Introduction to Color Psychology in Design
The psychology of color in marketing and branding is crucial for every designer to understand. But even if you’re not a designer, colors influence all of us every day and have a significant impact on our buying decisions:
84% of consumers say that color was the primary influence when buying a product. Additionally, brand recognition is heavily reliant upon color.
Color theory is both a science and an art that can be an effective communication tool for your business. When the right color is used at the right time, it can visually communicate, signal action, influence mood, evoke certain emotions or even stimulate physiological reactions.
When adequately executed, branding uses color to create an immersive experience. Effectively using the psychology of colors when making decisions for your brand can ensure your target audience receives the right message across various touch points.
Now, I’m sure this blog post title has already stirred plenty of questions in your mind:
What are the different meanings of colors?
What is color psychology in design?
How can I use color theory in my business?
What are the three kinds of colors? Etc.
Keep reading to find answers to all of those questions and more!
What Is Color Psychology?
In the 17th century, Sir Isaac Newton experimented with sunlight and prisms, discovering that white light was composed of seven visible colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Today, we refer to these seven colors as ROYGBIV, which can be seen in a rainbow, making up the visible spectrum.
Color psychology is the study of how colors influence human behavior. In the early 20th century, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung studied the different meanings of colors and their effects on the human mind, developing a form of color therapy to help patients express themselves.
What is Color Theory?
Color theory is a subset of color psychology. It’s the practical application of mixing, pairing, and manipulating colors.
The Psychology of Color
What Are Primary Colors?
Traditionally, we are taught that red, blue, and yellow are the primary colors. When mixed together, they create black. However, modern color theory uses different primary colors for digital and print purposes.
Without going into the nitty-gritty details, digital applications use the RGB color model, and print mediums use CMYK.
RGB Color Model
RGB stands for red, green, and blue. This color model uses colored light that – seen on a phone or computer screen – creates a wide range of other colors.
CMYK Color Model
CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, which are the ink colors you need for a traditional printer to create an array of other colors.
What Are Secondary Colors?
You can create a secondary color by combining two primary colors (i.e., red + yellow = orange).
What Are Tertiary Colors?
Tertiary colors are combinations of one primary color and one secondary color (i.e., magenta is red mixed with purple).
Now, let’s dive into a list of common colors and their meanings.
8 Different Meanings of Colors With Examples
Red Color Meaning: Passion
What is the meaning of red? Every day, we see it as the universal color for “stop” and frequently as the color of choice for hearts and lipstick.
When using color psychology in marketing, red captures attention, communicates urgency, and highlights calls to action. It’s also associated with luxury and confidence (think of the red carpet, an expensive sports car, or a fancy silk dress).
Physical effects of red
Red speeds up our heart rate and increases body temperature.
Emotional effects of red
Red has more emotional associations than any other color. Red commonly stands for passion, vitality, and romantic love. Yet, paradoxically, it also indicates danger, violence, and anger.
Brands that use red in their logo
Coke, Target, McDonald’s, Canon.
Orange Color Meaning: Creativity
What does the color orange mean? Orange is a familiar color seen in nature—sunsets, veggies, autumn leaves, and fire. But, of all the colors on the visual spectrum, orange is the most extroverted. It’s loud and proud.
Some positive traits of orange are that it’s enthusiastic, adventurous, friendly, and optimistic. And, because it’s a fruit, it also conveys health and vitality. Recently, orange has come to be known as a warning color. But, like red, orange is also used to draw attention (e.g., traffic cones, life rafts).
Physical effects of orange
Orange stimulates the appetite, increases energy levels, and boosts creativity.
Emotional effects of orange
The color orange makes us feel excited, determined, and activated. In contrast, certain hues can be overpowering. Therefore, when using color psychology in design, use true orange sparingly.
Brands that use orange in their logo
Harley Davidson, The Home Depot, OFF!, SoundCloud.
Yellow Color Meaning: Cheerful
What is the meaning of yellow? When researching colors and their meanings, yellow is the most cheerful. We associate this color with the sun, beaming rays of light and warmth into our lives.
“How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun.” -Vincent Van Gogh
Yellow is perceived to be a high-energy color. It’s also the most fatiguing color to look at due to the high level of light that’s reflected. When using the psychology of color in marketing and branding, you should use vibrant yellows with caution.
Physical effects of yellow
Yellow makes us feel alert and energized. It grabs our attention, boosts memory, and promotes activity.
Emotional effects of yellow
The color yellow makes us feel a range of emotions. Even though it’s known to be a “happy” color, babies tend to cry more in yellow rooms, and it can stir feelings of frustration and anger in adults. On the other hand, yellow evokes hope, joy, and optimism.
Brands that use yellow in their logo
LEGO, Snap Chat, Best Buy, Ferrari.
Green Color Meaning: Calming
What does the color green mean? Green is seen everywhere in the natural world and is the second most popular color (blue being the first). The color green is commonly used by designers in public places because it helps put us at ease in new environments.
Since green is so abundant in nature, we tend to correlate green with being healthy and natural. For example, one study found that green-colored nutrition labels affect the perception of an item’s healthfulness.
Physical effects of green
Green relaxes us due to its positive association with nature. It’s calming, stress-relieving, but also invigorating. In one study, a green-lit environment improved the reading ability of participants compared to red lighting. Green also helps improve focus.
Emotional effects of green
Green is not only relaxing but motivating. Participants in another study associated words related to “failure” with red and “success” with green. But, consider that cultural influences may be at play here since green is commonly linked with financial success—U.S. dollars are green.
Brands that use green in their logo
Starbucks, Land Rover, Heineken, Whole Foods.
Blue Color Meaning: Loyal
What’s the meaning of blue? Blue has a variety of meanings depending on the hue. It can be electric, dramatic, cool, inspiring, powerful, dark, or soothing. The aqua color of tropical waters evokes feelings of positivity and tranquility; the deep indigo of stormy seas may seem frightening and cold, while a police officer’s uniform is associated with protection and loyalty.
Blue is positively associated with the healing nature and power of water, and it’s negatively associated with depression and sadness. Like most colors, our cultural surroundings and personal experiences play a big part in how we perceive the color blue.
When designers use color psychology in marketing to decide on a brand’s color palette, blue communicates trust and dependability.
Physical effects of blue
Blue is known to lower heart rates, blood pressure, and even body temperature. It also can slow down our breathing and suppress our appetites.
Emotional effects of blue
Since the color blue conjures images of the sea and sky, we typically have positive emotions towards it. Blue can make us feel at peace, wise, strong, serene, spiritual, secure, unhappy, or even scared.
Brands that use blue in their logo
Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ford, Facebook, Tiffany & Co.
Purple Color Meaning: Royalty
What do you know about the meaning of purple? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the color purple? Lavender? The robes of kings and queens? Imaginative creatures such as fairies? Wildflowers?
Purple is also known as a royal color. In old times, purple dye was the most expensive color for garments. Purple represents wealth, luxury, spiritualism, magic, and harmony. Purple is also associated with bravery (e.g., the Purple Heart).
Physical effects of purple
Like the effects of lavender on the body, purple calms us, creates inner balance, and puts us at peace. Purple can also awaken our senses or make us introspective.
Emotional effects of purple
Purple is a whimsical, playful color, which is maybe why it’s a favorite color of little girls. It makes us feel imaginative, independent, and even innovative.
Brands that use purple in their logo
Crown Royal, Monster, Yahoo!, FedEx.
White Color Meaning: Purity
What’s the meaning of white? The color white is the mark of purity. From the warmth of freshly laundered sheets to the frigidity of snow, white is a simple color with loads of meaning. The color white denotes cleanliness and simplicity.
Remember that color meanings are not universal. For example, in the U.S., brides wear white to symbolize their virginity, and people wear black to signify mourning. However, in Eastern cultures, brides wear red and white represents death and sadness.
White light contains all colors in the visual spectrum, making it inclusive and illuminating. When using color psychology in design, creating “whitespace” means leaving room to create space around an element.
Physical effects of white
White brings clarity to our minds, helping us focus.
Emotional effects of white
White can be bright and innocent or cold and sterile. White rooms can seem spacious, but often appear less friendly. White symbolizes new beginnings. It’s also the number one color that evokes a mood of quietness and concentration.
Brands that use white in their logo
Apple, Chanel, DC shoes, Nike.
Black Color Meaning: Power
What does the color black mean? Black is a symbol of power, sophistication, formality, and elegance. It contrasts nicely with white, representing the eternal struggle between light and dark, yin and yang, good and evil, right and wrong. It’s stark, definite, and mysterious.
In contrast to white, it absorbs all light, making it a low-energy color unless paired with a high-energy color like yellow. On its own, black can be depressing.
Physical effects of black
Black dampens the mood and can make us feel tired, reminding us of nighttime. On the other hand, being such a contrasting color, it’s great for transmitting information (i.e., black ink on white paper).
Emotional effects of black
Black is seductive, intimidating, and mysterious (think: Batman). Additionally, it can make us feel depressed and gloomy. The color black is also characterized by hostility and resentment.
Brands that use black in their logo
New York Times, Puma, Prada, Mercedes-Benz.
The Psychology of Color is Not Universal
Remember, the associations that people have with specific colors are not universal. Cultural differences and individual experiences play a role in color psychology – how people perceive certain colors.
If you enjoy learning about color psychology in design and want to learn more about choosing the right color for your brand, reach out to Selah Creative Co.
