psycology of color final paper

Color  sells:      

How  the  psychology  of  color  influences  consumers    

Sarah  Tornetta,  Tess  Fox,  Jordan  Blackbird                                                

Introduction  

Color  sells  products.  It  is  a  powerful  marketing  tool  that  significantly  influences  consumer  purchases,  so  much  so  that  it  accounts  for  85%  of  the  reason  why  someone  decides  to  purchase  a  product  (Hemphill  275).  Marketers  must  understand  the  psychology  of  color  in  order  to  use  it  effectively.      Humans  associate  colors  with  meanings.  These  associations  are  studied  extensively  in  marketing  research.  This  paper  explores  how  the  psychology  of  color  influences  purchasing  behavior  as  it  pertains  to  product  design,  company  branding,  and  the  consumer.    Nearly  all  products  sold  today  have  colorful  facades.  Selecting  the  right  colors  to  use  has  an  enormous  impact  on  product  sales.  While  no  single  set  of  rules  governs  color  choices,  research  has  established  general  guidelines  based  on  the  principle  of  associative  learning,  the  relationship  between  color  and  emotion.    

Associative  learning      

It  is  necessary  to  define  the  three  basic  principles  of  color,  hue,  saturation,  and  value,  to  understand  associative  learning  (see  fig.1).  Hue  is  the  wavelength  of  a  color  and  determines  its  label,  such  as  orange  or  green.  Saturation  is  the  intensity  of  a  color,  or,  how  pigmented  a  color  is.  Value  is  how  bright  a  color  is.  Together,  these  three  factors  determine  how  people  perceive  color  and  thus  the  associations  they  form  with  it.      

     Fig.  1.    Hue,  Saturation,  and  Value.  Gramillion,  Ben.  Three  Properties  of  Color.  Digital  image.  Webdesigner  Depot.  N.p.,  21  Dec.  2009.  Web.    A  study  in  the  College  Students  Journal  reports  descriptions  given  by  college  students  in  response  to  various  colors  (Naz  and  Epps  396).  Findings  show  that  green  is  primarily  associated  with  nature  and  elicits  positive  feelings  such  as  relaxation  and  calmness.  Blue  is  associated  with  water,  eliciting  positive  responses  including  comfort  and  peace.  Red  is  associated  with  love  and  is  considered  to  be  a  color  of  dominance.  Black  is  associated  with  power,  whereas  yellow  and  orange  are  associated  with  happiness.    A  second  study  reports  the  most  common  words  used  to  describe  these  colors  (Clarke  and  Cotsall  406).  In  this  study,  75%  of  participants  described  red  with  words  like  “anger,”  “energy”  and  “passion.”  Orange  and  yellow  elicited  more  cheerful  descriptions.  Green  and  

blue  were  described  as  “peaceful,”  “relaxing,”  “clean”  and  “calming.”    69%  of  participants  associated  black  with  evil  or  death,  while  over  88%  of  participants  used  words  such  as  “innocence,”  “happy,”  and  “euphoria”  to  describe  white.    70%  of  participants  associated  pink  with  femininity.  Brown,  grey,  and  purple  had  less  agreement  on  their  meaning.  The  study  also  reports  that  the  brighter  a  hue,  the  more  positively  it  is  perceived.      This  research  shows  that  some  colors  have  stronger  associations  than  others,  which  is  important  to  keep  in  mind  when  designing  the  package  for  a  product.    

Implementing  color  associations  in  package  designs  

Marketers  use  color  associations  to  increase  product  sales  by  sending  a  message  to  the  consumer  (see  fig.  2).  Crest  3D  Whitestrips,  for  example,  consists  primarily  of  blue.  Blue  is  associated  with  cleanliness,  emphasizing  the  product’s  promise  of  clean,  white  teeth.  White’s  association  with  purity  makes  it  the  ideal  accent  color.      Nature  Valley  Granola  Bars  are  packaged  in  a  green  and  yellow  box.  Green  is  associated  with  nature  and  the  outdoors,  which  is  appropriate  for  this  product’s  sales  pitch  of  wholesome,  all-­‐natural,  and  healthy  ingredients.  Furthermore,  it  is  the  easiest  color  for  the  eyes  to  process.  Yellow  is  associated  with  sunshine  and  optimism,  promoting  the  product  in  a  warm  and  positive  manner.                Fig.  2.  Crest  3D  Whitestrips,  Nature  Valley  Granola  Bars,  iPhone.  Digital  Image.  Google.  Web.    Apple’s  black  iPhone  box  demonstrates  the  effective  use  of  black  in  packaging.    Although  black  is  linked  to  death  and  evil  in  specific  contexts,  in  this  context  it  is  associated  with  power  and  luxury.  Apple’s  products  are  expensive  and  the  color  black  aids  in  selling  the  product  as  an  exclusive,  high-­‐quality  item.  Black  is  often  the  color  of  choice  for  electronics  and  other  luxury  items.  

Establishing  brand  recognition  with  color  

Brand  recognition  is  the  consumer’s  ability  to  identify  or  associate  a  product  with  a  brand.  Marketers  establish  brand  recognition  by  using  a  specific  formula  of  colors  and  shapes  to  form  a  brand  mark.  The  key  is  consistency;  the  same  colors  must  be  present  across  all  facets  of  a  company.  For  example,  a  company’s  website  should  be  visually  relatable  to  its  store  and  consumer  products.      Researchers  at  the  University  of  Loyola  found  that  color  increases  brand  recognition  by  up  to  80%.  (Morton  “Why  Color  Matters”).    In  another  study,  when  a  group  of  people  were  

shown  3-­‐second  advertisements,  over  62%  developed  an  association  to  a  brand  based  purely  on  the  colors  they  saw  (Chang  and  Lin  3345).      Brand  recognition  has  a  large  impact  on  consumer  purchasing  behavior.  Aside  from  impulse  shoppers,  many  shoppers  seek  out  products  of  brands  they  recognize.  Successful  color  manipulation  enables  shoppers  to  quickly  and  easily  identify  the  brand  they  are  looking  for  amongst  a  sea  of  similar  products.    Once  a  company  succeeds  at  establishing  brand  recognition,  it  can  temporarily  manipulate  trademark  colors  to  add  interest  to  a  product.  Heinz,  which  successfully  established  brand  recognition  by  using  the  color  red,  introduced  EZ  Squirt  Blastin’  Green  ketchup  in  October  2000.    This  dramatic  alteration  from  the  familiar  deep-­‐red  ketchup  bottles  boosted  product  sales  by  $23  million.  Consumers  had  developed  such  strong  associations  between  Heinz  and  red  ketchup  bottles  that  the  green  bottles  attracted  attention  and  drew  interest.  This  illustrates  just  how  powerful  color  can  be.  

Communicating  brand  image  with  color  

Color  does  more  than  establish  brand  recognition.  It  also  conveys  traits  about  a  company  and  reflects  a  company’s  personality,  or,  brand  image.  In  this  sense,  color  serves  as  a  subliminal  language.    A  study  in  the  African  Journal  of  Business  Management  reveals  how  consumers  perceive  the  colors  used  by  companies  like  Coca-­‐Cola,  Hermes,  Starbucks,  and  IBM  (see  fig.  3).    

Participants  considered  the  red  of  Coca-­‐Cola  conveys  stimulus,  vividness,  youth,  happiness  and  energy.  Participants  regarded  Hermes  as  courage,  ego,  uniqueness,  differentiation,  youth  and  in  vogue…[they]  considered  that  the  green  of  Starbucks  conveys  quiet,  leisure,  youth,  staidness  and  comfort.  Participants  perceive  IBM  as  reliable,  staid,  professional,  cool,  novel,  and  trustworthy.  (Chang,  Lun,  and  Lin  3353)  

 In  addition,  the  colors  purple,  white,  and  yellow  reflect  the  following  traits,  respectively:  imaginative,  down-­‐to-­‐earth,  and  spirited.  Companies  choose  colors  for  their  logos  and  store  designs  not  just  because  they  look  good,  but  to  communicate  specific  qualities  about  a  service  or  product.                      Fig.3.  Logos  of  Coca-­‐Cola,  IBM,  Hermes,  and  Starbucks.  Digital  Image.  Google.  Web.  

 For  example,  McDonalds,  Wendy’s,  and  Burger  King  use  red  and  yellow  in  their  logos  and  store  exteriors’  convey  urgency,  energy,  and  speed.  This  communicates  to  the  consumer  that  they  are  fast  and  efficient.  Companies  like  Whole  Foods  use  green  for  their  logo  and  store  signs,  which  communicates  that  they  are  environmentally  conscious.  UPS’s  deep  brown  logo  and  delivery  trucks  communicate  UPS’s  promise  to  deliver  packages  in  a  reliable  and  consistent  manner.    

Adjusting  colors  to  reflect  the  consumer  

While  some  color  associations  appear  to  be  strongly  rooted,  a  lot  depends  on  the  personality,  age,  gender,  and  cultural  background  of  the  consumer.  For  example,  different  shades  of  color  appeal  to  specific  personality  types  of  shoppers  (see  table  1).  Fast  food  restaurants  and  clearance  sales  use  stimulant  colors  like  red,  orange,  and  black  to  illicit  a  sense  of  urgency  in  impulse  buyers.  Retail  clothing  stores  use  lighter  colors  like  pink  and  sky  blue  to  evoke  a  calm,  soothing  experience  for  traditional  shoppers  who  prefer  to  browse  through  items  at  a  leisurely  pace.    Table  1  How  Colors  Attract  Specific  Shoppers    

 Source:  Lam,  Shun,  and  June  Campbell.  Color  and  Consumer.  Chart.  Kissmetrics.  Color  Marketing  Group,  n.d.  Web.    Color  preferences  also  vary  depending  on  age  and  gender.  Research  findings  reveal  that  76%  of  women  prefer  cool  colors  compared  to  56%  of  men  (Hemphill  276).  Men  also  prefer  orange  to  yellow,  while  women  prefer  yellow  to  orange.  Men’s  favorite  colors  include  blue,  black,  brown,  green,  and  red,  while  women  like  blue,  orange,  yellow,  purple,  green,  and  red  the  best.  Color  preferences  and  emotional  connections  to  color  also  change  with  age.  For  example,  7-­‐year  olds  prefer  the  color  yellow  much  more  so  than  adults  (Boyatzis  and  Varghese  78).      It  is  also  important  to  keep  in  mind  that  the  majority  of  these  studies  were  conducted  in  the  United  States  and  reflect  Western  values.  Although  it  may  seem  like  it,  there  truly  is  no  universal  color  scheme.  Colors  possess  a  multitude  of  meanings  depending  on  the  cultural  context  (see  fig.  4).  Purple  is  associated  with  regality  in  Europe,  but  signifies  excessive  spending  in  China.  The  color  white  implies  purity  in  both  the  United  States  and  Middle  East,  yet  in  Japan  and  China  this  color  is  associated  with  death  and  mourning.        

Type  of  shopper   Venue   Color  Impulse  shoppers   Fast  food,  outlet  malls,  

clearance  sales  Orange,  red,  black,  royal  blue  

Shoppers  on  a  budget   Banks,  larger  department  stores    

Navy  blue,  teal    

Traditional  buyers   Clothing  stores   Pink,  sky  blue,  rose  

 Fig.  4.  Meanings  of  Colors  in  Various  Countries.  Color  Guidelines:  Its  Not  Black  its  White.  Digital  Image.  Yahoo.  N.p.,  28  Jun.  2010.  Web.    In  the  U.S.  blue  is  a  color  linked  to  trust  and  authority,  which  is  why  it  is  the  most  prevalent  color  used  in  business  ads  across  the  country.  In  Japan,  on  the  other  hand,  blue  represents  immorality  or  treachery,  which  are  not  qualities  businesses  wish  to  convey  to  customers.  

Conclusion  

Color  is  not  simply  an  afterthought  when  it  comes  to  product  packaging  and  company  branding.  Marketers  invest  significant  time  in  selecting  colors  that  reflect  the  values  of  the  company  and  preferences  of  the  target  audience.    The  reward  for  doing  so  is  increased  sales  and  consumer  loyalty.      Product  packaging,  branding,  and  consumer  awareness  all  operate  on  different  psychological  principles.  To  maximize  success  with  color,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  these  principles,  thus  anticipating  and  planning  how  consumers  will  react  to  the  colors  selected.      Finally,  it  is  important  to  recognize  that  color  trends  are  not  permanent,  and  can  fluctuate  over  an  extended  period  of  time.  Therefore,  it  is  important  to  stay  up  to  date  with  current  marketing  research  on  color  in  order  to  make  the  best  decisions  for  a  company.                          

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