Smith_Psychology_Color.pdf

8/11/2019 Smith_Psychology_Color.pdf

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Remember this from the website

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Im that customer

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And in digital media.

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Most of the information we take in is visual.

Before we recognize anything else including words we see motion, the edgesof shapes, contour, contrast and color. Can you start to see why logo design

and brand colors become important in connecting with your customer beforethey even ready your name or message?

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Whether you recognize it our not, color has a profound impact on the choicesyou make every day.

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It plays a major role in the things you purchase. Studies have show that colorcan motivate your purchase behavior by as much as 85%.

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It also plays a major role in brand recognition. Can you recognize all of thesebrands? I bet you can. No name needed!

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When we expect something to be in one color and it shows up in another itgets our attention. This may be good for grabbing attention but be careful. Ouringrained ideas about color could kick in an reject what we first found novel.That is exactly what happened to colored ketchup. It had an amazing run for

about two years but the novelty couldnt overcome the fact that peoplecouldnt get used to eating green or blue or yellow ketchup.

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A few people have already asked me, What is color psychology and why do I need to

know anything about it? Those are very good quesons.

In the most general terms, Color Psychology describes the study of our physical,

mental and emoonal responses to color

So why might you want to understand a lile something about color psychology?

You will want to understand the basics of color psychology because, as we described

in the first session, color touches just about every aspect of your life. It plays a role in

everything from what you choose to eat to the bole of shampoo your reach for or

the vehicle you decide to purchase. Color is silently direcng your acons and

reacons over and over again each and every day. Understanding a bit about how

color wields so much power can give you the knowledge to put it to work for you

both in your business and in every aspect of your life.

Once you discover some of the secrets of colors messages and meanings you can

have fun nocing all of the ways color shapes your view of the world.

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I would like you to begin by getting a picture in your mind of all the many,many colors there are in the world. Okay, do you think youhave got it?Usually Im not sure if people are thinking of a big enough number but

considering who Im talking to I bet you are..

Careful measurement of our visual system's best performance have beenmade by psychophysicists and have shown that we can see about 10 millioncolors. For most peoplethat number explodes even their grandest picture of

all of the colors in the world" ?

But we are not done yet and this is where I think it gets really interesting. Nowtake that big number of 10 million colors and multiply it by the 7 billion+ peoplein the world who each have their own unique and very personal interaction

with colors. Wow, that is one big number.

For me this is what makes color such a fascinating topic! There are millions ofcolors that can be put together into an infinite number of color combinationsand schemes. Throw in how people think about all of those colors and

schemes and youre beginning to understand why I always say that when it

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Color reaches far beyond what you can see and taps into your heart, mind andbody. Most of the time you aren't consciously aware of the effects of color.Even when you are tuned in however it may be difficult for you to pin down

exactly why you are responding in a particular way to a color or color scheme.That is because there may be a myriad of signals all converging into a single

response.

The good news is that while many of your reactions to color are subjective,

there are responses that can be accurately predicted. Gaining insight fromwhat has been discovered by studying the science, symbolism and psychology

of color can give you a jumping off point for determining what colors mightwork best in any given situation.

When you combine the messages and meanings of color with a solidunderstanding of the basics of color application you create a powerful base of

knowledge that will serve you well whether you are helping your orredecorating your own living room.

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Throughout history purple has been associated with royalty, nobility and presge but

did you ever wonder why?

It is because of a color known as Tyrian purple. This color was produced from a

purple-red natural dye, which was extracted from sea snails, It was possibly the first

dye produced by the ancient Phoenicians and was greatly prized in anquity because

it did not fade but in fact became more intense with weathering and sunlight.

Tyrian purple was expensive and a 4th-century-BC historian reported, "Purple for

dyes fetched its weight in silver" The expense meant that purple-dyed texles

became status symbols, and early laws restricted its uses. The producon of Tyrian

purple was ghtly controlled in Byzanum and was subsidized by the imperial court,

which restricted its use for the coloring of imperial silks.

It was at this me that the saying "born in the purplefirst came about and referred

to a child born to a reigning emperor.

Because of these connecons Tyrian purple is somemes called royal purple or

imperial purple. This is how purple came to symbolize royalty, nobility and presge.

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Did you say white?

Ask a person in a western culture what color they associate with a wedding dress and

the answer is most likely going to be white. Years of seeing brides or images of

brides dressed in white has ingrained the idea that white equals bridal gown into our

mind. Ask the same queson to someone in another part of the world and you may

get a very different answer.

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For example, if you asked this queson to someone in India they might say red. This

is a color that is commonly associated with a bridal gown (or saris as they are called).

But it could also be green, gold or another color depending on the region of the

country they are from. As you can see our associaon of color and how it relates to a

wedding dress is a learned response based on our experience.

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Red is a good example of a color that has different meanings in different countries. In

China, red symbolizes success, prosperity, good fortune and joy. The color red is

oXen described as auspicious, which is a word that means a favorable outcome or

promise of success. Red is found everywhere during the Chinese New Year and other

holidays and family gatherings.

The color red is also auspicious in Tibetan culture. It is a sacred color, one of the

colors of the five Buddha's and the color of the monk's garments. It is believed to

have protecve qualies and is oXen used to paint sacred buildings.

Red Chinese knot like the one you see on the screen is bent, ed and craXed from a

single red rope, to express the endless circle of a happy life.

Red Lantern are found everywhere, in the house and in the streets as well. They are

hung to symbolizes brightness, harmony, happiness and good luck. It is supposed to

warm the house, send away evil spirits and create an atmosphere of harmony.

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However, in the United States red has many different color associaons than in

China. It is the color of fast cars and sexy women. It is a color that gets your aenon

and calls you to acon. It is also the color of hearts, roses and love.

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Color meanings based on symbolism and cultural associaons have been researched

and are well documented.

There have also been many scienfic studies done on the effects of color on the body

and mind

Take a look at the two rooms in the slide. Which one would warm you up on a cold

winters day? How about during the heat of summer? Which room would feel

cooler?


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Color can impact how warm or cool we feel. As you can see in this statement from

Pantone, who is a leader in global color the office that was light blue made the

employees think that they were cold or the office was cold. Yet all it took was

changing the color to change their percepon of the temperature even though the

actual temperature hadnt changed.

So why is it that blue makes use feel calm and cool?


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For centuries man spent most of the day outdoors and when it came me for a break

he would just find a comfortable spot on the ground, lay down and stare up at the big

blue sky. Soon it took lile more than gazing at blue for mans body to begin going

into its relaxaon mode.

He also might take a break to quench his thirst or cool off at the waters edge. A

pond, or a slow-moving stream is oXen blue, reflecng the sky above. Looking at the

flowing water or gentle waves could be almost hypnoc adding to the res_ul feelings.

Today, being surrounded by blue can also calm you down and make you feel at

peace. On the other hand, red produces enrely different feelings.


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Now think about the color red. What comes to mind? This hue has more personal

associaons than any other color, but there are two that are most common. For

many people, red calls to mind love, romance and passion; the hearts of Valenne's

Day or the sexy woman in a red dress. Yet for many others red is associated with

fast cars, aggressive behavior and even rage as in "seeing red".

So how is it that the same color has come to represent two things that are at

opposite ends of the emoonal spectrum? When I first began studying color

psychology this didnt make sense to me. The more I studied the more I came to

understand how it works and here it is in a nutshell.

Its because red is inherently excing. It smulates energy, increases your blood

pressure, respiraon, heartbeat and pulse rate. Think about both love and rage.

These emoons produce similar physical reacons. Love can make your heart beat a

lile faster and your palms sweat. Anger and rage also raises your blood pressure

and makes you heart pound faster, but for a different reason. Love, anger and thecolor red all produce changes in our body that are very similar and this is what has

reinforced the idea that these two emoons both are linked to red.


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Now think of the many symbolic colors you incorporate into your own life. How

many can you come up with? Start by thinking about how you decorate for the

holidays or what you might wear when your favorite sports team is playing. Now

take a few minutes to think about the other color associaons you have learned over

me.

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Yellow shines with opmism, enlightenment, and happiness. Shades of golden yellow

carry the promise of a posive future. Yellow will advance from surrounding colors

and insll energy, as well as spark creave thoughts.

Sing at the top of the color wheel, yellow is closest in luminosity to white. When

used with dark colors or black it creates dramac and grabs aenon because of the

high contrast.

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The color green occupies more space in the visible spectrum than any other color.

This means we can discern more greens than say reds or oranges or other colors. It is

thought that this is because green dominates the natural world making it necessary

for us to be able to see all of the many variaons of this color.

The natural greens, from forest to lime are seen as tranquil and refreshing. Green is

the natural balance of warm (yellow) and cool (blue). It is considered the color of

peace and ecology.

Heres a lile fun color fact about green. Dark green has long been associated with

money and wealth in the U.S. and it just happens to be the color named most oXen

as a favorite by American millionaires.

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Blue, the overwhelming favorite color,is seen as trustworthy, dependable, and

commied. The color of ocean and sky, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives. As

the collecve color of the spirit, it eases our mind and encourages rest and

relaxaon.

Your sensory reacons to lighter blues can result in a slower pulse rate and lower

body temperature. When blue taps into your body chemistry it may influence the

hormones that help produce feels of well being. Being surrounded by blue seems to

help calm feelings of anxiety, relieve depression and allow you to feel at peace.

When the body is out of balance it is these same hormones that are believed to

produce feelings of depression and may be how feeling blue may have come to mean

feeling down or depressed rather than feeling peaceful.

Not all blues are serene and sedate. Electric or brilliant blues become dynamic and

energec -- an engaging color that expresses exhilaraon.

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The color purple embodies the balance of reds smulaon and blues calm. It is a

color that is difficult for our eyes to discriminate. There is a dichotomy to purple that

can cause unrest or uneasiness unless you can clearly see that it leans slightly red or

blue, at which point the purple takes on some of the characteriscs of either its red

or blue undertone.

Similar to yellow, purple can switch between warm and cool with just small amounts

of blue or red added. Opposite to yellow in the fact that it is closest to black it has the

lowest luminosity of the colors on the color wheel.

A sense of mystery coupled with purples sensual and spiritual qualies, make it a

color oXen well liked by very creave or eccentric types as well as being named the

favorite by adolescent girls.

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Seen first in the rainbow, red is the one of the color people in all cultures first

idenfied by its own name.

Red is inherently excing; the amount of red relates directly to the level of energy

perceived. As a smulant and power color, red draws aenon: A keen use of red as

an accent can immediately focus aenon on a parcular element. And as we talked

about red has more personal associaon than any other color.

Now think back to some of the associaons we talked about that people have for the

color red. For some the meanings can be posive, for others they may be negave.

For instance, you could relate to the red in one way, while your customer could react

in another.

Red encourages acon and confidence. The color we prefer can say something about

our personality. People who prefer red are usually energec, full of life, and like to do

things quickly. Are you a red lover?

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Pink is a nt of red. Toning down the passion of red with the purity of white and it

results in the soXer pinks being associated with romance and the blush of a young

womans cheeks. Pink is sensual and passionate without being too aggressive. It's

not surprising that when giving or receiving flowers, pink blossoms are a favorite.

Pink can be youthful, fun, and excing, and the more vibrant, bold pinks have the

same high energy as red.

Pink is the color of happiness and is somemes seen as lighthearted. For women who

are oXen overworked and overburdened, an aracon to pink may speak of a desire

to return to their more carefree days of childhood.

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Orange can be found in nature, the sun, fall leaves, fruit, and flowers. Orange

simulates acvity and appete, and encourages socializaon.

Orange, a close relave of red, oXen sparks more controversy than any other hue. If

you ask people how they feel about orange, it generally elicits a very strong love it

or hate itresponse. Ask the same people that said that they dont like orange how

they feel about terra coa or peach and they oXen say they like those colors. They

just dont like orange.

Hmmm, so when people say they dont like orange they are usually referring to true

pumpkin orange or orange orange.. So if you suggest orange and get a negave

reacon you will want to dig a bit deeper. You may just find that your customer likes

a color that falls into the orange color family aXer all.

Ever noce how many fast-food restaurants use orange in their logo or dcor?

Orange is known of simulang acvity and appete. It is also associated with thingsthat cost less or are more economical. Now does not it make sense that these

restaurants surround you with this color in hopes that when you are looking for a

reasonably priced meal you will get in, get full fast, and get out!

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The color white projects purity, cleanliness, and neutrality. White is the essence of all

color.

When you combine all of the colors of light it produces white. Whereas in painng

and pigment, it is the absence of color just like the blank canvas.

In design, white gives your eyes a place to rest making the white space an integral

part of any design.

A doctor dons a white coat, a bride wears a white wedding gown, and a white picket

fence surrounds a safe, cozy, and happy home.

White encourages us to clear obstacles and cluer. Think of how a fresh white page

in your journal or newly fallen snow opens our minds to new beginnings and endless

possibilies.

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Gray is the color of balance, knowledge, and wisdom.

It is long lasng, classic, and oXen seen as sleek or refined. It is a color that is

dignified, conservave, and authoritave.

Controlled and inconspicuous, its considered a color of compromise, perhaps

because it sits between the extremes of black and white.

The color gray is the perfect neutral, which is why designers oXen use it as a

background color. It is the only color or neutralthat will not invade or change an

adjacent color.

Color designers use a mid-scale gray paper to compare colors for matching and

specifying as it helps to separate out the differences between two or more samples

more easily than using white.

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Black is authoritave and a powerful color. It calls up in us feels of a primordial void

and because of that connecon black can evoke very strong emoons and too much

can be overwhelming.

Black represents a lack of color or maybe more correctly a lack of light and therefore

a lack of color.

Of all of the associaons and connecons we make to black, a majority are in some

way connected to things that are upscale or expensive as you can see in the few

examples that I am showing.

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From http://blog.marketo.com/blog/2012/06/true-colors-what-your-brand-colors-say-about-your-business.html

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Here are tope web brands by color to give you a few more to think about.Now take it back to your business. Are your colors a match for your brand?

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Smith_Psychology_Color.pdf

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Transcript of Smith_Psychology_Color.pdf