Color Theories

Have you ever noticed the importance of color....whether you are decorating a home or designing a website or creating a sales letter, color can play a major role in how we perceive the entire concept being presented. The point is, color can play a major role in the success of your venture.

Think about it, some people are simply turned off by certain colors and some colors convey particular messages because they have traditionally been associated with particular attributes or even personality traits. Obviously bright colors convey a very different mood or impression than colors like gray, black or brown.

It is essential that every webmaster realize the relevance of color if they are to create sites that will have the desired effect - both psychological and physical, on the viewer.

Depending on the target market you focus on you will want to consider any perceived associations one might have with color. After all, color can influence buying decisions made by your visitors.

We will briefly discuss each basic color but if you want details and a sure way to use colors to your advantage be sure to check out the "Color Report".

Red

Studies have shown that red is one of the first colors recognized by babies and it continues to appeal to most people even into adulthood.

Red is often used to express extreme emotions. Red is an excellent for suggesting action, change, speed or force. Red can result in feelings of increased appetite. Red can also represent luck in some cultures.

 
Pink

Pink is usually associated with femininity and seems to have a weak or passive quality. Pink can have some strong calming qualities in small and temporary doses but over the long term pink has been shown to result in feelings of aggressiveness and agitation. Because of the calming effect it may be a good choice for creating the sensation of comfort and tranquility.

It is important to keep in mind that pink is usually not attractive to men. However, when it comes to food pink can represent good taste and an element of sweetness. Therefore, some might perceive a cake with pink icing more appealing than one with white or other colors of frosting.


Green

Going green has become a common theme in our life and the color green is closely associated with plant-life, nature, freshness and newness. Green is also associated with relaxation. Green is undoubtedly a very positive color.

The various shades of green are often associated with particular concepts. For example, darker greens are associated with finances and brighter greens are more closely associated with health and energy.


Blue

Blue seems to be consistently popular. It is often associated with clear skies and beautiful water. Blue has also been associated with intellect and clear thinking. Therefore, it seems to increase productivity and promote a sense of well-being.

Blue is so popular that it can be used for almost purpose - I did say almost...blue should not be used to promote foods.


Yellow

Yellow denotes energy and fun. It is often associated with happiness and positive energy. In fact, yellow has been shown to add a boost to mental activity. The sense of feeling good makes yellow a good choice for promoting fun activities and products related to health and vitality.

It is important to note that yellow usually appeals more to women than to men.

White

White is usually associated with spirituality, purity and cleanliness. It will add an uncluttered presence so it is best used in combination with another color.


Black

Black is a complex color. It can represent authority or it can be associated with negativity. Black is considered to be a 'sophisticated' color and it is often associated with luxury, exclusivity and expensive concepts.


Orange

The color orange is usually used to suggest fun and pleasure. It conveys a sense of energy so it is an excellent choice for use in association with sporting goods and fun activities.

Orange has been shown to stimulate the appetite - making it an excellent choice for use in promoting snacks and candy. However, orange does not convey the message of luxury or prestige. Therefore it is often used in promoting with the budget in mind.


Purple

Purple has always been associated with royalty and nobility. Purple is especially suitable in association with luxury items. Purple is a favorite color of women but men seem to be somewhat neutral about the color.


Brown

Brown is often chosen as a favorite color among men. Brown conveys a sense of trustworthiness and even loyalty, friendship, believability and dependability. It simply conveys credibility, especially to a male audience. If you are targeting men then brown is a great color choice.

After Thoughts

It becomes obvious that color is vital in getting the results that we would like to achieve with our ads and promotions. Therefore it behooves all of us to learn all we can about the use of color and its effect on the viewers - our potential customers.