The Psychology of Colors

The colors of everyday objects may seem arbitrary, but a great deal of thought was probably put into everything in our homes. From the labels of snacks to the walls of the living room, colors make a subtle but profound impact on overall mood and atmosphere. 

Black

Black is often seen as a symbol of evil, but it is also popular in representing power. In Western culture, it is also often associated with death, mourning, and unhappiness. In marketing psychology, however, black is associated with mystery, boldness, and luxury. It exudes a sense of sleekness and confidence that many consumers who value modern and contemporary goods may be drawn towards. 

White

In Western cultures, white can symbolise  images of celestial entities and a sense of purity. In Eastern cultures, such as those of China, Korea, and Malaysia, however, white is a symbol of mourning and is often worn to funeral ceremonies. White has widely contrasting traits; it can be seen as cold and bland but clean and fresh at the same time. In terms of branding, white is often used to convey safety and cleanliness, which is appealing to families who crave security and stability. 

Red

Red is associated with many emotions, all of which are bold and expressive such as danger, aggression, power, passion, and excitement. It is also perceived to stimulate the body and mind, most notably seen in athletes who run with greater speed and force upon seeing the color. They most likely associate it with danger and run faster after a subconscious release of adrenaline. Marketers use an effect similar to this in incorporating red in the advertising of their products; red conveys a tone of urgency that inclines consumers to purchase an item. 

Blue

Contrary to red, blue is seen as the color of calmness, sadness, stability, and productivity. It is favored by many and is thus seen as a nonthreatening, conservative color. Though popular, it is also one of the least appetizing colors as blue coloring in food can be a sign of poison. This is likely due to evolutionary survival tactics; when foraging for food, such as berries, human ancestors learned to avoid blue, purple, and black berries that were usually lethal. 

Green

Green is thought to be the color representing luck, envy, safety, and the natural world. Similar to blue, it can also be a calming color as it is commonly associated with refreshment, peace, and security. It’s used widely in marketing to portray images pertaining to the great outdoors, like camping gear and sports snacks. 

Yellow

Yellow is bright and intense and is normally associated with brightness, energy, and warmth. It is the color most difficult to read due to the amount of light that is reflected. Though yellow is often described as cheery, people are more likely to lose their tempers in yellow rooms due to the irritability that its bright hue causes.  

Orange

Orange is a very controversial color in that people either love or hate it. It evokes feelings of energy, happiness, and enthusiasm. In terms of marketing, its attention-grabbing feature is very useful for advertising. Its bright hue and uncommon use in mainstream media can be very apparent in today’s mass clutter of generic advertisements. 

Each color represents a different set of emotions, thus no color will evoke the same feelings. Understanding the psychology of colors helps to stimulate the economy by facilitating proper and effective marketing of goods and can help to evoke positive emotions subconsciously. The effects of color were first observed thousands of years ago by the Egyptians, who analyzed how different shades of colors could affect mood and possibly achieve holistic health benefits. Though color psychology is clearly an ancient practice, studies about it still continue to this day, and the use of color is more important than ever.

Sources:

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-orange-2795818

https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-2795824

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-black-2795814

https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-white-2795822

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-red-2795821

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-blue-2795815

https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-green-2795817

https://www.verywellmind.com/the-color-psychology-of-yellow-2795823