Why Color Theory Is Important

Importance of Color in Design
Antoni Commodore Research Paper Art 420 27 March 2013 Color can be used in many different ways in design. In branding and marketing color offers a immediate method for conveying meaning and message without words. In interior design the color of a room or office can affect moods, feelings and emotions. Color choices inside a residence or workplace can even save money on energy costs. Color can also be subjective. What evokes an emotion in one person may not evoke the same in another. That can be due to personal preference or cultural background. Most people don’t realize the subconscious impact that the color choices of websites, stationary, packaging, retail and office space, marketing materials and ads have on our everyday experiences. When designing for a brand and its marketing materials it is important to consider the psychology of color and your target audience. Color used correctly can be a tool to add to the appearance of the design and influence behavior. Visual appeal is important but uninformed color choices could send the wrong message to the people viewing it. A common mistake is using colors, that through association, suggest that your product is something it is not. For example, don’t use purple just because it is your personal favorite color. It may not be the best choice for your business. Specific colors are known to cause anxiety, create hunger, soothe nerves and generate excitement or happiness. When it comes to color psychology, some questions to ask when choosing and using color to represent your brand, product and/or service are? • When clients see your logo, your website and your marketing materials, how do the colors make them feel? • Do the feelings evoked in your client, align with your brand and your business goals? • Is your color palette in contrast to the meaning of your brand, product or service? • Are your colors in-line with your company’s value statement and fit within your industry? How we interact with color can be personal or even cultural. Its important to know who the target audience is when designing for a brand.

In American culture the following colors are associated with certain qualities or emotions:
Red – excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed Blue – trust, reliability, belonging, coolness Yellow – warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness Orange — playfulness, warmth, vibrant Green — nature, fresh, cool, growth Purple – royal, spirituality, dignity Pink — soft, sweet, nurture, security White – pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild Black – sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery Gold — prestige, expensive Silver — prestige, cold, scientific In other cultures colors can have different associations. For example in Chinese culture white is the color for death but in the Brazilian culture purple represents death. Blue in American culture is associated with trust and reliability while in Chinese culture is associated with immorality. In Greece yellow is a color that signifies sadness and in America it has a more playful and happy association. The color red in China symbolizies good luck and celebration. In India red symbolizies purity. In South Africa it is a color of mourning. These are examples of the different emotions color can immediately evoke from culture to culture. It is very important, when designing for an audience of a different culture than your own, to understand what you are saying with your colors.

The Importance of color goes beyond just marketing materials, packaging, logos, websites, etc. Artists as well as interior designers need to understand how color can dramatically influence moods, feelings, emotions and signal action. Companies these days are hiring people who know about color psychology to decorate the office or store.

how colors can effect mood and behavior
Yellow stimulates mental faculties. It activates the left or analytical Turquoise enhances the ability to focus and concentrate, Red boosts our physical energy levels, increases our heart rate and blood pressure. I can cause assertive and aggressive behavior. Red is also stimulating to physical senses like sexual and physical appetite. Green revitalizes us when we are physically, mentally or Blue Orange

side of the brain. Yellow helps assisting with clear thinking with clear thinking and quick decision making but it can also be impulsive. and decision-making, and the development of good organizational skills.

slows the heart rate, suppresses Orange stimulates two-way hunger and reduces blood conversation between people in a dining room when entertaining it stimulates conversation as well as appetite.

emotionally exhausted. Green pressure. Blue is idealistic, also helps us to see situations clearly. enhancing self-expression and our ability to communicate our needs and wants.

using Colors in space
When designing a retail business space you have several tools available to you to attract customers to your store and to entice them to make a purchase from your store. These tools include attractive displays, music and color. Of all these, color is possibly the most important as it affects us subliminally and instinctively, without our even being aware of it. For example some green combined with a variation of either red or orange is appropriate for all food outlets because red colors are stimulating to the appetite and encourage people to eat more. Orange colors are stimulating to social communication and conversation as well as encouraging people to eat more. Yellow is a happy and playful color but it can create anxiety. If you want your customers to be in and out quickly, and to make quick purchases, then yellow will help. Otherwise use it in small amounts as it can agitate and stress some people. Blue will suggest you are honest and trustworthy and have a calming effect on your customers. It will also entice your customers to linger for longer in your store and help to retain loyal customers. Blue is a color favored by most people. Red should be used in small doses in retail businesses. It can cause aggression and anger if used in large amounts so use it as an accent color to add energy, passion and excitement.

Conclusion
Brands carefully exercise color choices, attempting to subconsciously evoke the feelings that they want associated with their product or service. The colors were likely chosen very carefully to generate a specific buying reaction the consumer. Understanding the principles of color meaning and psychology when designing is essential to make sure people are receiving the right message.

references
Jones, Victoria. “Using Color Theory In Branding”. Geekly Group, LLC. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. Scott-Kemmis, Judy. empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com. n.p. n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. Morton, J.L. ColorMatters.com. J.L. Morton, 2011. Web. 15 Mar. 2013 O’Brien, Sylvia. “The Psychology of Colour”. colourtheory.net. n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2013. “Leverage the Power of Color to Your Marketing Advantage”. Great FX Business Cards, 2012. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.