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Assignment # 01: University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila
Assignment # 01: University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila
Assignment # 01
Semester: 3rd
It’s an important field of study to consider when creating marketing assets, building a
new business, or rebranding an existing one. Consider this: In a study titled “Impact of
color on marketing,” researchers found that up to 90% of snap judgments made about
products can be based on color alone.
But the truth is that color is too dependent on personal experiences to be universally
translated to specific feelings. Research shows that personal preferences, experiences,
upbringings, cultural differences, and context muddy the effect that individual colors
have on us.
So the idea that colors such as yellow or purple are able to evoke some sort of hyper-
specific emotion is about as accurate as your standard palm reading.
Consider the inaccuracy of making broad statements such as “green means calm.” The
context is absent: Sometimes green is used to brand environmental issues, like Seventh
Generation, but other times it’s meant to brand financial spaces, such as Mint.
And while brown may be useful for a rugged appeal — see how it’s used
by Saddleback Leather — when positioned in another context, brown can be used to
create a warm, inviting feeling (Thanksgiving) or to stir your appetite (every chocolate
commercial you’ve ever seen).
But there’s still plenty to learn and consider if we humbly accept that concrete answers
aren’t a guarantee. The key is to look for practical ways to make decisions about color.
It’s a frustrating answer, but it’s the truth. The context you’re working within is an
essential consideration. It’s the feeling, mood, and image that your brand or product
creates that matters.
The good news: Research into the psychology of color can help you make the right
choice.
The right color is appropriate for your brand
In a 2006 study, researchers found that the relationship between brands and color
hinges on the perceived appropriateness of the color being used for the particular
brand. In other words: Does the color fit what’s being sold?
So when considering colors for your marketing and branding, ask yourself (or better
yet, collect customer feedback): “Is this color appropriate for what I’m selling?”
Purchasing intent is greatly affected by colors due to their effect on how a brand is
perceived; colors influence how customers view the “personality” of the brand in
question.
And while certain colors do broadly align with specific traits (e.g., brown with
ruggedness), nearly every academic study on colors and branding will tell you that it’s
far more important for colors to support the personality you want to portray instead of
trying to align with stereotypical color associations.
Psychologist and Stanford professor Jennifer Aaker has conducted studies on this very
topic, and her paper titled “Dimensions of Brand Personality” points out five core
dimensions that play a role in a brand’s personality.
Brands can sometimes cross between two traits, but they are mostly dominated by one.
Ask yourself: what do I want my brand’s personality to be, and how can I use color to
convey that personality?
Hallock’s data showcases some clear preferences in certain colors across gender. It’s
important to note, however, that most of his respondents were from Western societies.
One’s environment — and especially cultural perception — plays a strong role in
dictating color appropriateness for gender, which, in turn, can influence individual
color preferences.
Although this is a hotly debated issue in color theory, I’ve never understood why.
Brands can easily work outside of gender stereotypes. In fact, I’d argue many have
been rewarded for doing so because they break expectations.
Choosing the right color can help your brand stand out. Consider the psychological
principle known as the Isolation Effect: It states that an item that “stands out like a sore
thumb” is more likely to be remembered.Research clearly shows that participants are
able to recognize and recall an item far better — be it text or an image — when it
blatantly sticks out from its surroundings.