6. Color

Color matters. Color has meaning. Numerous studies have proven that color acts upon our psyche and affects us on a subconscious level.

Some color psychology is based on cultural conditioning. For example, in the West, white stands for purity but in the East, white stands for mourning.

Social conditioning also has an impact on the way we react to different colors. Criteria such as gender plays a role in our color preferences. Men, for example, tend to dislike purple whereas for women, purple is one of the top three colors.

We also respond to colors on an instinctive level originating from our ancient past. Blue is a color that turns off the appetite but the colors of red and yellow stimulate it. These inclinations could have developed from hunter-gatherer experiences of blue fruit often found to be toxic but red and yellow fruit found to be edible.

Such knowledge helps select the right colors to send your target market a message that your business will be the one best able to meet their needs

Below is a brief discussion on the psychology, market and appropriate use for eight basic colors commonly used in web sites, ads and logo design.

Blue - strong, important, peaceful, intelligent

Green - growth, health, environment, harmony

Orange - energy, warmth change, health;
Yellow - happy, joyful, cheeful

Purple - royal, romantic, sacred;
Lavender - grace, elegance, delicate, feminine

Red - love, passion, heat, joy, power;
Pink - sweet, romance, playful, delicate

Black and grey: conservative, mysterious, sophisticated, formal

White - purity, innocence, softness;
Ivory - quiet, pleasant, understated elegance

Brown - earthiness, simplicity, friendliness;
Beige - conservative, relaxing

Accessibility
Below is the text content of each color psychology graphic used above in the color section on logo design. This has been made available for visually impaired vistors with text readers.

Blue Psychology
Darker: authority, intelligence, loyalty,
strength, conservatism, trustworthiness,
can be cold, aloof or depressing to some.
Lighter: cool, calming, restful, love, friendship.

Market
Liked by all ages and genders. Men prefer
darker blues; women prefer lighter, soft blues.
Teens love a bright palette.

Use
Corporations, politics, enforcement, fashion,
beauty, hair, spas, bedrooms, beverages, floral.

Avoid
Kitchens, dining rooms, food (blue is the least
appetizing color for food.)

Design
Combines well with greens and purples.
Cools warm colors as accent. Brightens up
blacks and greys. Vibrates against orange.

Market
Favored by both men and women. Teens like
bright greens; but think darker are boring.

Use
Health related, vitamins, health spas, hospitals,
institutions, produce, organics, environment,
greenhouses, farming, banks, finance, gaming.

Avoid
Exercise, gyms, women’s fashion, make-up,
jewelry, dining, dancing, romance, action.

Design
Combines well with blues, yellows and browns.
Cools hot colors. Vibrates against red.

Red Psychology
Red: Courage, power, strength, love, sex,
passion, masculine, energy, exciting, danger,
fight or flight, anger, violence, fear. Increases
appetite, blood pressure, heart rate, breathing.
Pink: babies, feminine, young, sweet, nubile,
romance, playful, emasculating, drains energy.

Market
Red: Grabs attention of both men and women.
Bright pink, magenta and fuscia attract teens.

Use
Restaurants, automobiles, pink girl’s room,
VIP events, rallys, parties, sports, beverages,
cosmetics, fashion, furnishing, hotels, perfume.

Avoid
Conference rooms, pink locker rooms, prisons,
retreats, health spas, negotiations.

Design
Great accent color. Vibrates against green.

Purple Psychology
Darker: Luxury, royalty, opulance, spirituality,
creativity, mystery, magic, meditation, cosmos.
Lighter: Feminine, romantic, graceful, delicate.

Market
Mostly disliked by men but one of the top
three favorites of women. Bright for teens.

Use
Gift & floral shops, churches, funeral homes,
art & study rooms, libraries, fashion, hair &
nail salons, cosmetics, jewelry, perfume.

Avoid
Dining, prepared food, excessive amounts,
lavender for men, sports, machine, hardware.

Design
Combines with blues, greens and pink. Accent
with beige or brown for a conservative look.
Cools warm colors. Vibrates against yellow.

Orange and Yellow Psychology
Yellow: Confidence, hope, optimism, cheerful.
Aids concentration; speeds up metabolism .
Hard on the eyes; draws attention. Cowardice.
Orange: Energy, warm, comfort, shelter, food,
fun, social. Stimulates mind and appetite.

Market
Least favored for both men and women.
Pale yellow for women. Bright for teen palette.

Use
With other colors. Summer, autumn, harvest,
dining, decorating, camping, travel, tanning,
lighting, heating, fun, excitement, recreation.

Avoid
As sole color, banks, security, spas, conservation.
Yellow rooms cause temper outbursts.

Design
Combines with reds and browns. Warm accent
for cool colors. Vibrates with blue and purple

Brown and Beige Psychology
Brown: Earthy, wholesome, honest, natural,
dependable, friendly. Stimulates the appetite.
Beige: Flexible, dependable, relaxing and calm
but boring by itself.

Market
Brown and beige are among the least favorite
stand-alone colors for both men and women.

Use
As backgrounds for other colors. Fall, winter,
harvest, dining, furnishing, camping, services,
crafts, construction, delivery, security, bakeries,
transportation, shoes, pets, zoos, ranching.

Avoid
Formal fashion, glitz, high tech, communication,
travel, water and air sports, amusement parks,

Design
Compatible with most colors. Combining
browns with beiges can be elegant.

Black and Grey Psychology
Black: Authority, power, sophistication, mystery,
glamour, elegance, clarity, can be menacing.
Grey: Cool, conservative, formal, neutral. Used
incorrectly can be depressing, moody, insecure.

Market
Black is favored by both men and women but
women are not fond of grey.

Use
Black: Fashion, formal attire, jewelry, dining,
theatre, corporations, many businesses.
Grey: Substitute light greys for white and
dark greys for black to reduce stark contrast.
Black and grey together for conservative look.

Avoid
As only color. For lighthearted or youth focused.

Design
Both make other colors brighter and noticed.

White and Ivory Psychology
White: Pure, simple, clean, clear, elegant, cool,
soft, fresh, innocent, light, spacious, sterile.
Ivory: Similar to white but richer, warmer,
quieter. Understated elegance.

Market
Both genders, all ages.

Use
Doctors, dentists, nurses, hygienists, weddings,
religious ceremonies, food, beverages, jewelry,
spring and summer fashion, winter recreation,
house wares, appliances, cleaning, sanitation,
decor, furnishing.

Avoid
Using alone. White has best use as a neutral
background color that highlights other colors.

Design
Use with black or bright colors for a strong
statement or light colors for a softer effect.