Color Theory for Business and Life

October 25, 2007 87 Comments

Add Power of Color to Your Business and Life

Of all the forms of non-verbal communication, color is the most instantaneous method of conveying messages and meanings. Our very survival depends on the ability to identify necessary objects and/or warning signals from colors that we relate to them.

Often called the “silent salesperson,” color must immediately attract the holder’s eye, convey the message of what the business is about, create a brand identity, and most importantly, help to make the sale. Much of the human reaction to color is subliminal and consumers are generally unaware of the persuasive effects of color.

Below are some emotional associations that people tend to associate with certain colors. These are important to keep in mind in order to create an effective business card that will appeal to the holder on a subconscious level. Don’t try to reinvent the color wheel. Use color combinations to your advantage!

Blue

Blue is often considered to be the safest global color. Blue represents peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, cold, technology, and depression. Blue can slow the pulse rate, lower body temperature, and reduce appetite. Blue is considered a business color because it reflects reliability.

* In China, blue is associated with immortality.
* For the Jewish faith, blue symbolizes holiness.
* The pharaohs of ancient Egypt wore blue for protection against evil.
* In ancient Rome, public servants wore blue. Today, police and other public servants wear blue.
* If you are “true blue,” you are loyal and faithful.

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Black

Black is the absence of light and therefore, of color. It represents power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, underground, good technical color, mourning and death.

* The ancient Egyptians and Romans used black for mourning, as do most Europeans and Americans today.
* If a business is “in the black,” it is making money.
* Black is associated with sophistication and elegance. A “black tie” event is formal.
* The ancient Egyptians believed that black cats had divine powers.

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Green

Green, one of most-often cited favorite colors. It represents nature, environment, health, good luck, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune. Green is a healing color, the color of nature. It is often worn in operating rooms by surgeons.

* In China, green hats mean a man’s wife is cheating on him; it is not a good color for packaging.
* In France studies have indicated green is not a good color choice for packaging either.
* Ancient Egyptians colored the floors of their temples green.
* In ancient Greece, green symbolized victory.
* In some tropical countries green is associated with danger.
* Green means “go.” When “all systems are green,” it means everything is in order.

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Orange

Orange is seen as the warmest of all colors. Orange contains some of the drama of red, tempered by the cheerful good humor of yellow. In graphic mediums, it can give a giddy, comedic and cartoon-like impression, so it’s not a good choice for conveying a serious message.

Orange, along with red and yellow have been shown to exert a measurable effect on the autonomic nervous system, which stimulates the appetite.

Research reveals that the lighter shades of orange such as peach, apricot, coral, and melon have some of the most pleasant word associations. These softer shades are pleasing to the sophisticated eye and very appealing to the upscale or affluent market.

It has luminous qualities and has been used for attention-getting purposes, such as on caution signs. Orange brings up memories of fall leaves, pumpkins and Halloween. It symbolizes balance, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrancy, flamboyancy, and is demanding of attention.

* In Ireland orange has religious significance (Protestant).
* Popular in cultures such as Mexico and India.
* Taste-wise, orange is connected to the sweet tang of the fruit that bears its name.
* Popular with fast food restaurants for it’s appetite-appealing nature

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Purple

Purple represents royalty, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning. Purple is considered an exotic color. The Egyptian queen Cleopatra loved purple. To obtain one ounce of Tyrian purple dye, she had her servants soak 20,000 Purpura snails for 10 days. Today purple is a trendy color targeting creative types.

* Purple robes are an emblem of authority and rank.
* Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases 10 times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass.
* Purple in a child’s room is said to help develop the imagination according to color theory.
* Richard Wagner composed his operas in a room with shades of violet, his color of inspiration.

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Red

Red is the color that we pay the most attention to. It is the warmest and most energetic color in the spectrum. From negligees to sports cars to food, red stimulates all kinds of appetites – it is true that red can literally turn you on.

In print or at point of purchase red is virtually unignorable. Word association studies and consumer response studies tell us that the consumer sees red as passionate, provocative, exciting and dynamic. It’s also seen as the sexiest of all colors.

When red tones are deepened to shades of burgundy, they maintain the excitement of the red from which it stems. The consumer responds to these wine tones as rich, refined, and expensive.

Because of its visibility, stop signs, stoplights, brake lights, and fire equipment are all painted red. We associate red with love, valentines, danger, desire, speed, strength, violence, anger, emergency exit signs, stop signs and blood.

* Red can evoke a fight-or-flight response, raise blood pressure and make the heart beat faster.
* Red is the color most commonly found in national flags.
* In China red symbolizes celebration and luck and is used in many cultural ceremonies.
* In India red is the color of purity.
* For the ancient Romans, a red flag was a signal for battle.
* A “red-letter day” is one of special importance and good fortune.

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White

White is what we see when all colors come together in perfect balance. It represents reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility, and marriage. We use white in figures of speech like “pure as the snow” or “a white lie.” We associate white with the good guy in old western movies.

* A white flag is the universal symbol for truce.
* The ancient Greeks wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams.
* The Egyptian pharaohs wore white crowns.
* The ancient Persians believed all gods wore white.
* It’s considered good luck to be married in a white garment.
* A white list contains favored items (as opposed to a blacklist).

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Yellow

Yellow reminds us of sunshine, light and warmth. In lighter variations, we see yellow as cheerful and mellow. Studies show that most American prefer yellows that are sunbaked and warm, such as a sunflower petal.

In nature, yellow and black is the most unignorable combination of colors. Ancient associations with insects or animals of this color say: you better pay attention to me. Poisonous frogs of the Amazon rain forest and yellowjacket bees are a perfect example. For that reason, yellow is an excellent color that is less than subtitle – suitable for the “heavy duty” image you want to capture.

Yellow represents joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, spirituality and inspiration. The yellow rose is a symbol of friendship, less passionate or threatening than red ones.

* Yellow has good visibility and is often used as a color of warning.
* In Asia yellow is sacred, and imperial.
* In India, yellow is the symbol for a merchant or farmer.
* In Japan during the War of Dynasty in 1357, each warrior wore a yellow chrysanthemum as a pledge of courage.
* A yellow ribbon is a sign of support for soldiers at the front.
* To holistic healers, yellow is the color of peace.

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