The Rainbow Connection to Psychology
When brands come up with an image, the color has an impact. Are the colors bold like the yellow arch of McDonalds? Or soft like the little blue box from Tiffany’s? Color is the first thing to catch an audience’s attention and makes them remember the brand. Also, there is research demonstrating how emotions are affected by color. The red sale sign is using an aggressive color that creates urgency. This actually causes people to buy things that are not on sale. The color blue is usually used to promote trust, and as a result it is the most popular color used in banks and businesses.
Companies also want to stand out from their competitors. Let’s analyze the popular brand Apple.
The logo is just an apple. It’s silver. What does it project? Simplicity. Elegance. Luxury. Sophistication. This draws people in because they want the clean, chic look. The designs of the products are minimalist and look high-end. Silver is also associated with wisdom and intelligence.
This silver is bold and neutral, since these products are for everyone and Apple does not want to project any certain mood. If they wanted to aim for women they might use lighter, pastel colors. For children, they would use the standard primary and secondary colors since babies can only distinguish high contrast colors.
This representation is also evident throughout the store. The brand name isn’t even written out. It’s just the logo. The inside has a futuristic and modern look with glass in the entrance and rows of wooden tables displaying the products. The tables draw the eye in because they are the only color other than gray or white.
Another interesting fact: people are drawn to warm colors like yellow and orange but inside, stores use blue and green to encourage spending.
Think about it. Aren’t different colors associated with different feelings? Consider your favorite brands and how they make you feel based on the colors of their brand.
Sources:
- Ciotti, Gregory. “The Psychology of Color in Marketing and Branding.” Entrepreneur. Entrepreneur, n.d. Web.
- Smith, Kate. “All About the Color GRAY – Sensational Color.” Sensational Color. N.p., 31 Dec. 2012. Web.
- “Target Markets.” Empowered By Color. N.p., n.d. Web.
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