All colors have certain connotations attached to them. While we rarely stop to think about this, the shades and hues that surround us can heavily influence our moods and emotions, and this is something high-level marketers are very much aware of.
When it comes to the most successful companies, color psychology is heavily capitalized on. Think of an iconic brand such as McDonald’s, for example. If we asked you to picture it, you’d immediately envision red and yellow, and this would automatically evoke certain feelings, primarily of warmth and happiness.
Naturally, such emotions represent a positive response within you – one that pays dividends for the brand and makes you far more likely to buy from them. So how can you recreate this effect with regard to your own company? Here’s what you need to know.
Using color in business
As we mentioned above, different colors engender different feelings within us. This knowledge is something savvy companies often use to their advantage, in order to grow their audience, make their product more appealing, and even boost their sales.
In order to do so, here’s what we recommend.
Choose the colors that best reflect your brand
According to color theory, which is more fully explored in the article linked above, each color has unique connotations associated with it. Red, for example, represents power, while pink is seen as soft and feminine and can therefore be a good choice for female-oriented brands. Green, on the other hand, is associated with health and the outdoors, while orange is vibrant and energetic.
The list goes on, which is why there’s something to suit every brand. The best way to choose your palette is to ask yourself what your business is really about: what are its aims and ambitions; who is its target market; what two words would you use to describe it; etc.? Make sure you fully understand the sort of image you want to put out there before committing to a decision.
Choose two primary colors
Once you have a good idea of what you’d like your color scheme to say about you, we’d suggest picking two primary hues for your palette. In this section, we'll use the Paddy Power Bingo website as an example of how to do it well.
A quick flick through the site shows us that green and pink make up the company’s core color scheme. This is important because of what these two hues connote. In this instance, green is used to promote a sense of relaxation, cleverly inviting users to relax and unwind after a long day.
Pink is a more interesting choice. Widely associated with a female demographic, it encourages women to frequent this traditionally male-dominated sphere, helping the brand to increase its appeal among a wider audience – a clever move given the ever-growing proportion of female gamblers.
The reason behind this two color rule is simple: it’s much easier for consumers to remember two hues than three, four, or more. Think of McDonald’s and Netflix for examples of this.
Use bright colors for calls to action
Source: Unsplash
Last but not least, remember that the main purpose of color psychology is to use various shades and hues to sell more. You want to successfully generate conversions as a consequence of its implementation, whether it’s bingo you’re marketing or bedroom décor.
This is why call-to-action buttons are important, and the best colors for them belong to the primary and secondary spectrums i.e. red, orange, yellow, and green. Bright and attention-grabbing, each of these is difficult to miss, making it much more likely that people will click on them.
Isn’t it time you used color psychology to the benefit of your business?
