Today I was reading the March issue of my favorite magazine, Real Simple. Don't ask me why I'm fascinated with this magazine. They have 'features' that just tickle me. One of my favorites is new uses for ordinary items; this month it was the colander. (Ok, Ok, I know if I don't tell you, I'll get mail: outdoor planter, knitting assistant, splatter blocker.) They also have single pages on what I would term: fun and useless facts. So, I'm turning pages and stumble across a page devoted to an analysis of color.
Artists think about color all the time. Animals (including people) use color to attract mates. I remember in the 1970's you could match your skin to the colors that compliment it, and we went around saying, "I'm a Winter, or I'm a Spring". I didn't realize how much time and money marketing executives spend commissioning studies of color from psychologists. These studies help corporations decide what 'color' they are going to use in their packaging, their advertisements, their signage, the products, and even the paint in their stores. I discovered certain colors have become associated with certain types of products. Here we go....
Black: signature color of 'sophistication'. Dominates high end make up.
Blue: since almost everybody likes blue, we equate it with trust and dependability. Think financial institutions. Check this - patrons are 15% more likely to return to a store with blue color schemes rather than orange. Speaking of orange
Orange: associations with fairness and affordability. Think Home Depot and Payless.
Burgundy: connotates rich and refined. A merlot item will cost more than the same product in white. Brown is also part of this rich thing.
Pink: especially the shade close to bubble gum has a calming effect. Hmmm. I've never noticed this in the Barbie aisle.
Red: Stores like this color, but market analysis indicates consumers associate this with STOP (like the sign), and this color might inhibit spending.
Green: has become synonymous with ecology/environmentalism. Canny marketeers use green without making any eco claims.
Violet: purple reigns in the beauty industry especially in anti-aging products - think royalty; thus we are willing to pay a princely sum for the product
White: simplicity and purity. 75% of skin care products are packaged in white. It also stands for modernity and honesty. Perhaps that's why Apple chose it for their initial products.
Yellow: evokes energy and increases appetite. Can you say Golden Arches?
I thought all this was interesting in kind of an 'oh, yeah, way. Plus, we all needed a break from American History. This was recess.
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