Psychology of Colors Marketing

From across a crowded room your eye catches a flash of hot pink. A smile eases its way across your face and you carefully weave your way through the crowd. Something about that flash of color beckoned you with an irresistible magnetism. You were compelled to learn more about its origin. The irresistible mystery of that flash or color inspired you to investigate.

Colors speak to us on a subliminal level as well as overt appeal. What do your colors say about you? Your marketing colors speak volumes about your quality, your product and your personality. Colors, logo and succinct well chosen words in your web site banner or marketing brochure either immediately catch the eye or bye bye potential customer. You have mere seconds to catch the eye or the lightening quick back button or delete button is pushed.

Colors, logo and headline either speak “come here, there is something important here” or you lost your chance just as certainly as not following your instinct to investigate that flash of hot pink. Create a positive eye catching magnetic pull. Instill a subconscious desire to learn more. The best web page content in the world is worthless unless you attract your ideal customer to click the link and stay on your page long enough to actually read the words. The mind thinks in pictures and colors. Never underestimate your initial impression.

What colors and image represent your company, products and culture? Study your psychology of colors marketing image. Examine some industry leaders.

IBM was known as big blue. Blue represents the expanse of sky and sea indicating wide spread market share. Blue is linked to consciousness and intellect and suggests precision when promoting high-tech products. Further note the prominence in blue for men’s shirts in corporate America; blue projects more of a masculine image. The origin of the term “Big Blue” could have come from the color of their 1960s mainframe computer, the loyal true blue customer or the company dress code. The name fit and it remained intact.

IBM’s logo is simple, clear and representative of International Business Machines. Currently the logo is the simple white letters with thin black lines on a solid black background. Simple crisp and clean.

General Mills chose a simple cursive G in green. Green represents nature and freshness with a strong emotional correspondence to safety. Freshness, assurance of health and safety are all excellent qualities for food products. Notice that green frequently also represents the safety of drugs and medical products. Shades of green are also very significant. Darker green us associated with greed or jealousy; yellow-green tends toward sickness or discord; olive green is traditionally the color of peace. Note that General Mills chose a leaf green, the color of a healthy young leaf.

The cursive G of the logo is warm, welcoming, and friendly. Note the difference in the Green Bay Packers bold print G showing strength and masculinity.

Colors and logo form a strong image of the company and products.

McDonalds golden arches flash the image of joy, happiness and energy. Yellow arches beckon children with their cheerfulness; yellow is a very lighthearted childish color. Ronald McDonald the clown follows through the image with happiness, play and pied piper welcome. Absolutely nothing strong and masculine about a clown’s image; yellow would never be recommended for a strong male image.

The golden arches logo is once again clean, crisp and simple. They are easy to identify from a distance and convey a “come on inside” image.

These are only three examples of the color and logo conveying the perfect image for the company and products. Consider the psychology of colors in your advertising materials.

What image do your colors and logo project about you? Colors absolutely have a specific psychological impact. Are your marketing colors and logo conveying the psychology you intend?

For a specific analysis of your current marketing colors or to design the appropriate colors to depict your intended image, join me at www.Elaine4Success.com.