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 products promise of clean, white teeth.
Whites 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 products 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.

Apples 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. Apples 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 consumers 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 companys 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 companys 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, Wendys, 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. UPSs deep
brown logo and delivery trucks communicate UPSs 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

Type of shopper
Impulse shoppers
Shoppers on a budget
Traditional buyers

Venue
Fast food, outlet malls,
clearance sales
Banks, larger department
stores
Clothing stores

Color
Orange, red, black, royal
blue
Navy blue, teal
Pink, sky blue, rose

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. Mens 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.


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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