Hey Marketers – What Color R U?

Last night I attended a Toastmasters meeting where the speaker gave a fascinating presentation on the persuasive effect of color. Did you know that people are more likely to argue in a yellow room than a green one? Or that blue is the wardrobe color that makes the best first impression? It seems that the color business is more than just aesthetics – this is powerful stuff.

I daresay that most of the time design choices are made based on the whims of the graphic artist. But what if you took a research-based approach to color in your ads? Example: Studies show that red is the most eye-catching color in the spectrum. (This is why stop signs, fire engines, etc. are red, i.e. they’re designed to be noticed immediately.) So if you want your advertising to stop people in their tracks, why not create a full bleed, vixen-red ad that screams, “Hey consumer - look at this!”

That might be extreme, but do take note of the colors used in your marketing. You may be communicating more than you think.