2131/2018 ‘The Psychology of Color n Branding The Psychology of Color in Branding Not long ago, an an otherwise normal day in the winter of 2015, the internet-—and by extension the world-—lost its collective head over a picture ofan ugly dress. In what would come to be known as Dressgate thttps:/fen wikipedia.org/wiki/The_dress_[viral_phenomenonl, the population was split as to whether the garment in question was white and gold or blue and black, While most memes are about as profound and lasting as a cat's desire for cheeseburgers, “The Drass,” as it was also known, seemed to gat at something deeper. How could somathing so seemingly incontrovertible as color be so steadfastly disagreed upon? ‘The answer it turns out, lies squarely inthe intersection of color psychology and branding. Like brands [/what-is-a-brand-the- answer-is-critical-o-your-business/, colors are ultimately nathing mare than perceptions, They exist nowhere butin the mind af those experiencing them Thitps/www.nbs.org/newshour/updates/that-dress-isnt-blue-or-gold-because-color-doesnt-exist) ‘They also have a powerful effect on our emotions (hence the message board vitriol that spilled out like an oil slick over a silly dress.] The psychology of calor has been widely explored by experts in academia, pop culture, business and more, And while the emotional effect of colors gifers from person to person based on gender, cultural context, personal experience thttpil/news discovery.com/humanjevolution/colors-preferences-evolution-style-html, and neurological variances, there are Some general guidelines that have been barne out by countless color psychology studies. An understanding of these guidelines gives you one more tocl in the under'ying goal of branding; architecting reality by influencing and shaping consumer perception. itp hw gnytebrands.comthe-peycholagy-ot-colorin-branding! as.sapstr2018 ‘The Paychology of Gorin Branding You're probably aware that the color red can evoke feelings of either romance or danger. Or that blue can call to mind emotions like serenity or coldness. But what about orange? Or grey? And what of the mare subtle emotions like harmony or hope? Which colors are most associated with those? Since colar is among the fundamental visual stimuli in the human sequence of cognition Usequence-of-cognition-how-to-leverage-the-subconscious-language-of-design/|, these questions are important. The psychology of colorhastheanswers. SSS We've creat 2 most commonly used colors in branding and logo design (/5-types-of-logos-to-consider-for-your- brand/|, aie tive guide ines for each. Remember, none of these emotional responses are objectively fixed (a any given coto| {o the psychology of color, context and culture matter. And because one color can represent two wildly diver 1e specific way in which a brand utilizes colar can literally mean the difference between sickness and health (green! fin mind, and a solid understanding of your brand personality the-psychology-of-brand-personality/}, choosing the right color for your brand ean be a rational, Get a Competitive lick on a pape SR He 2r9er version: THE PSVENOLEY. F COLQ Bue avorr —Weompetiive-brand-audit] formed decision, rather than a fleating or whimsical preference. branding-ignyte-pa) Red Arguably the most stirring of colors, red’s effects on the psyche are not subtle, It's therefore important that it be used carefully for branding purposes. Red has been shown to reduce analytical thinking—it speeds up and intensifies our reactions. There's a reason why clearance sale prices are put on red tags. Athletes up against opponents wearing red are mare likely to lose, and students tend to perform worse on tests if exposed to red beforehand. Red, after all, is the color of stop signs, grammatical mistakes, and negative finances. Red has the longest wavelength of all the colors, and so appears to be nearer than it actualy is. Itis the color of passion and romance. Red tends to increase the appatite and is used in 2 range of colorful terms centered on excitement: red-hot, red-handed, paint the town red, seeing red. Inside the U.S. red is associated with conservatism. Outside the country, i's long been the banner color for communism and socialism. Other emotional traits linked to red include the following itp nw ignytubrans.comfhe-psychology-of-olorin-branding! 2052131/2018 ‘The Psychology of Color in Branding Positive implic: * Power * Passion + Energy + Fearless; * Strengy # Exciter Negative im * Anger + v&@t a Competi = Warnitgtand Audit + Detigoee your weak spots and tind eye ppertunties for grout © Aggressl + Phin ive SCHEDULE AUDIT Ucompetitive-brand-aucit) Orange At the crossroads of red and yellow sits orange. Orange is stimulatory, conjuring feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and warmth, It is a fun, energetic hue found in the branding of many sports teams. Not unlike red or yellow, orange is used to draw attention—in traffic cones and advertising collateral. Consumers tend to associate the colar orange with value, in fact, a reality that brands like Home Depot have capitalized on. On the physical end of the spectrum it evokes comfort like food, warmth, and shelter. It is the color of sunset, citrus, and pumpkins, forever linked to fall and Halloween for American custamers. This is especially the case when itis paired with black, which lends it color orange comprise the following. eof cartoonish dread and frivolity. Emotions central to the Positive implications: * Courage * Confidence # Warmth + Innovation * Friendliness * Energy Negative implications: * Deprivation + Frustration + Frivolity # Immaturity itp hw gnytebrands.comthe-peycholagy-ot-colorin-branding! ais