Think PINK! Or RED, or BLUE!

The Art of Using Color to Attract Attention

 

“Using the right colors in the right ways can encourage a relationship or discourage a potential sale.” 

Whether you are looking for a mate or planning a marketing campaign, it’s all the same. Color affects our moods. It affects how we react to people, places and products. And using the right colors in the right ways can encourage a relationship or discourage a potential sale. Color surrounds us in all aspects of our lives, it’s everywhere! Think of clothing, cars, decorations, logos, websites and even food. 

You may remember the M&M campaign to choose the next new permanent color of the candy shell. The company wanted to create excitement on a global scale and kicked off the campaign with three colors asking consumers to choose their favorite among the 3 choices. The purpose of the worldwide public relations campaign - which ran from early March to mid-June 2002 - was to raise awareness of the product as well as to drive traffic to the M&M’s website to vote for their favorite. By voting, people had a chance to win cash prizes. With nearly a million votes cast from 200 countries, purple won. The winning color was announced on June 19 to coincide with the new candy choice being available in stores that very same day. 

Color is a universal language (for the most part) and has a lot to do with how people perceive one another, how we attach ourselves to sporting teams and yes, even how we feel about countries (based upon the colors and symbols of their flags, no less).
 
Color can influence our decisions and buying choices. 

Color can encourage loyalty, convey authority or create a sense of playfulness in people. 

Color is a powerful vehicle of symbolism and connection, creating a sense of togetherness, color can instantaneously communicate your personality or your brand.

RED, considered the most exciting color is most often associated with passion, energy, and power. When it comes to attire for instance a man might wear a red tie to exude power to those around him and women who wear red as a main color choice also have that aura of power. Of course, there are exceptions. Such as a woman in a slinky red dress for instance, might exude passion and a man might feel powerless in her presence. A confidant man will be comfortable around women who wear a red blazer to a board meeting and some men might find it too overpowering, and can ultimately be turned off by the suggestion of power the color represents. Red does however, have strong masculine appeal. In advertising, Red is considered to have the highest impact for attention and action. 
 

PINK, on the other hand is considered a more flirtatious, coquetish color and because men feel more secure around women in pink, can be very attracting. Hot pinks can send a message of youth and childlike enthusiasm, while lighter shades of pinks and lavenders are used to generate feelings of nostalgia, daintiness and romance. Pink is considered frilly and feminine. Pink is considered a color that lasts as long as childhood. Pinks and lavenders are often used in skin care and cosmetic packaging. 

BLUE, is a relaxing color. It evokes a sense of serenity and protection Men who wear blue are considered safe and approachable. Even bees are attracted to the color BLUE. Dark blue conveys dignity and is often used in corporate logos. Light shades of blue make excellent backgrounds for websites trying to convey lighheartedness and positive expression. Blue does not do well for websites wishing to sell food products as blue is known as an appetite suppressant. 

YELLOW, is considered a cheerful color. Yellow evokes optimism, happiness, imagination and idealism. Yellow is considered the color of intellect – it’s probably no accident that BIG Bird on Sesame Street is yellow –since the main focus of the show is to teach young children. Yellow stimulates learning. It may also be the reason legal pads are mostly yellow, to stimulate thought and spark ideas. In fact, I am writing this article on a yellow legal pad. Yellow, also cautions us to be careful. 

The Pantone Institute of Color discovered that black type on a yellow background helped with memory retention and legibility. Sales people have discovered that flyers done on a goldenrod paper with black ink tends to get the highest sales response rate when promoting a product or service. 

GREEN is often used to create harmony and balance and is often the color used in advertising to symbolize a healthy lifestyle. It is used in health food product packaging such as the case of Healthy Choice brands. Brighter shades of green stimulate and uplift a mood while darker greens can evoke peace and quiet. Green also suggests rebirth and wealth. Deeper shades of green signify prestige, power and money. 

BLACK suggests sophistication and mystery. It’s no accident that Dom Perignon Champagne is primarily a black packaging. Black backgrounds when used with colors such as red, yellow and orange can be very eye catching and appealing. Be careful when using black as a background color, however as it tends to be more difficult to read. 

BROWN symbolizes mother earth, home and family. It is a conservative color, and depicts stability, comfort and simplicity. Think UPS and what “Brown can do for you,” a simple, yet strong statement of stability and dependability. Brown is associated with being natural. Unless used properly, brown could be considered boring. Brown works well with greens and blues or red and orange. 

WHITE is associated with newness, innocence, youth and simplicity. A white rose for instance is often used to symbolize a “new” relationship or a new beginning (such as marriage in many cultures where the bride wears white). White is also associated with sterility and cleanliness - white gloves, hospitals, etc. It can be associated with surrender – holding up a white flag - or white light representing death. 

ORANGE evokes enthusiasm, vibrancy and expanse. Orange is considered flamboyant and a real attention getter. It is perceived as inviting, friendly and intense. Darker shades can have seasonal, even ethnic connotations while the paler shades are considered pleasing and sophisticated. Orange has been shown to stimulate appetite and therefore is often associated with fast foods. 

PURPLE is the color that symbolizes royalty and spirituality. It has been used to suggest something different, unique, something that stands out in a crowd. You may remember Seth Godin’s book – Purple Cow and its premise that in marketing we can continue to do what we’ve always done and do it the same way as the competition or stand out like the purple cow and grab the consumer’s attention. 

When planning your advertising/branding campaign for your small business or a simple night on the town, be sure the colors you choose convey the right mood and attitude (for your company and for you). 

 

©Heidi Richards Mooney - is a Professional Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of 7 books including: “Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget ~ How to Grow Your Business Without Spending a Fortune.”  She is also the Publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop by http://www.speakingwithspirit.com to get a FREE copy of YOUR Marketing Calendar today!

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