The psychology of color as it relates to persuasion is one of the most interesting — and most controversial — aspects of marketing.

The problem has always been a depth of analysis. Color theory is a topic of complexity and nuance, but splashy infographics rarely go beyond See ‘n Say levels of coverage. In this article, we will talk about how colors can change brand concepts and their impact on the audience.

Common misconceptions about colors

As research shows, it’s likely because personal preference, experiences, upbringing, cultural differences, and context often muddy the effect individual colors have on us. So the idea that colors such as yellow or purple are able to evoke some sort of hyper-specific emotion is about as accurate as your standard palm reading.

But there’s still plenty to learn and consider if we humbly accept that concrete answers aren’t a guarantee. The key is to look for practical ways to make decisions about color.

Colors and their impact on branding

First let’s address branding, which is one of the more important issues relating to color perception and the area where many articles on this subject run into problems. The truth is that color is too dependent on personal experiences to be universally translated to specific feelings. There are, however, broader messaging patterns to be found in color perceptions.

Researchers found that up to 90% of snap judgments made about products can be based on color alone, depending on the product. Regarding the role that color plays in branding, results from another study show that the relationship between brands and color hinges on the perceived appropriateness of the color being used for the particular brand (does the color “fit” what is being sold?).

Also, it is believed that purchasing intent is greatly affected by colors due to their effect on how a brand is perceived; colors influence how customers view the “personality” of the brand in question. Who, for example, would want to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle if they didn’t get the feeling that Harleys were rugged and cool?

When it comes to picking the “right” color, research has found that predicting consumer reaction to color appropriateness is far more important than the individual color itself. If Harley owners buy the product in order to feel rugged, colors that work best will play to that emotion.

There are no clear-cut guidelines for choosing your brand’s colors. “It depends” is a frustrating answer, but it’s the truth. However, the context you’re working within is an essential consideration. It’s the feeling, mood, and image that your brand or product creates that matters.

Finding your own colors

We’re at the end of this post and there’s still no cheat sheet for choosing the perfect color insight. In fact, we may have raised more questions than answers. What a ripoff.

However, just because a topic is peppered with plenty of “maybes” and “sort of” doesn’t mean we should stop thinking critically about it. There is no definitive answer to finding the right color(s) for your brand and business.

Yet, contacting our team for consulting could help a lot and answer a lot of questions. In addition to finding the right colors for your business, Mobiteam is ready to develop and design your website and right after – increase your online visibility