The
Psychology
of Colour in
Marketing &
Branding
How does colour influence buyer behaviour?
85%
of consumers state colour is a
primary reason they buy a product
80%
of people believe colour
increases brand recognition
90%
of judgement is subconsciously
based on colour alone
90
secs
time frame people will
judge a product within
5 most popular brand colours
1
2
no
Blue
4
3
no
Black
5
no
no
Red
no
Yellow
Orange
World’s Most Popular Brand: Apple
Colour: White
In the west, white conveys a product is clean, efficient and simple.
Preferred colour by gender
Women’s
favourite colour
(%)
Men’s
favourite colour
(%)
57
Blue
Green
35
Blue
23
Purple
14
Green
14
Black
9
Red
7
9
Red
Orange
5
3
2
2
1
6
3
3
1
1
Black
Grey
White
Brown
Yellow
Yellow
Brown
White
Grey
Women’s
least favourite
colour
(%)
Men’s
least favourite
colour
(%)
Brown
27
33
Orange
Purple
22
20
Brown
Orange
22
17
Grey
Yellow
13
13
Yellow
White
5
Purple
Grey
5
2
2
1
1
8
6
3
Red
Green
Blue
Black
Green
White
Why is choosing the
right colour important?
Different cultures have different
meanings for colour...
Blue symbolises healing and evil repellence
in Turkey, Greece, Iran and Albania.
...whilst it is associated with femininity
in Holland, and masculinity in Sweden.
Red is considered unlucky in Germany, whilst
associated with masculinity in France and the UK.
Yellow is not so popular in France, being
associated with infidelity…
...and envy in Russia!
Colours that attract
different shoppers
Red
Orange
Black
Conformists
Smart buyers
with a budget
Impulse buyers
Royal
Blue
Teal
Pink
Light
Blue
Navy
Light
Blue
Pink
Rose
Choose the right
colour for your brand
Blue
Red
Yellow
Preferred by males
Creates sense of
urgency, stimulates
appetite
Provokes
cheerfulness and
optimism
Associated with
passion and energy
Used to attract
impulse buyers
Draws immediate focus
Stimulated logic
centres of the brain
Associated with
peace, tranquility
and harmony
Promotes trust
in a brand
Common for
corporate brands
Affects the body,
raising blood pressure
and heart rate
Encourages
communication
Brands:
LinkedIn & Twitter
Brands:
Coca Cola & Red
Brands:
Ikea & Shell
Orange
Black
Green
Provokes
excitement
Represents strength,
power and authority
Represents health
and nature
Used in call
to actions
Used to signify
intelligence and
sophistication
Can help with
depressive states
Represents
confidence
and warmth
Provides a sense
of elegance
More friendly
in tone
Denotes something
is expensive
Brands:
GSK & Firefox
Brands:
Puma & Louis Vuitton
Signifies
new growth
Associated
with wealth
Brands:
Android & Starbucks
4imprint can help
organisations of all sizes boost
brand awareness with a range
of colourful promotional
products for your logo and
marketing messages.
Results are UK based
Sources
http://www.thelogofactory.com/choosing-great-logo-colors-help-brand-selection/
http://www.slideshare.net/adamv/0848097a-brief-history-of-colour-presentation
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/05/color-book/
http://www.colour-affects.co.uk/psychological-properties-of-colours
http://toshlubekproductions.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/how-to-use-colour-to-benefit-your.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/blog/the-spectrum-of-symbolism-color-meanings-around-the-world
http://digitalsynopsis.com/advertising/4-ways-retailers-manipulate-your-senses-make-you-buy/
https://sagent.io/blog/2015/11/25/the-effect-colour-has-on-conversion-rates/
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/color-psychology/
http://webinterpret.com/blog/selling-tips/sell-the-right-colour-the-power-of-colour-in-international-e-commerce/
http://acrwebsite.org/volumes/8468/volumes/v28/NA-28
http://www.colormatters.com/
http://udel.edu/~rworley/e412/Psyc_of_color_final_paper.pdf