Cyber Apple colour psychology impact article

Blog

How can colour psychology impact your business?

Most of our decisions are subconsciously based on first impressions and glances — and one of the first things we react to is colour! We often start with its colour whenever we describe an object because the colour is integral to our visual database. Colour is important because we see it in everything and use it to differentiate one thing from another.

How to make colour work for you?

Choosing the right colour can make or break your brand and website. This colour will affect how consumers perceive your brand and what values they associate with it. While colours can mean different things to different cultures, studies have shown universal meanings for each colour in advertising.

Blue: Trust, loyalty, dependability

Examples: Facebook, IBM, Twitter

Blue is one of the most popular colours, so our minds naturally associate it with reliability and dependability. Banks often go with blue logos to emanate their trust and loyalty. As social media is becoming a powerful force in the world for users to unite and create social change, it’s no wonder Twitter and Facebook also opted for blue in their branding.

Red: Excitement, energy, urgency

Examples: Coca-Cola, Lego, Lululemon

Red is a colour that evokes a passionate response, and the brands that use it are often known for being associated with energy and excitement. Who would’ve thought a soft drink, a children’s construction toy, and a yoga brand could find common ground? This highlights how one feeling can be linked to many different ideas and memories.

Yellow: Warmth, happiness, optimism

Examples: Ikea, Mcdonald's, Cheerios

Like the sun, yellow is associated with all things warm and happy. Combined with a good slogan, you can make your audience associate your brand with a warm and cosy atmosphere.

Green: Nature, health, peace

Examples: Whole Foods, The Body Shop, Perrier

“Going Green” is a term coined to mean being environmentally friendly, but it’s often taken quite literally. Green is often associated with anything good for the ecosystem and our bodies.

White: Simplicity, clarity, balance

Examples: Apple, Wikipedia

Who doesn’t know the iconic Apple logo? White is not only the colour of clarity and simplicity. It’s also the colour of balance because it represents the presence of every colour in the spectrum; it’s whole and complete. Crisp is clean and representative of Apple’s compact and sleek products.

Black: Classic, elegance, power

Examples: Nike, Adidas, Sony

You’ll find that black is a popular choice amongst sports and fitness brands because it’s classic and shows power in its simplicity. The intensity and focus of sports are translated into black as if to say “no distractions.”

A colour can be so powerful in conjuring a brand that some companies may go as far as trademarking a particular hue (yes, “Tiffany Blue,” we are talking about you!).

Colour is especially relevant when branding because it can cause immediate recognition of your brand without even a logo or a name — but whether that recognition is positive or negative depends on how people perceive the colour.