Colors are an inseparable element of everyday reality. Some colors attract us, others repel us. Each, however, has its own unique impact on the recipient. Not only psychologists, but also marketers are well aware of this fact. The latter effectively use the meaning of colors in advertising and business in order to be able to influence the purchasing decisions of customers and build an attractive image of their brand. Are the colors in marketing really that important? Can the colors of the website decide about the company’s success? You can find answers to these and more questions in the article.
The importance of colors in marketing
Marketing is a field that is a perfect example of the impact of individual colors on a person. Individual branches of business use this effectively, adhering to the discoveries of the psychology of colors. This science confirms that colors have a specific influence on us. Some give you energy, stimulate you to act, while others relax, calm down or inspire confidence. Being aware of these impacts, marketers scrupulously construct advertisements so that they most accurately affect the recipients.
Color is not only used to create advertisements. It is an indispensable attribute of product packaging, company logo or visual identification of stores. Color is also an important element in internet marketing. You have to choose it skillfully when creating your website. In many cases, a specific color can determine the success of the conversion, more about that later in this article.
Color in marketing, including internet marketing, fulfills several functions. Here are the most important of them:
– Aesthetic – the aesthetic value of the colors cannot be ignored; appropriate combination of colors makes consumers more willing to reach for specific products or stay longer on a selected website;
– Emotional – colors affect emotions, evoke specific associations and can stimulate specific actions, so it is worth knowing what colors to use to create the intended effect in the recipients;
– Informational – colors in marketing are also used to provide recipients with specific information about the offer or product;
– Constructive – the task of color is also to integrate the entire marketing message and ensure its consistency.
Can a color influence a purchasing decision?
Yes it can. Color is an important element that influences consumers’ final purchasing decisions, but not the only one. Remember that most decisions in our lives are made unconsciously, although we want to think the opposite is true. And it is this unconsciousness that is influenced by color. The color that evokes specific feelings, thoughts and emotions in us may decide whether we decide to buy a given product or take advantage of a specific offer. It is not without reason that there is a color of trust or a color of security. If the colors of the website or product evoke positive associations in us, then we will be much more likely to take advantage of the offer or purchase.
Blue color – meaning
The blue color evokes clearly positive associations in the recipients. It is the color of trust, professionalism, wisdom and truth. It is associated with a sense of stability, but also cleanliness, peace and composure. Many brands use blue in their visual identification. A perfect example is Facebook or Twitter, but also companies from the insurance and banking industry. Blue helps to establish a positive relationship with the customer.
Red color – meaning
This intense color can evoke extreme emotions. On the one hand, it brings to mind positive associations related to love, passion or passion, on the other, however, it is a strong warning sign. In addition, red is associated with energy, strength, aggression, stimulates action, and effectively stimulates intense emotions.
Due to such a strong effect of the red color, it is skillfully dosed in marketing. It is usually used to mark promotions and occasions. It is also great for highlighting the CTA button – not only will it make it more visible to the recipient, but also encourage them to take action that may translate into the conversion of the store.
Remember not to overdo it with red. It is best to keep it in the color scheme of the website to highlight its most important elements. An excess of red can become irritating to the eye in the long run and make the customer leave the site faster.
Orange color – meaning
Orange brings to mind fun, is associated with positive energy and good emotions. Like red, it also encourages action. This color is often used in marketing to draw the customer’s attention to discounts and bargains.
Yellow color – meaning
Another intense color is yellow. This color is quite ambiguous, just like red. On the one hand, yellow is associated with the sun, joy, energy and vacation, on the other hand, it is used, for example, for warning signs. Therefore, it is important to skillfully use yellow in marketing. A great example of the effective use of this color is, of course, the McDonald’s company. There is probably no person in the world who would not associate the characteristic yellow letter M. It is worth noting that over time, the second intense color, i.e. red, has disappeared from the brand’s logo. Such a combination is considered too flashy today. Currently, the yellow M is used alone or in combination with a more muted brown.
Yellow, like red and orange, is recommended for use in creating CTA buttons on a page. It is also worth using this color to emphasize the unique features of the product or offer. It will also work well when highlighting promotions and discounts.
Green color – meaning
Green is the color of safety. It is associated with nature, ecology, peace and harmony. According to color psychology, green stimulates creativity and also increases credibility. In marketing, green is most often used by banks, medical and pro-health industries, as well as by all those who want to emphasize the ecological activity of their company.
Green is the color of gentleness. Therefore, if we want to evoke delicate feelings and gentle positive emotions in our recipient, this shade will be perfect. Green may dominate the colors of the website if it is justified in the visual identification of the company. This color is also very soothing and friendly to the eyes. It is worth knowing that subconsciously people like to look at everything that is green, because our eyes then rest.
Black color – meaning
Black is considered by many to be a dark and unambiguously negative color, but it takes on a completely new meaning in marketing. Black is also a symbol of elegance and luxury combined with minimalism. It is worth noting that the most prestigious brands in the world often use black in their logos. This color also symbolizes the high quality of products or offer, as well as timelessness, reliability and efficiency.
White color – meaning
White is a universal color that is often the background for all other colors. In the psychology of colors, it symbolizes innocence, delicacy and subtlety. This is why white is a common shade in ads for tissues, toilet paper and cleaning products. We can also find it in promotional campaigns for more prestigious products, such as jewelry, perfumes, and even electronic equipment.
Thanks to the skilful use of white, you can effectively display other elements of the marketing message. It is worth noting that many brands, when creating a company logo, decide to combine a specific color with white. Such a logo is used by most sports brands, such as Adidas, Nike or Puma. Other examples include Coca-Cola and Samsung.
Combining colors in marketing
Knowing the symbolism of colors is one thing. The real art is their skilful combination that allows you to get the best possible effect that will not only meet the aesthetic expectations, but also create the desired impression on the recipients. To achieve this, it is worth focusing primarily on balance.
Subdued colors such as blue, green, but also brown, black or white should be most often chosen as the basis for creating a marketing message. It is especially important when selecting the colors of the website. Here, subdued colors should be the basis, while bright colors such as red, yellow or red should be used for elements that require distinction. Eye-catching shades are best for CTA buttons or listing promotions, deals and discounts. If some content on the website is particularly important, it is also worth highlighting it with an intense color.
However, it should be remembered that bright colors should not dominate. Their excessive number may distort the final reception of the marketing message and make it unreadable for the recipient.
Many companies also focus on brand marketing that is based on contrasts. Paraphrase-Online.com is the perfect example of this. The use of two opposing and expressive colors in visual identification allows you to achieve a clear and clear message. This effect is not only valid for black and white. Contrasting colors are also violet and yellow, orange and blue, or green and red. Examples of brands that use this aesthetic treatment include Mountain Dew, the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, and the Firefox browser.
In summary, colors in marketing are an important element, although it should be remembered that it complements the entire message. When choosing the colors of the product packaging, the colors of the website or when creating an advertisement, it is worth remembering what effect a given shade has and skillfully combine it with the remaining color range. The choice of colors can really translate into the conversion of the store. It is therefore worth checking whether customers are more likely to click red or green buttons. One cannot forget about the consistency of the message. The selected colors must reflect the company’s mission and vision, and at the same time be eye-friendly and aesthetically pleasing.
