Invent Creativity

Posted by admin at August 7th, 2007

As a designer I have always been fascinated by the psychology of color. Chances are if you haven’t really heard of this, today is your lucky day. I will discuss what emotions a color causes and why corporate America does the things it does all because of colors. Some things may seem unbelievable, but keep in mind they are true. That is why true Graphic Designers always keep their color theory top of mind when designing.

Black

Black is a color of power and it is also said that black makes people appear thinner. Hence the reason businessmen 9 out of ten times will wear a black suit on the cover of a business magazine. Black also makes people seem evil at a mystical sense.

White

White symbolizes purity and innocence. The utmost reason why brides wear a white dress during a marriage ceremony. It also implies a sterile environment and that is why doctors and nurses are more prone to wearing white clothing.

Red

Red is a color that increases the heart rate and breath. If you want to negotiate then do not wear red clothing or jewelry. This also includes lipstick for women. Red is overpowering and reduces the trust in an individual by perception. The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy. The reason Baskin Robins paints their store pink is because it makes vanilla ice cream taste sweater.

Blue

Blue is one of the calmest colors and is a color that should be seen frequently. Blue also symbolizes loyalty and that is why one should wear blue to a job interview. People are also more productive in blue rooms and increase work efficiency.

Green

Green is the obvious color that symbolizes nature. Green also helps calm the mind in a more tranquil way. That is why movie studios use green to calm people. It is also why it is many times found in hospitals in waiting rooms to calm the patient.

Yellow

Yellow is the most interesting color. Only use a legal notepad that is yellow because it helps increase memory capability to recall information. They say if you put a couple in a yellow room vs. any other room, the couple in the yellow room will fight more frequently. Yellow is also a color that makes people hungry. Hence the reason why all restaurants use some yellow in their logos. McDonalds, Taco Del Mar, Denny’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy’s…you name it.

Purple

Purple is a color that signifies royalty. Another reason why Taco Bell uses purple is to play off their cheap food at a less cheap perception. Purple is also a feminine color that stimulates the mind of the opposite sex. That is why women should wear purple on their first date to help create more attraction. FedEx paints their airplanes tip purple because it reduces the weight of the aircraft thereby saving them money.

Brown

Brown is a color that is known to be reliable as it can be found throughout nature. A lighter version of brown signifies one with logic and common knowledge (smart).

So creatives, use color theory to your advantage to motivate people to take your call to action. To get people to feel the way you would like them to.