Power of Color
The Power of Color
Color can be a powerful tool to convey a message to your clients or prospects. When you are selecting a color as part of your Branding take note of the meanings in various cultures. Often the color you have the most of in your closet is the best opportunity to use Branding in your everyday life. Wear your logo colors to community events and corporate functions and it will be an extension of your Brand without you having to open your mouth or have a brochure.
Other facts on the power of color.
Red
Excitement, energy, passion, desire, movement, speed, strength, health, good fortune, vigor, power, heat, love, all things intense and passionate.
Negative: aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, lust, stop, revolution, overwhelming and agitated.
Some Cultures :
China – symbol of celebration and luck, used in many cultural ceremonies that range from funerals to weddings.
India – color of purity (used in wedding outfits).
United States – Christmas color when combined with green, Valentines Day when combined with pink, indicates stop (danger) at traffic lights.
Eastern cultures – signifies joy when combined with white.
Associations:
Holiday: Yule (Christmas)
Planet: Mars
Day: Tuesday
Astrological: Scorpio
Yellow
Joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, cheerful, laughter gold, philosophy, caution, brightness, intelligence, knowledge, learning, concentration, persuasion, charm, confidence, creativity, happiness, organization and Spring time.
Negative: dishonesty, cowardice, betrayal, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard, criticism, laziness, or cynicism.
*Note: said that too much causes babies to cry and tempers to flare. Also, speeds up metabolism and creativity increases sales.
Some Cultures :
Asia – sacred, imperial.
Western cultures – joy, happiness.
Associations:
Planet: Mercury
Day: Wednesday
Astrological: Gemini, Leo
Blue
Peace, tranquility, calm, devotion, sincerity, honor, steadfast, dependable, loyal, productive, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, spirituality, intuition, inspiration, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, ice, coolness, technology, appetite suppressant, love, acceptance, patience, understanding, cooperation, comfort and loyalty.
* Pale blue (baby blue) stands for an infant boy.
Negative: depression, obscenity, fear, coldness, and passivity.
Some Cultures :
China – associated with immortality.
Colombia – associated with soap..
Hindus – the color of Krishna.
Jews – holiness.
Middle East – protective color.
* Note: Blue is often considered to be the safest global color.
Associations:
Planets: Moon,Venus, Saturn, Jupiter
Days: Monday, Friday, Saturday, Thursday
Astrological: Libra, Sagittarius
Orange
Balance, encouragement, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention, steadfastness, courage, confidence, friendliness, cheerfulness, warmth, excitement, energy fun times, plenty, kindness, adaptability, stimulation, attraction, happy energetic days and ambition.
Negative: Ignorance, inferiority, warning, danger, fire, sluggishness and superiority.
Some Cultures :
Ireland – religious significance (Protestant).
United States – inexpensive goods, Halloween (with black).
Associations:
Holiday: Candlemas
Deities: Brigid
Planets: Sun, Mars, Mercury
Days: Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Astrological:
Green
Nature, environment, healthy, masculine, calming, good luck, prosperity, vitality, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility, money, food, go, grass, hope, growth, charity, wealth, freshness, youth, soothing, sharing and responsiveness.
Negative: jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, greed, constriction, guilt, and disorder.
Some Cultures :
China – studies indicate this is not a good color choice for packaging, green hats mean a man’s wife is cheating on him.
France – studies indicate this is not a good color choice for packaging.
India – the color of Islam.
Ireland – religious significance (Catholic).
Some tropical countries – associated with danger
United States – indicates go (safe) at traffic lights, environmental awareness, St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas color (red and green).
Associations:
Planets: Venus
Mercury
Days: Friday, Wednesday
Holidays: Spring Equinox, Beltane
Astrological: Taurus
Purple
Royalty, piety, sanctity, sentimentality, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, power, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, sophistication, respect and religion.
Negative: cruelty, tension, arrogance, mourning, bruised or foreboding.
Some Cultures :
Western cultures – royalty.
Associations:
Planet: Jupiter
Day: Thursday
Astrological: Sagittarius
Gray
Security, reliability, balance, neutrality, intelligence, staid, modesty, practical, dignity, maturity, timeless, solid, conservative.
Negative: old age, sadness, boring, death, canceling, depression, and loss of direction.
Some Cultures :
Associations:
Planet: Moon
Day: Monday
Deity: Athena
Astrological: Virgo
Brown
Earth, hearth, home, outdoors, friendship, reliability, comfort, Earth, grounding, endurance, stability, simplicity and comfort.
Negative: mourning
Some Cultures :
Colombia – discourages sales.
Associations:
Planets: Moon (tan browns), Venus (all), Saturn (dark browns)
Days: Monday/ Friday/ Saturday
Deity: Gaia
Astrological: Capricorn
Holiday: Mabon
White
Reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, truth, glory, cleansing, healing, protection, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, marriage (Western cultures), cold, clinical, sterile, the full moon, healing, peace, spiritual strength, exorcism, consecration, meditation, divination.
Negative: Blind, winter, unimaginative, surrender, cold, sterility, distant, death (Eastern cultures).
Some Cultures :
Eastern cultures – mourning, death.
Japan – white carnations signify death.
United States – purity (used in weddings).
China- it symbolizes age, autumn, death, misfortune, virginity and purity.
Associations:
Planet: Moon
Day: Monday
Astrological: Cancer
Black
Dramatic, classy, committed, serious, power, authority, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, depth, style, absence of color, good technical color.
Negative: mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, sadness, remorse, anger, mourning, ignorance, coldness, unconscious, underground, satanic rituals, darkness, death (Western cultures).
Some Cultures :
Western cultures – mourning, death.
Associations:
Holiday: Samhain
Planet: Saturn
Day: Saturday
Deities: The Crone
Astrological: Scorpio & Capricorn
Pink
Friendship, unconditional love, conviviality, affections, unselfish emotions, spiritual healing, emotional love.
* pale pink stands for an infant girl.
Negative: Used in prisons to create environment of least resistance
Planet:Venus
Day: Friday
Silver
Purity, the moon, treasure, values, female energy, the unconscious mind.
Day: Monday
Astrological: Gemini
Deity: Artemis and other Moon Goddesses
Gold
The sun, male energy, wealth, financial wisdom, security, understanding, luck, conscious mind, attracting happiness, activity, intelligence.
Planet: Sun
Day: Sunday
Astrological: Leo
Deity: Apollo and other Sun Gods
Did You Know ?
Due to the fact that color affects us both physiologically and psychologically companies such as advertisers, food manufactures, packaging companies , professional webdesigners, car designers, office decorators and so on all use certain colors, shades and tone that will have a positive effect on us. This will influence us buying a product based on its color and the package it comes in. Buildings that are decorated with the right colors can let us feel relaxed and calm.
Colors can be broken into three different categories: neutrals, warms and cools:
Neutral colors
Black, white, gray, beige, brown
Warm colors
Red, orange, yellow, yellow-green, purple
Cool colors
Blue, violet, turquoise, sea-green, green
