Have you heard that colors convey emotions and speak for themselves?
In our day-to-day, we do not take into account how color affects our daily lives, and for us, it is secondary when buying. But what if I told you that this is not the case?
The theory of color is present in marketing, advertising, and design, transmitting some sensations or others to the person who sees it. Hence the psychology of color must always be taken into account if we want to achieve success with our brand.
We have heard of warm colors, which convey closeness, tenderness, positivity, joy, etc., and cold colors, which bring tranquility, seriousness, freshness, etc., but today we are going to see what the meaning of the colors is one by one.
It is very important that you learn what each color means since the color symbology will be essential for our target audience to understand what we want to convey and communicate.
I am going to start by what is the psychology of color, and then we will see the meanings and symbologies of colors one by one.
What is color psychology, and what is it for?
Color psychology is a field that studies what colors produce in people’s emotions and behaviors.
Each color has a meaning, and therefore we must know what the theory or psychology of color is to decipher what our public can feel with the visual image of our project.
The same color can also have different meanings that will depend on factors such as our education, values, gender, culture, etc.
We must try to make our public feel something with our image, and sight is a fundamental factor in this. The perception we have about that color will determine a large part of the trust they feel with us and the purchase, and this is a subconscious process that you may not take into account.
For this reason, in the process of buying a product, color is a factor that we must take into account since it will guide the user to purchase or perhaps abandon it.
And if you don’t believe this, why not try?
I challenge you to do an A/B Test of two colors and see which one converts you the most (and by the way, share it with us in the comments).
What is the meaning of colors in psychology and marketing
We are going to see what each of the most important colors that we find on the color wheel means, their symbology, and examples of brands that use them to make their logos or web designs so that you can guide yourself and have a clear decision if you are looking for a color.
As society evolves, the symbology and understanding of color are different, becoming more or less relevant. But this also goes with personal evolution, since we do not perceive colors in the same way when we are 20 years old as when we have turned 40.
Therefore, the perception of color evolves with us. It is present in our subconscious and guides us in our purchasing decisions.
Meaning of the color blue
The color blue is associated with the sea and the sky. It is a relaxing color that transmits stability, calm, harmony, confidence, and security.
This is the favorite color of the vast majority, which is why brands use it so much.
On the other hand, it also has negative meanings since it is a cold color that is associated with distance and coldness.
Meaning of the color red
Red is the color of fire, of flame, of strength. It is a powerful and very visual color, representing love and hate at the same time.
A color that calls to action at first sight (above others) and that is associated with energy, stimulation, value, etc. But at the same time, it has negative associations such as danger, tension, and blood.
It is a very good option for calls to action or CTAs in marketing since we will see it above the rest of the colors.
But beware, it is a color that must be used in moderation and in its proper measure since it is too impressive and can become saturating.
Meaning of the color green
Green is related to the ecological since green is associated with symbolizing nature. But on the other hand, it also means money, hope, harmony, and peace.
It is usually used in brands closely linked to the environment or related to products intended for nature, such as gardening.
It is a perfect color to use in this type of brand since it is also a very relaxing color that calms us down.
Meaning of the color yellow
The color yellow is used to symbolize happiness, youth, and optimism.
But this color does not always have positive connotations since it can be perceived as deception and warning, in addition to the fact that many superstitious people see it as a symbol of bad luck.
It is an attention-grabbing color that can be used at certain points in your design to help your users’ eyes see what you want to point out and associate your products with something positive.
It should not be abused since it causes an effect of visual fatigue, so using it in its proper measure is the best option.
Meaning of the color orange
Orange is a combination of red and yellow that represents creativity, quality, and warmth, and as a variant of the previous colors, it is very stimulating.
It is widely used to replace red in calls to action since it does not saturate so much and captures our view from the first moment.
For this reason, it is one of the most used colors in advertising, which helps stimulate purchases.
Meaning of the color black
Black color means elegance, power, glamor, and sophistication.
However, it also has negative associations such as sadness, loneliness, coldness, etc.
It is a color widely used in high-prestige brands aimed at a high-class public since it is a very authoritative color that stylizes and with minimalist effects can be created.
On the other hand, the symbology of this color can also be associated with death and loss.
Meaning of the color white
The white color is associated with cleanliness, purity, clarity, simplicity, innocence, etc.
It is usually the most used for backgrounds since it gives an absolute perception of space and amplitude.
Meaning of the color violet
The violet or purple color is associated with power, luxury, wisdom, and quality.
However, depending on the shade of purple that we use, it will be the above, or it will be an association of something cheap and of poor quality, so you have to be very careful with its shades.
It is often used in feminine beauty products.
Meaning of the color pink or rose
The pink color conveys warmth, femininity, love, and sexuality. It symbolizes charm and affection.
Although it is a variant of red, it is not a very stimulating color but rather calming unless we use a striking strawberry tone.
It is a psychologically very powerful color, especially for the female public, so highlighting elements of the design so that it draws the attention of our eyes with this color is a very good option.
Tips for using color psychology in advertising and design
Finally, I am going to give you a series of tips so that you can take color theory into account in advertising, graphic design, and web design since the psychology of colors is a field that considerably affects marketing and sales.
- Do not use in excess any striking color that tires your users in the design of your web page.
- Use colors like red and orange to draw attention to the most important elements of your design and make you convert.
- If your corporate color is too strong, use a very soft color to reduce its impact.
- Always think about your target audience before choosing any color.
- Run A/B Tests to see which colors work best for you in your calls to action.
- Always use the same color for the calls to action of your web design, and at most, a primary and a secondary color.
- Do not choose many colors that compete for the user’s attention. You have to be very methodical with this and see that on the same screen we are on, there are not 2 colors at the same time that attract attention and deviate from the main objective.
Should I take color into account for my design?
If it is still not clear to you, the answer is: YES.
Color sells, and it not only serves to attract attention and convert but also to communicate.
You should choose the color based on what you want to convey to your audience, but also based on what it means or represents your brand.
We must not only take into account the perception of color in design but also in fashion, architecture, art, advertising, etc.
Therefore, as you can see, it is not just about this sector, but it affects all sectors in which this element is essential for its success.
