheme to relax the user.
Different color schemes - different effect
black and white
Use the same color in different variations, adding shades and midtones as needed. An eye-friendly option. It is used when the design of a product or website is made in the tradition of minimalism.
Complementary
Use two colors opposite each other on the color wheel. This approach, like the previous one, does not create an unnecessary burden on visual perception. Often this scheme is used by the printing press for greater color diversity.
Tricolor
Harmonizing effect; scheme is popular among web designers. It is worth resorting to if you need a powerful impact on the visual component of the website.
What results can be achieved using color in marketing?
The color of the brand has an impact on the consumer when buying products
- 3% pay attention to the texture of the product
- 1% of consumers make their purchase decision based on smell or sound
- 93% focus on appearance
Color may be the only reason to buy
- 84.7% of customers believe that color is the "trump card" of the brand
- 52% do not return to the store if they do not like its aesthetic component.
- 80% of buyers believe that color has influenced brand popularity
Color and large corporations
McDonald's
Red and yellow are the colors that children love the most.
Red
It is used as an appetite stimulant, a sense of urgency, thereby forcing the client to quickly place an order and immediately leave the catering establishment.
Yellow
Life-affirming, optimistic color. The yellow "M" symbol contributes to the positive perception of the McDonald's brand, and serves as a graphic complement to the "I'm lovin' it" slogan.
Mascot
The corporate mascot Ronald McDonald - a clown in yellow and red clothes - is a source of joyful emotions for children.
The combination of colors can also stimulate consumption and increase customer turnover.
Starbucks
Green
The only world famous brand that has green as its main color.
Mermaid
The image of a mermaid as a logo is another reason for associations with nature .
Relaxing effect
Promotes stress relief and relaxation. Green as an invitation to have a cup of coffee and relax.
Fanta Orange
Orange
Life-affirming and warm, it serves as a lure for impulsive buyers who are attracted to bright colors.
Fanta
The manufacturer is experimenting with ingredients, trying to achieve greater flavor diversity. Therefore, in the future, we can expect the appearance in the assortment of Fanta drinks of all kinds of colors of the rainbow spectrum.
Favourite drink
There are other taste and color variations of this drink, but it is Fanta Orange that generates up to 70% of the total financial income.
There are no trifles in selling copywriting. At all. Never. Even what seems insignificant to you personally can become the main motive for making a purchase for the buyer.
However, the wrong selection of colors for the design of the selling text can easily become a reason for the unconscious rejection of your offer.
How important is it to use the right colors when designing sales texts? Very important. It's incredibly important. It is the colors that sometimes play a decisive role in. Scare away - the buyer will leave even the most beautiful selling text. You will be able to create comfortable color images - the reader will forgive you even numerous flaws in the text and failures in the presentation of information.
We have already touched on the importance of using colors in the design of sales texts. Today I would like to conduct a workshop and introduce you to the correct use of colors in advertising. In our case, this will be the practice of designing selling pages and landings.
How to use colors in sales text?
Remember that for each type of goods there are "their" colors. Your task is to decide which colors are suitable for your material. We have to repeat ourselves: you can create an incredibly powerful text about baby diapers, but fail miserably just because you allowed the use of black and red shades in the design of the material.
So, let's deal with each of the colors in more detail:
Red in advertising . This is the color of energy and will, it carries a powerful sexual connotation and stands out from any other colors. The red color in the sales text is almost mandatory, but remember that if there is too much of this color, it begins to become a source of aggression and danger. Too much red is already bad.
Due to its catchiness, it is often used in sales and as in the sale of goods for men (bright sexual overtones). Most often used in the design of the main elements of advertising material. Pairs well with white.
Orange. It is the color of cheerfulness, fun, optimism. The color is positive and attractive. Perfect for headings and subheadings. Orange is a warm color and is very popular with children. Great for designing sites and texts designed to advertise children's products, medicines, health care.
Yellow. The color of sociability, openness and good nature. It symbolizes affection and sociability. Not as bright as red and orange, and therefore more often used either as a background or as a means of decorating minor details. It is also perfect for decorating selling texts about children's goods, creativity, relaxation (a symbol of the sun and idleness). Yellow goes well with blue and green.
Green color. Green is the color of health, relaxation, freshness. Such a text carries a huge charge of confidence (remember the green checkboxes and the “order” buttons). Often associated with lightness and wealth. Green color somewhat visually reduces the amount of text. Try writing a call to action on a red background. That's right, it will only alienate the reader, unconsciously causing a feeling of anxiety. And now carry out the same procedure using green. A completely different picture: you already believe such an appeal!
Pink color. It has long been firmly established as the best color for expressing a romantic and tender relationship. Advertising driveshafts or all-terrain vehicles on a pink background will look ridiculous, but selling texts advertising women's products, dating sites, perfumes and cosmetics - that's it! Oddly enough, pink color has practically no effect on men, but children and women love it.
Blue. Blue is the color of harmony, purity and sublimity. This color perfectly calms the reader, removes the feeling of danger, convinces the buyer of the veracity of what was said, gives a sense of the integrity of the image. Often used to design texts about business and earnings. Used to advertise medicines, goods for children, perfumes, innovative products.
Blue color. Blue is the color of clarity, concentration, peace. Attracts attention, but does not repel. Does not cause a feeling of negativity or aggression. Almost universal color, can be used to design any texts. Naturally, it is necessary to ensure that there is not too much color.
Black color. The color of mystery, saturation, complexity, elitism. As the main element of the design of the selling text, it is detrimental, since it causes depressive associations in large numbers, in addition, reading on a black background is very tiring. It goes well with white, yellow and many other "light" colors. It is used in the design of texts where it is necessary to emphasize the elitism, prestige and high cost of the service.
White color in advertising. Associated with purity, freshness, sincerity, innocence, peace. Symbolizes knowledge, openness, simplicity. Perfectly harmonizes with yellow, blue, black, red and green. As a background for a sales text, it is almost ideal, since it carries a completely neutral message, inviting the reader to make their own personal choice, therefore, it does not press on a subconscious level. It is used in selling services everywhere.
Examples of color combinations in advertising
As you understand, the possibilities of designing selling texts are completely endless. You can experiment endlessly, constantly achieving new results. In order for you to immediately have some initial capital, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with those color combinations in advertising that have already proven themselves well. Try, add, fantasize!
Red on white;
Yellow on black;
Green on yellow.
White on blue;
Black on yellow;
White on black;
Blue on yellow;
Blue color on white.
Good luck to you, friends!
Another important means of psychological influence in advertising is Colour (colour). Color influences the position of a product on the market so seriously that it is used as a powerful tool in the competition. The color scheme of a commercial or a poster is no less important in positioning and promoting a product than a company logo or advertising slogan.
When you see good promotional films, flip through booklets, look at posters, you can't help but pay attention to the completeness and expressiveness of color and spatial solutions. The impact of color on a person has long been of concern not only to advertisers, but also to doctors, teachers, and designers. Chemistry developed, and the language ceased to keep up with the colors. To call them, one had to borrow words from the world of plants and animals, geographical names and even proper names. This is how "Prussian blue", the color of "sea wave", "ivory", "coffee with milk" appeared.
Each area of human activity develops its own nomenclature of color terms only for specialists: horse colors - bay, roan, brown; artists' paints - ocher, umber, etc. A person sees pure colors, exactly the same as in nature - only green is reflected from the green spot of the picture, only yellow is reflected from yellow. All colors have additional properties that are inherent in them or attributed to the way in which they are used. For example, green - "fresh, natural"; red - "exciting"; beige - "gray"; crimson - "full and rich"; black - "very elegant", etc.
The perception of color is connected not only with the physiological capabilities of a person, but also with his genetic memory. Hence the different roles and functions of color in different cultures. So, in Europe, black is a symbol of sadness, mourning, and in Japan, on the contrary, joy. Therefore, it is necessary to seriously study the symbolism of color and the peculiarities of its perception by various national and demographic groups.
The color itself often creates a certain image for the product. The gold color is very popular, which means the highest grade, high cost and high prestige.
There are stereotypes of color perception: almost without exception, colors affect the nervous system in a certain way, and then the senses. Associations concerning colors first arise in a person at the subconscious level, but gradually, with their repetition, a person begins to realize them. And then the color is already perceived symbolically.
The color must fully correspond to the quality of the product, its scope and consumer psychology. Color can make things bigger or smaller. In the existing classification of colors, hue, saturation and brightness are distinguished first of all. In addition, a distinction is made between the actual and apparent color of an object. The actual color is the color shade of the advertising object, any figures, spaces or planes, and the visible color is the visual perception of color in specific conditions, depending on the lighting, background and distance of the advertised item.
The choice of color shades, their saturation, brightness allows the artist to focus the attention of viewers on the most important part of the advertising message. In most cases, this is possible thanks to an asymmetrical grouping, the basis of which is the necessary formal balance between some small but important form of address and several large but less important forms. This balance is achieved by a rational organized transition of colors from one to another or by highlighting the most important element of an advertising message with intense color.
The perception of color depends on the form in which one or another color is enclosed. One form emphasizes the meaning of a color, the other form dulls it. Saturated color in a spiky form enhances the inherent properties of the color (for example, yellow in a triangle). "Soft" colors increase their impact with round shapes (for example, blue in a circle).
- between the colors themselves (for example, red - blue - yellow, purple - green - orange);
- between cold and warm colors, for example, contrasting cold colors (light green, blue, light purple) - warm (yellow, light orange, orange, red);
- sharp contrast (for example, red-orange with light green);
- additional contrast (opposition of diametrically opposite colors, for example, yellow - purple, blue - orange, red - green);
- qualitative contrast (for example, contrasting saturated colors with desaturated ones, pure colors with mixed ones);
- quantitative contrast (for example, contrasting large planes with small ones). More precisely, it is a contrast of proportion, thanks to which it is possible to change the effect of all known contrasts;
- simultaneous use of different contrasts.
- promotion of maximum assimilation of information;
- strengthening of argumentation and appeal;
- stimulation of emotions and associations;
- facilitating recognition and ordering of advertising objects, advertising media, etc.;
- highlighting the most important parts of printed matter and distributing various announcements.
The advertiser needs to take into account the fact that the color has a different degree of memorability. The color yellow is especially well remembered, so it is widely used in posters and billboard advertising. To enhance perception, a contrasting black is added to the yellow color. This combination causes an unconscious feeling of anxiety, danger, is associated with bees, wasps and sharpens the perception of the advertising message.
Color in advertising under the influence of psychological, social and cultural factors inherent in certain segments of the consumer market will allow creating promotional products with increased impact. Thus, in various advertising compositions, it is important to provide for color nuances, proportionality and distribution of colors. In this case, the color intensity of the determined component should not be repeated in another part of the composition. The well-known French sociologist and philosopher J. Baudrillard believes that in advertising, paint becomes one of the constituent elements of the overall decision on the appearance of a thing and its advertising presentation.
When composing printed advertisements, it should be remembered that color plays a large role in the recognition of advertisements. Newspaper ads printed in second color are read by 22% more people than those printed in black and white. It has been experimentally established that the second color is valid only if there are no more than eight such ads on an A2 page. When using three colors, the number of readers increases to 68%.
It occupies a special place color fashion, which sometimes predetermines new trends. For example, the development of some winter sports led to the spread of "phosphors" first in sportswear, then in advertising. USA Color Association (Color Association of US) was established back in 1915. Today, in particular, it is engaged in the analysis and development of recommendations on the use of color combinations in fashion and interior design, predicts changes in color preferences.
interesting associative orientation of color, color perception(Table 9.1). So, in different countries, color has different associations with people. For example, Eskimos can distinguish up to 200 shades of white, and many European corporate identities created and implemented on the basis of white would crumble for them.
Table 9.1
Color Perceptions Characteristic of the Western Tradition
|
Perception |
Orange |
Violet |
Brown |
||||||||
|
Distance |
very close |
Approaching |
Neutral |
receding |
very close |
receding |
|||||
|
Increasing in width |
Abstract magnifying, playing |
Slightly enlarging |
Neutral |
Air |
Reducing in width, making slimmer |
Reducing, making more elegant |
Neutral |
reducing |
Neutral |
magnifying |
|
|
Uncertain |
Uncertain |
||||||||||
|
Temperature |
Neutral |
Chill |
Very cold |
Cold |
Cold |
Cold |
Chill |
||||
|
Snow and brightness |
blinding |
Bright, radiant, flowing |
Calm |
Darkened |
darkened, dim |
Very light |
|||||
|
Motion |
Active, dynamic |
dynamic, mobile |
Moving but ephemeral |
Inert, static, but alive |
Passive, calm |
frozen |
Calm, unknowable |
static |
motionless, frozen |
static |
Calming |
|
First sensation |
Exciting, captivating |
Intoxicating, passionate |
Pleasant, joyful |
Fresh, soothing |
Captivating, clean |
alarming |
Frightening |
Dirty |
Indifferent |
Sad |
Clean, sterile |
|
Psychological impact |
Anxious, dignified, passionate |
Fascinating, sexy |
Cheerful, carefree, lively |
Gentle, soothing, calm |
Calm, airy |
Strict, distant, mysterious |
Important, ceremonial, mysterious |
Dull, calm |
Sad, mournful, mournful |
Defiant, melancholy |
Chaste, innocent, noble |
|
Mars (warrior, power, man) |
Mercury (generous youth) |
Sun (childhood) |
Venus (female youth) |
Jupiter (mind in which the impulses subsided youth) |
Uranus (transformation) |
||||||
|
fire impulsive |
fire laughing |
fire distant |
vegetable kingdom |
Air (morning freshness) |
outer space |
air space |
withered vegetation |
Earth (ashes) |
Earth (ash, smoke) |
||
|
Cosmic Influence |
Strength of will. Spirit of Domination |
The power of pleasure |
Spirit of impermanence |
The spirit of peace, tranquility and female love |
Spirit of dominance, prudence |
The spirit of rigor and obedience to the laws of the universe |
Spirit of Domination |
Spirit of mourning, sadness, death |
Spirit of wisdom and hidden power |
Spirit of enlightenment, maturity |
|
|
Symbolism |
Passionate love, power, fire |
pleasure, celebration, generosity, nobility |
Movement, vitality |
Peace, tranquility, female love, salvation |
Purity, intelligence, constancy, tenderness |
universe, outer space |
Wisdom, maturity, higher intelligence |
Old age |
Ashes, mourning, death |
Sorrow, sadness, disorder |
Giver of everything, motherhood, purity |
and into disconnected fragments. The Caduweo Indians call yellow and green the color of the parrot. Americans associate red with love, yellow with prosperity, green with hope, blue with fidelity, white represents purity, tranquility, peace, and black is a symbol of the complexity and urgency of the situation.
In Austria, green is the most popular color; in Bulgaria - dark green and brown; in Pakistan, emerald green; in Holland - orange and blue; in Egypt - blue and green, Iraq - light red, gray and blue; Ireland - green, Mexico - red, white, green; Syria - indigo, red, green. The closer to the East, the more importance is attached to the symbolism of color. So, in China, red means kindness and courage, black means honesty, and white means meanness and deceit (it’s not for nothing that all the negative characters in folk historical dramas hide under white masks). Color symbolism is also strong in India. For example, an Indian woman puts on red robes at the first time of marriage, since this color symbolizes love. By the way, it was India that gave the world a brilliant combination - white, red, blue, which is used in many national flags. Dominant colors and combinations that should be avoided: in Brazil - purple and yellow (symbol of illness); Iraq - olive green (the color of Islam); China - a combination of white, blue and black (signs of mourning); Peru - purple; Syria - yellow, etc.
There is such a thing as "state colors", or "primary colors". It indicates those colors that are strictly located on the flag and have their own historically defined meaning.
The perception of color in Russian symbolism is interesting. Thus, the famous scientist V. Trutovsky proved that the "tricolor" of the flag of Russia (white, blue and red) established in 1699 by Peter I is more in line with the spirit of the Russians than the color of the flag approved in 1858 by Alexander II (black, yellow and white) or the red Soviet flag. Black color has always been in Russia a symbol of humility, sorrow, death, renunciation from worldly fuss. Yellow is associated with the sun, gold, and Russia grew up on silver. But white has always been a favorite, it is a color that symbolizes purity of soul and body, the attire of brides. Red is truly popular. In Russian, it has a number of synonyms - black, scarlet, worm, scarlet, as well as a lot of shades and means beautiful, beautiful, solemn, front. Red is the color of Russian folklore (decorations of wooden utensils, houses, women's costumes, etc.). The blue color and its shades - blue, azure - were also very common in Ancient Russia. This is the color of heavenly, religious; it is used in dwellings (on stove tiles, earthenware, enamel, sewing, etc.). Finally, in Orthodox symbolism: red is the blood of the Lord, white is holy robes, blue is heaven. The combination of white-blue-red speaks of the power and greatness of the state.
It is very important that the same person's attitude to color can change during the day. However, it may remain stable for months. The thing is that the perception of color and the emotional attitude towards it depends mainly on the emotional state of a person. The state has changed - the attitude to color has changed. So, one color is preferred, the other does not cause special emotions, the third is completely rejected. These patterns were discovered, investigated and described by the Swiss psychologist Max Luscher in the middle of the 20th century. Creating his color test, Luscher proceeded from the following considerations: human color perception has been formed as a result of lifestyle and interaction with the environment over a long period of historical development. Thus, the dark blue color was associated with night peace, and yellow - with a sunny day and its worries; the red color was reminiscent of blood, flames and related situations requiring high mobilization and activity.
Thus, the attitude to color was determined by the nature of the life activity of many generations, gaining stability, and any manifestation of life activity is always accompanied by one or another emotional state. Therefore, the attitude to color is emotional. A person, depending on his emotional state, is disposed to some colors, indifferent to others and does not accept third ones. Moreover, this choice depends on the type, condition, degree of its severity and individual characteristics of the person. Luscher believed that his "test" is universal and "works" equally well in different countries. Luscher's discovery is most directly related to advertising. He argued that color not only evokes the appropriate reaction of a person depending on the emotional state, but also forms the emotions of a person in a certain way (and we know that 90% of purchases are made on emotions). Open the emotions you are going to appeal to and the result will show up very quickly.
The psychology of form
Surface and space do not exist outside of color. It is worth citing interesting data regarding the influence of color and graphic solutions on human emotions. It is generally accepted that vertical or horizontal straight lines are associated with calmness, clarity and even solidity, while curved lines are associated with grace and ease. The more often the vertical and horizontal lines and the more contrasting the colors chosen for their image, the more unpleasant - up to dizziness - sensations they cause.
Uncomplicated and symmetrical forms are "read" much faster than others. The most difficult to perceive are fantastic, sophisticated forms, devoid of obvious associations. They attract attention, but can cause the unpredictable. Unbalanced forms give a feeling of discomfort, unfinished forms, as it were, a person seeks to mentally complete, complete.
Various forms of geometric shapes are of great importance in the formation of images in advertising (Fig. 9.1).
Skillful use of color and form in advertising helps visual representation of the selected product item. So, gray and burgundy are the colors of moderation, solidity, red symbolizes willpower, activity, offensiveness, aggressiveness. Blue color is associated with passivity, sensitivity, calmness. For example, by changing the color of the packaging to blue, Pepsi-Cola achieved a 10% increase in brand awareness in the Russian market, reaching 73% (Figure 9.2).
Rice. 9.1.
Rice. 9.2.The symbolism of the color and shape of the company "PepsiCo"
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The modern market is unthinkable without advertising, thanks to which brands become recognizable even at the household level. The engine of trade helps to increase sales, forming a favorable image of goods and services in the eyes of the consumer. Color design plays an important role in this, so the psychology of color in advertising is one of the main factors in controlling people's preferences. To understand how the palette of shades can positively influence the consumer, it is necessary first of all to highlight the main tasks that can be solved with the help of the psychology of colors in advertising.
How color psychology works in advertising
It's no secret that bright light induces a person to vigorous action. The sun's rays wake us up in the morning, giving us a boost of energy for the whole working day. Therefore, in the psychology of advertising, lighting plays an important role, since it sets the mood, and hence the positive perception of a particular product. The play of light and shadow will help to show the proposed product as attractively as possible, even against the backdrop of competitive offers.
Bright lighting of a shop window or exhibition stand helps to attract more visitors than hidden or chamber lighting. Scientific studies of the psychology of color in advertising have shown that dimming or twilight causes tension in the eye nerve, which means that such a showcase will tire customers, causing a desire to leave, refusing even the most profitable promotional offer.
When preparing printed materials or an exhibition stand, it is necessary to think carefully about the design of advertising, which will make it possible to show your offer as attractively as possible. For this purpose, not only the layout of the layout is used, but also the psychology of color design, which is selected taking into account the location of the object relative to visitors and competitors' offers.
To understand the possibilities of color psychology in visual advertising of goods and services, it is necessary first of all to highlight those criteria that help to increase its effectiveness. Color not only helps to attract attention and remember the promotional offer, it helps to correctly place accents in the design, which favorably emphasize the merits of goods and services and form a favorable image in the eyes of consumers.
Scientific Research: Psychology of Color in Advertising
The first Western studies of the impact of the psychology of colors on the consumer date back to 1915, when the Color Association of US was established in the USA. Professor Max Luscher, whose experiments gained the greatest popularity in the post-Soviet space, sought to understand the mental structure of a person. In this regard, he conducted a series of studies between 1941 and 1946 based on the analysis of the Rorschach test and came to the conclusion that the sensory perception of color is individual and depends on the previous experience of each person. Having revealed the color preferences of certain groups of people, it is possible to influence their assessment, forming a favorable or vice versa negative image of certain goods and services.
By personal order of Karl Miescher, who headed the largest chemical concern Ciba in Basel, Lüscher got the opportunity to conduct research on the psychology of color stimuli in his own laboratory, where 4,500 samples of various materials (wool, paper, etc.) were tested. Experiments that lasted from 1941 to 1946 showed that color analysis is the most effective way in psychology to diagnose personality traits.
Having presented his theory of color evaluation in Lausanne at the World Congress of Psychology in 1947, Max Lüscher gained international fame at the age of 23. His work was published in the congressional collection "Diagnosis of Character" ("La Diagnostic du Charactère" Press Universitaire, Paris 1949), and Luscher himself became a teacher of the new discipline "Psychology of Color" at the Sorbonne.
Having written his dissertation "Color as a tool for psychodiagnostics" (1949), Luscher gained scientific authority in the eyes of prominent representatives of psychiatry, philosophy and psychology. The international interest in this issue on the part of large industrialists in Germany and other countries allowed him to supplement his research with data from cross-cultural experiments and statistical analysis. Today, the name of Max Luscher has become a household name in the world theory of color psychology in advertising.
What are the benefits of the psychology of colors in advertising
1. Attract attention
Even a simple handwritten ad is more attractive if it is done on colored paper or using colored pencils. The psychology of color in advertising recommends sticking to the basic rule of the color wheel and using only a few matching tones. A bright saturated palette will attract more attention, especially if you use a light range of shades.
2. Hints
When developing the design of advertising materials, it is necessary to take into account such an important aspect of human perception psychology as color memory. Our brains are able to draw parallels between the yellow tint of bottled soda and its lemon flavor. Human psychology is such that, using color memory, you can achieve the activation of other types of memory, such as taste and even auditory. When we see the bright orange shade of an orange in an advertisement, we remember its taste and juiciness. An appetizing colorful image of fruit will attract much more attention than a black and white one.
3. Accents
Color helps to focus attention on specific points in the advertisement. Such a selection is recommended by the psychology of color in advertising for a visual demonstration of certain qualities and merits of certain goods and services. Creating a favorable image for the consumer with the help of color psychology, experts advise paying no less attention to the choice of fonts in the text design of advertising. The text should not only be well read, but also harmoniously complemented by a color scheme in the overall style of the proposal. Color psychology considers the most "readable" combinations of tones that shade each other in contrast for better perception. For example, black on white, blue on yellow, red on white, and so on. Do not overload the image by choosing many colors and shades for advertising. The most optimal will be a range of 2-3 shades.
4. Memorability
Bright accent colors help to ensure that your offer is remembered by the consumer in the most favorable way. Focus group studies in the field of color memory psychology show that certain types of advertised goods or services need to apply specific shades. The most memorable are the colors of the red rainbow spectrum, cold shades are in second place.
5. Positioning
As emphasized earlier, for advertising certain products, it is necessary to use those colors that, according to research on the psychology of color in advertising, most correspond to the perception of these products in the eyes of consumers. Purples and golds work best to increase sales of luxury goods, while cool hues will be the most advantageous for car advertising.
6. Relationship building
With the help of color, you can "play" with the perception of a person. Different shades can cause sadness or irritation, joy or even appetite. Depending on the end user targeted by advertising, designers develop a project according to the recommendations of color psychology theory. Forming a positive perception of the offered product or service not only contributes to memory, but can make the buyer want to purchase this product, regardless of how often its advertising appears on the air.
Color psychology in advertising: color semantics
Red
Depending on the context, red can evoke both positive and negative emotions. If this shade is perceived as the color of blood, it can contribute to the development of aggression or overexcitation. The red shade of a rose petal, on the contrary, is identified with affection, love, sexuality. One way or another, this color causes a surge of energy, stimulates determination and encourages action. Its use is recommended by the psychology of color in advertising for the promotion of products such as sports cars, women's clothing or active sports.
However, when red is mixed with other shades, such as white, its vigor is replaced. According to the theory of color psychology, all kinds of shades of pink cannot be identified with power and passion. As a rule, these colors are used to advertise children's and teenage products.
Yellow
Saturated yellow color is identified with the sun. Therefore, it affects the consumer, giving rise to bright, juicy emotions and a desire to move forward. It is the color of awakening and change. Yellow is preferred by people looking for travel and adventure. The psychology of color in advertising shows that this color is ideal for promoting sportswear and travel products, as well as for children's accessories, especially furniture for a child.
When yellow is mixed with other shades of the spectrum, colors are born, each of which has its own characteristics and focus:
- The greenish-yellow color contrasts with the vibrancy of the yellow. It is perceived as colder and lighter. According to the psychology of color, a person who prefers such a shade uses it as a certain barrier to protect against external changes and to internally contain emotions and passions. The greenish-yellow color is neutral when assessed by observers, it will never compromise its wearer.
- Honey yellow is born when mixed with orange and is identified with a certain saturation, density and even heaviness. Designers try to avoid this color only if it is not used to advertise a particular product that has a honey-yellow hue.
- Brown-yellow in the psychology of color is compared with feelings of happy bliss and satiety from everyday hardships. The most successful will be the use of brown-yellow in advertising upholstered furniture or leisure products.
- According to the theory of color psychology in advertising, the richness of the red-yellow hue gives rise to increased energy and increases the level of human perception. This is the color of dynamic people who abandon the restraining shackles of reality and surrender to the power of change and spontaneous joyful sensations. Such an "orange explosion" will be relevant in advertising youth products, as well as food products for people who prefer an active lifestyle.
- Gold is the color of wealth and positive emotions. The polished sheen of this shade of yellow would be most appropriate in advertising for luxury goods and accessories.
In the transition from red to yellow, the psychology of perception and sensory orientation change. Exciting shades of red are not able to evoke such energetic emotions that are born at the sight of yellow, orange and their shades. The theory of color psychology in advertising recommends taking this contrast into account if you need to use a combination of these colors when creating a layout. It is desirable to change the percentage of red and yellow, depending on what emotions you want to evoke in the end user.
Blue
Saturated blue is not in vain called "royal". According to research into the psychology of color in advertising, this deep color is associated with grandeur. Examining objects that have a blue tint evokes a feeling of calm even at the physiological level, normalizes breathing processes and heart rate. Drawing comparisons to the deep, alluring serenity of sea water, blue is ideal for advertising travel agencies, as well as household products such as bed linen.
The lightened blue evokes an analogy with the carefree shades of the spring sky. This color will be harmonious in the advertising of food products that do not require long cooking and help maintain harmony, for example, low-calorie yogurts or instant cereals.
Dark blue-green is the cold color of pride and selfish stubbornness. The theory of color psychology in advertising does not recommend using this shade as the main active accent. If it is impossible to avoid the use of dark blue-green in the design, it should be diluted with a large percentage of contrasting colors that evoke opposite feelings.
The cool tone of light blue-green is usually associated with refreshing coolness, as well as cleanliness. Therefore, the psychology of color recommends its use in advertising of chilled drinks, toothpaste, and medical products, as light blue-green visually looks sterile.
Blue
The heavenly shade of blue creates a feeling of peace, bliss, a harmonious state of mind and body, encourages calm reflection and rethinking. However, the excessive predominance of this shade in the overall palette of color solutions for advertising design can cause a backlash - rejection and boredom. Therefore, it is necessary to correctly use light blue-green in combination with other shades. According to the theory of color psychology in advertising, it is ideal for promoting products to create home comfort, for example, bed linen, all kinds of textiles for decorating the soft zone, and so on.
Green
Green is a dense and rich color of spring renewal, freshness. People who choose it are prone to constancy, stability. The conservatism of green emphasizes confidence and firmness in the deeds and actions of a person who is not prone to self-centeredness and narcissism. Diluted with blue, green gradually loses its appeal and can be psychologically repulsive, turning into a cold spectrum of shades. Therefore, pure green is recommended to be used in advertising without the addition of "cooling" tones. According to the theory of color psychology in advertising, this color is quite capable of coping with the role of an absolute dominant, being as visual as possible and attracting the attention of potential viewers.
When mixed with yellow, green becomes less static and expands the horizons of the eye, provoking change and overcoming. This shade is not recommended for use in advertising as the main one, as it may seem overly annoying. The theory of color psychology in advertising recommends diluting the yellow-green tone with gray paints.
Intense brown-green is associated with Mediterranean shades of glossy olives and Italian cuisine, acquiring a touch of sensual bliss. The psychology of color in advertising considers brown-green as an analogue of languid pleasure, peace and new taste sensations. This shade will be revealed to the maximum in the promotion of food products, for example, exotic sauces.
Violet
The contrast of sensations of violet is born from its very foundation. This shade was created by mixing the sensual red of the feminine and the strong-willed masculine blue. Purple in color psychology studies is the color of rebellion and contradiction, raging tearing feelings and extreme sexual sensations. This shade is preferred by homosexuals and pregnant women, because it gives rise to a clash of different feelings and natural principles, a contradiction of impulsiveness and caution. Since purple can evoke different and completely opposite feelings in viewers, it is not recommended to make it dominant in advertising. It is best to use this color in combination with a contrasting yellow.
Brown
Brown color is born from mixing the prevailing shades of the warm spectrum with a small admixture of cold tones. Despite the restraint of red in brown, this color is still a shade of sensual sensations and knowledge of the nature of your body and your emotions. However, the muffled warm tones in brown acquire a primitive level of primitive instincts and can provoke a denial of one's body or one's sensations. In the psychology of color, brown is associated with withering and decrepitude, becoming a favorite shade for the elderly. It drowns out the desire to get out of tearing contradictions, drowning out the desire for change with a sense of hopelessness and reconciliation with the life circumstances that have been created. Thus, brown becomes a color identified with common sense and experience. The specificity of the psychology of this shade is often ignored by designers when creating an advertising layout.
White
The universality of white is freedom, flight from circumstances and a trembling expectation of future changes. Since, when mixed with any tones, it gives rise to new shades that have their own sensual associations, the theory of color psychology in advertising proclaims white as a potential shade of the absolute beginning. Quite often, white becomes the main color in car advertising as a symbol of the abandonment of the old constraining sensations and the anticipation of new emotional and physical experiences.
Black
Black is a counterbalance to the freedom and novelty of white. This is the end, which means the completion of the colorful and variegated sensations. As a rule, in the psychology of color, black is associated with the cessation of everything, death, the border beyond which only colorless emptiness awaits. This shade is chosen by people who have a need for aggressive protest against circumstances, an imposed image of piety and a standardized set of rules for approved behavior. Black is an extremely unpopular color for creating advertising, its use is possible only in combination with contrasting bright colors that create balance and mood.
Studies of the psychology of color conducted during job interviews showed that rejected candidates chose black in most cases, while before the start of the test, only 5% of the subjects preferred this color. This indicates that on a subconscious level, the choice of this shade speaks of a protest against the decision made and a feeling of a certain end to hopes and aspirations.
The “protest” black color diluted with “free” white gives rise to an absolutely neutral gray that does not express feelings or emotions. This is a universal background on which it is possible to draw any sensations and experiences. People who choose the color gray, as studies on the psychology of color show, tend to use it as a screen to protect themselves from excessive attention and obsession. Gray color can be a sign of stress or emotional overwork. People who reject gray can be an excellent support for those who have lost their fortitude, because they make every effort to achieve their goal.
If the neutrality of gray is supplemented with white, the resulting light gray color can symbolize the return of sensual experiences similar to the emotional coloring of red. This is the color of energy rebirth, excitement, return "from the ashes." People who prefer the psychology of a light gray shade are open to new sensations, acquaintances and experiences.
The reverse transition from light gray to a more muted dark shade indicates a decrease in arousal, restraint of impulses and desires. This is the color of rejection of passions, the color of a harmonious balance of feelings and emotional stamina. According to the theory of color psychology in advertising, a person who chooses such a shade strives to achieve a balance between the state of inner peace of mind and the contradictions of the outside world.
All sorts of shades of gray can be a great backdrop for any advertisement. Different accent tones will help set the mood, which will contrast with its neutrality.
As studies on the psychology of color in advertising show, a fairly small number of people prefer white and black at the same time. Often this choice is due to the state of internal mental instability and even severe stress during the crisis period of exacerbation. Often such a contrasting combination turns out to be close to the psychology of children during puberty, since an unstable hormonal and emotional background provokes sharpness of judgments, maximalism in assessments and actions with a simultaneous inner desire for loneliness, closeness from the outside world and protection. As the adolescent crisis is overcome, the preferred monochrome of black and white is replaced by a colorful vision of the world and other people.
The psychology of color and form in advertising
In addition to color, shape also plays an important role in creating effective advertising. Studies of human psychology show that matching surrounding objects with simple geometric shapes is an important stage in the development of the human brain. That is why people tend to be more interested in standardized objects that have easily recognizable outlines. Congestion and complexity of forms can tire the brain, making background objects barely distinguishable. Conversely, the psychology of simple forms allows you to focus on objects located on the layout.
In psychology, simple geometric shapes attract much more attention from the viewer than complex multi-level objects. A square, rectangle, or circle is easily found in natural patterns, and is therefore much easier to perceive and process with human perception.
When creating an ad layout, it is important to decide on a form that will help to make the right emphasis. In psychology, it is believed that figures that have a chopped angular shape draw attention to objects located precisely in the corners. While smooth rounded shapes transfer the viewer's interest to the center of the composition.
That is why in psychology an important role in creating the necessary relaxing mood is played precisely by rounded compositions that do not have pronounced angles and broken lines. If it is necessary to highlight any object, the best place of focus will be the protruding corner of the polygon, regardless of how it is located in space or on a plane. In a competent combination with a color composition, this form can become a visual focus of the audience's attention.
The geometry of the lines can also have a positive effect on the viewer's experience when viewing ads. Straight lines, whether vertical or horizontal, evoke a sense of calm and stability, while smooth, curved lines evoke natural forms with grace and irregularity. However, it should be taken into account that the frequency of lines can affect the psychology of advertising perception: densely spaced contrasting lines will “ripple” in the eyes, provoking fatigue and irritation. Wide lines with smooth color transitions give peace and tranquility. Lines with angular bends help release energy, create a rebellious mood of change and the search for new horizons. Symmetrical forms can give a sense of rhythm and calmness and are perceived much more clearly than others, but the excessive predominance of such uniform curves in advertising can cause overwork and rejection.
Psychology of color in advertising: examples of successful use
The psychology of color in advertising assigns him the most important role. It is the color design of brands that our brain often associates with a direct slogan or name. The right choice of shades and their combinations can play a decisive role in the psychology of the assessment of the company by the consumer, as well as in the issue of its dominance in the market. Creating the necessary color recognition means promoting the brand as a whole and ensuring a stable position in the niche rating of competing companies.
Red and Coca-Cola
Orange and Fanta
Yellow and Lipton
Green and "Ahmad"
Blue and "Aqua Minerale"
Blue and Pepsi
Purple and "Milka"
Black and "Carte Noire"
How to make the psychology of light, color and form in advertising work for you
Of course, this information can and should be used in your advertising in order to increase its effectiveness and brand awareness of your company and its products in the market. However, the theory of color psychology in advertising does not recommend getting carried away with excessive "play" of colors, making out your offer with all possible color variety. This can have the opposite effect: instead of attracting attention, such an offer will “ripple” in the eyes, tire the potential viewer and force them to stop watching as soon as possible. This means that a riot of colors can alienate your future customers and even help increase competitors' sales if the visibility of their advertising offer is more attractive.
It often becomes clear to a non-professional in practice how difficult it is to highlight the features and advantages of your products with the help of color psychology in order to present it as profitably as possible. This is nothing new, and many people are really baffled by the fact that they fail to correctly combine the benefits of colors, shapes, light, and many other factors into a single memorable image. It is better to entrust the task of competent color design to qualified specialists who will help create recognizable advertising.
Specialists of the SlovoDelo printing house offer their assistance in such projects. A high level of professionalism, creativity, rich experience of designers, as well as modern high-quality equipment - all this will serve to create a truly unique and memorable advertisement that will stand out from competitors as much as possible.
The employees of the printing house have an individual approach to any task, and therefore achieve quality based on the characteristics of each specific order.
By entrusting your project to SlovoDelo specialists, you can be absolutely sure of the final result. If the prerequisites for successful long-term cooperation arise, the SlovoDelo printing house allows employees of the client company to develop and work out the created advertising concept, turning it into an increasingly recognizable and popular brand.
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© V.I. Shuvanov
Light and color are essential for effective advertising. Psychologists believe that light challenges a person, calls him to action. Shades of lighting evoke different moods for him. The combination of different lighting elements should provide such a play of light and shadow to help show the product in a more favorable light, and vice versa, weaken the perception of its least effective attributes.
Psychological studies have shown that a shop window with 800 lux lighting aroused the interest of 5 out of 100 passers-by, with 1200 lux lighting 20 people “lingered”, and 2000 lux lighting attracted the attention of 25 passers-by. It has been established: the weaker the light source, the thicker the shadow it causes, resulting in the visitor's fatigue in his efforts to consider the light and dark sides of the advertised product.
When preparing a poster, booklet or other printed advertisement, it is very important to think over the design well: correctly position the text, find a spectacular picture and choose the color scheme against which the product advertisement will be perceived in the best way.
According to the results obtained in the course of numerous psychological experiments, scientists concluded that color in a certain way affects a person's perception of body weight, room temperature and an assessment of the remoteness of an object.
So, red, yellow, orange colors visually bring the object closer, increasing its volume and, as it were, “warming up” it. Cyan, blue, purple, black - visually distance the object, reduce and "cool" it. Therefore, when choosing a particular color for advertising a product, you should evaluate it in terms of these parameters.
The perception of color depends on the emotional state of a person. This explains the fact that a person, depending on his emotional state, is disposed to some colors, indifferent to others and does not accept third ones. These patterns were discovered by Max Luscher in the middle of the 20th century. Creating his color test, Luscher proceeded from the fact that human color perception was formed as a result of lifestyle and interaction with the environment over a long period of historical development.
At first, human life was determined mainly by two factors that were not subject to arbitrary change: night and day, light and darkness. Night meant the conditions when vigorous activity could cease. The day required active actions - the search for food, elementary arrangement. Hence, the dark blue color was associated with the peace of the night, and yellow - with a sunny day and its worries. The red color was reminiscent of blood, flames and related situations requiring high mobilization and activity.
The attitude to color was determined by the nature of the life activity of many generations, gaining stability, and any manifestation of life activity, in turn, was always accompanied by one or another emotional state. Therefore, the attitude to color has always been and remains emotional.
In addition, Luscher made another important conclusion for the advertising industry - color not only evokes the appropriate reaction of a person depending on his emotional state, but also forms his emotions in a certain way.
Color semantics
Red - tunes in to decisiveness, is able to arouse in a person a strong desire to commit this or that act and, in relation to the topic of our conversation, make an energetic effort and buy, for example, the advertised product. This color, like no other, is able to quickly attract attention, fix the eye on the subject of advertising. The semantics of this color is "attention, do not pass by, act for the sake of action: boldly, thoughtlessly, succumb to the first feelings". Red also has a certain sexual charge. This is especially necessary to take into account those who advertise products addressed to men, for whom red has always been a symbolic color.
However, do not unnecessarily overestimate this color: it is good in moderation. So, a small detail of an ad or catalog highlighted in red will be appropriate and immediately attract attention, while its excessive use can cause the consumer to be aggressive and even irritated by the subject of advertising.
Orange - helps to cause a surge of vitality, gives an optimistic tone. The ancients considered it the color of health and creativity. This color is best used in advertising of medicines, children's products, as well as health and education services. Orange color adds activity, but at the same time gives a feeling of inner balance and spiritual harmony.
Yellow - adjusts to communication skills. It is the color of openness and sociability. And it also helps to give balance to rampant emotions, find inner peace, and calm emotional excitement. In addition, yellow is able to “endow” an object with intelligence, therefore, for example, advertising for high-tech products is best done in yellow. This color will be successful in advertising children's products, services of travel companies, as well as advertising and PR agencies.
Green - all softens, relieves the severity of experiences. This color has a healing, relaxing effect. And it will be appropriate and effective in advertising medicines, water treatment systems, dental clinics and pharmacies, veterinary clinics, health and environmental centers.
Pink - a great assistant in the field of personal relationships: it enhances feelings, makes us more attentive, affectionate and sensitive. The range of use of this color can be the widest: from advertising of perfumery products, goods for women and children to the services of marriage agencies and family centers.
Blue - also tunes in to the area of feelings, but more elevated, rather platonic than mundane. This is the color of friendly affection, kinship of souls. Blue is the color of peace and universal harmony. It makes it possible to feel an invisible connection with the Universe and is able to give an object a holistic view, and a question or case - globality and a favorable outcome.
Blue - helps to concentrate on the essentials: not to blur over trifles, not to scatter. A blue detail in a catalog or brochure will immediately attract attention and, unlike a red one, will never cause negative emotions.
Violet - the color of inner concentration. This color contributes to the internal deepening: it will help to abstract from everything unnecessary at the moment and concentrate on the main problem. Another interesting detail - purple stimulates the brain well and contributes to solving creative problems. It is no coincidence that purple is so loved by creative people. So if you're advertising a product that you want to highlight the creativity of the product or are oriented towards providing services to the creative elite, the detail in purple will be a must!
Black - the color of self-immersion: it helps to isolate oneself from everything, to withdraw and concentrate on solving a particular problem. At the same time, this color is able to tune in to melancholy and despondency. In black comes a feeling of loneliness and isolation from the outside world. That is why it is better not to use this color in print advertising. This recommendation, of course, does not apply to font and tables. Just in relation to them, with rare exceptions, it is better not to experiment.
White- the color of complete openness, readiness to perceive the world in all its diversity. And this color is good because it does not carry any unpleasant sensations. It is only worth noting that the monouse of this color in print advertising can create a neutral effect, when the consumer of advertising is simply informed about the product, without establishing any accents and priorities.
Interestingly, each country has its own attitude to color, and there is even its own national and cultural specificity, which must be taken into account when developing an advertising campaign in a particular country.
In America, red is associated with love, yellow with prosperity, green with hope, blue with fidelity, white represents purity, calmness, peace, and black is a symbol of complexity and emergency. In Austria, the most popular color is green, in Bulgaria - dark green and brown, in Pakistan - emerald green, and in Holland - orange and blue.
In general, the closer to the East, the more importance is attached to the symbolism of color. So, in China, red means kindness and courage, black means honesty, and white, in contrast to the symbol of purity and holiness generally accepted by Europeans, is associated with meanness and deceit. Therefore, when developing an advertising campaign in, say, China, you need to choose the right color scheme, otherwise there is a chance of being misunderstood.
As for Russia, our favorite color has always been red, which from time immemorial has been associated with wealth and love. Until now, the key colors that adorned the Russian flag are red, white and blue (a symbol of purity and spiritual perfection).
The symbolism of color in Japan is interesting, although here everything is somewhat more complicated due to the fact that much also depends on the form of the color image. The data on the influence of color and graphic solutions on human emotions are very curious. It is generally accepted that vertical or horizontal straight lines are associated with calmness, clarity and even solidity, while curved lines are associated with grace and ease. However, this is only true under certain conditions. For example, the more frequent the vertical and horizontal lines and the more contrasting the colors chosen to depict them, the more unpleasant they produce.
Uncomplicated and symmetrical forms are "read" much faster than others. The most difficult to perceive are fantastic, sophisticated forms, devoid of obvious associations. They attract attention, but can cause an unpredictable attitude.
It has been established that the symbolism of the reflection of the form corresponds to real sensations. For example, a zigzag line "^" conveys the impression of a sharp change, a concentration of force, a rapid release of energy. This is how all nations graphically depict lightning. Unbalanced forms cause feelings of discomfort, unfinished forms a person tends to mentally complete, complete.
The strong emotional impact of certain shapes and color combinations was noticed and mastered in ancient times. Color and shape were purposefully used for psychotherapeutic purposes. The perception of color and the emotional attitude to it depends mainly on the emotional state of a person. It turned out that certain emotional states of a person correspond to his stable relationship to color, color combinations: one color is preferred, the other does not cause special emotions, the third is completely rejected.
| Colour | Symbol of visual-sensory perception | ||||
| Distance | The size | Temperature | mental mood | Hygiene impact | |
| Green | far | reduces | neutral, very cold | very calm | fresh |
| Red | close | increases | warm | annoying, disturbing | - |
| Orange | very close | increases | very warm | captivating, exciting | - |
| Yellow | close | - | very warm | captivating, exciting | - |
| Brown | very close | - | neutral | - | filthy |
| Violet | very close | - | cold | aggressively anxious, discouraging | - |
