

While some companies choose to match customer expectations by using their industry’s common colors, others have found that going against the grain can be a very effective way to make an impression. Via Buffer: These famous brands chose colors that elicit the desired emotion.Ĭustomers also form color associations for certain industries, such as blue for tech, green for health, and red for fast food. Brand and industryĪs you can see in this chart, many popular companies have used color psychology in marketing to evoke a particular emotion in their customers. If you'd like to learn more about color meanings, check out Canva's interactive tool on color meanings and symbolism. Men and women often have different color preferences, and colors that are en vogue this year might be much more effective with a younger or higher-income audience. Keep in mind that color associations vary from culture to culture and from person to person. Take a look at the color psychology chart below to see some of the emotions and themes traditionally associated with colors: This is especially true on mobile screens, where users are more likely to be outdoors or in bright places that cause screen glare.Ĭolor psychology and emotional associationsĬolors can provoke emotions for many people. Low-contrast text is beautiful and harmonious, but the higher-contrast text is much more usable. When you’re using colors in text, be aware that placing two colors with low-value contrast next to each other can make your copy very difficult to read (whether they are complementary or analogous colors). Calm, a meditation app, uses the analogous colors blue and green to help users feel relaxed and peaceful. They have lower contrast, and they can be used to create a sense of harmony and continuity in a design. The complementary scheme immediately catches the eye and the red notification demands attention.Ĭolors that are next to each other in the wheel are analogous. Take a look at Apple's Messages app icon. They contrast strongly, and they can be used to attract the viewer’s attention and build energy. The lightness or darkness of a color is known as its value.Ĭolors that are opposite each other on the wheel are complementary.

White can be added to a color to create tints, and black can be added to create shades. Primary colors (red/magenta, yellow, and blue/cyan) can be mixed to create secondary colors (orange, green, and purple). If not (or if it was more than a few years ago), here’s a quick refresher. If you’ve ever taken an art class, chances are you’re familiar with the color wheel. We’ll also share some of the findings from a study we conducted to learn how men and women perceive color schemes differently and how color can attract attention and make a website memorable. Testing color choices - sample test questions.The impact of color on conversion rates.

Color psychology and emotional associations.It would be impossible to test everything, but we’ve picked up a few tricks and trends about how color affects users’ attitudes and behavior. With an infinite number of possible color combinations out there, it can be hard to decide what colors will make the biggest impact on your site or app. It’s also one of the main factors in customers’ perception of a brand-and don't forget that color impacts conversions, too. You can use color to impact users’ emotions, draw their attention, and put them in the right frame of mind to make a purchase. Color is one of the most powerful tools in the designer’s toolkit.
