Understanding Colors
It’s a fact of life that we live in a world filled with color. You can’t go anywhere without being bombarded by different shades of green, blue, red and purple. So it’s important to know as much as possible about what these colors mean before deciding to wear that mustard yellow dress to your company meeting.
In this post, we cover the basics of understanding color meanings and how they are used in marketing to shape our mindsets about specific products. We also examine the psychology behind why certain colors make us feel an emotion or want to purchase an item more so than others.
So, let’s get started.
Understanding Color Meanings
Many people are surprised to find out that the color they are wearing is actually worn by other individuals every single day. In fact, greens, blues and red make up the overwhelming majority of the world’s clothing choices. That’s right; these three color families have been the most popular even during recent years of fashion trends. Check out this infographic to really see what we mean:
These three colors appear on more products today than any other color variation. If you're wearing one of these colors right now, chances are it's not because you only like that color; it's probably because other people like that color.
An individual could have a favorite color and wear it frequently to make them feel comfortable, but the truth is that most people gravitate toward the clothes they see on others. Essentially, they are following in the footsteps of fashion trends set by others. In other words, fashion is a social movement rather than an individual choice.
This concept may seem a little extreme at first, so let’s examine it in more detail now.
The Psychology of Color
Color is used to express how we feel. We can’t deny that the color we wear reflects who we are as a person. We will choose red to show our passion, green to represent springtime and blue because it helps us think. The psychology of color is real and it has been proven time and time again by studies.
But why do some colors evoke such powerful emotions? Let’s explore now:
Orange: Orange is associated with warmth, joy and friendliness. But it also represents dominance and leadership, which is why you often see orange used in company logos.
Orange is associated with warmth, joy and friendliness. But it also represents dominance and leadership, which is why you often see orange used in company logos. Yellow: Yellow is the color of happiness and confidence. It also signifies wisdom and compassion. In fact, many people are exposed to yellow before they are even able to walk or talk. Children are often given yellow teddy bears when they are born to help them gain the confidence that comes from being around the color yellow (and other bright colors).
Yellow is the color of happiness and confidence. It also signifies wisdom and compassion. In fact, many people are exposed to yellow before they are even able to walk or talk. Children are often given yellow teddy bears when they are born to help them gain the confidence that comes from being around the color yellow (and other bright colors). Red: Red is associated with passion, aggression, anger and excitement. It also represents power, determination and strength. Many companies have a red color in their logo because they know people believe it to represent their brand.
Red is associated with passion, aggression, anger and excitement. It also represents power, determination and strength. Many companies have a red color in their logo because they know people believe it to represent their brand. Blue: Blue is the symbol for intelligence and trustworthiness in all cultures around the world; it's considered one of the most recognized colors on earth.
Blue is the symbol for intelligence and trustworthiness in all cultures around the world; it's considered one of the most recognized colors on earth. Green: The color green symbolizes health, harmony and growth. There are a variety of shades of green to choose from when deciding what to wear, but this color is always associated with being a “good guy” and caring for others.
The color green symbolizes health, harmony and growth. There are a variety of shades of green to choose from when deciding what to wear, but this color is always associated with being a “good guy” and caring for others. Purple: Purple is the color of royalty. It is often used by brands to symbolize wealth and luxury.
Purple is the color of royalty. It is often used by brands to symbolize wealth and luxury. Black: Black represents sophistication, power and formality. It's also considered mysterious and elegant, which is why you will commonly see black leather accessories like purses, shoes and belts in fashion stores.
Black represents sophistication, power and formality. It's also considered mysterious and elegant, which is why you will commonly see black leather accessories like purses, shoes and belts in fashion stores. White: White has a positive connotation for most people because it represents purity as well as cleanliness (think bleach).
White has a positive connotation for most people because it represents purity as well as cleanliness (think bleach). Brown: This is the color of earth and stability. It is associated with strength, comfort, richness and humility.
This is the color of earth and stability. It is associated with strength, comfort, richness and humility. Grey: Grey often signifies neutrality or balance because it blends into a variety of different environments. This makes it useful for creating separations from other colors that are nearby, which can be effective when you are trying to make your brand stand out among others.
Grey often signifies neutrality or balance because it blends into a variety of different environments. This makes it useful for creating separations from other colors that are nearby, which can be effective when you are trying to make your brand stand out among others. Black and White: The classic colors of black and white were chosen to represent the perfect balance between dark and light.
Color Psychology in Retail Stores
When shopping in a clothing store, it’s important to understand the meaning behind colors used in branding. Most people will automatically make judgments about a brand based on their color scheme. Some of these colors are symbolic in nature, but others have emotional meanings associated with them.
Conclusion
The psychology of color is real, but you can also use it to your advantage by creating an appealing brand image. Emotional appeals are often more effective when making your brand stand out among other competitors. It’s how we form our judgments about things, and when you can ignite an emotional response in people, you are more likely to get the results that you want.
By using the psychology of color in your design process, you will make the right choices to create a brand that encourages the desired emotion or feeling associated with its design. For help with that process or to see what colors are top sellers for your brand, give us a call today.
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Understanding Colors