Color is to advertising what descriptions to literature. And brands know this well. The power of colors in advertising is such that companies use them conscientiously to the point of making them a sign of their identity.
Artists and, above all, advertising creatives know that by combining certain shades of the palette, the messages they transmit will come directly to the minds of users, turning them into potential customers.
Colors are not real; they are perceptions that exist from the origin of the universe. There are many theories about the feelings they produce, the values they represent, the moods behind the choice of one or the other color and even the messages they convey. And the funny thing is that, in reality, color does not exist beyond our visual perception.
We use colors daily. In fashion, at work, in Feng Shui, in advertising, in decoration, in design, in architecture, in catering, even in gastronomy and in psychological therapy. And it is that color in advertising has great communication power and is capable of falling in love with the customer and inviting them to buy a certain product.
Many experts work with colors and know what effects they have on others. Artists, therapists, designers, dressmakers, among many other professions, work individually with their colors, but the effect is universal.
Experts and painters from all eras have used the combination of colors in art depending on their mood or according to the effects they wanted to achieve.
Color is light
The versatile artist, singer and actor Marisol already said it in her well-known song Tómbola when she affirmed to the rhythm of trumpets and drums that … “Life is a tombola, tom tom tombola of light and color”. And it is that color is an attribute that we perceive of objects only when there is light. Therefore, to define what colors are, we must first understand what light is and how it works.
Light is electromagnetic radiation that spreads at 300,000 km per second, like Speedy González, but in the form of a wave. Each of these waves has a different length that causes different types of light to be produced, such as infrared, ultraviolet, and the visible spectrum.
The human eye is only capable of perceiving waves between 380 and 770 nanometers, that is, those that are in the visible spectrum. Without going into more detail about the physical properties of irradiation, when light strikes an object it returns unabsorbed rays and our brain interprets those electromagnetic radiations that objects reflect as color.
Colors in advertising
Color in advertising is a powerful communication tool. More than fashion or trend, the use of colors in advertising is a matter of perceptions and feelings. But they tell advertising creatives. They better than anyone know how to mix tones to achieve the desired effect. The meaning of colors in advertising is so powerful that we are able to identify a brand just by seeing the color.
The main objective that creatives pursue when using colors in advertising is to attract attention. Advertisers know that if they arouse user interest, they have a good chance that they will remember the brand, take an interest in the product and, at best, end up buying it.
The human mind is capable of responding to stimuli caused by colors. We know that green can mean freeway or nature, that red represents energy or stop if we are at a traffic light and that blue is evocative of elegance or seriousness. But how is this possible?
Colors produce sensations and awaken feelings. Brands are instantly able to transmit messages, emotions and meanings only with the use of a color. In fact, many brands are identified with specific colors or vice versa. And if not, let’s do the test: think of Red Bull, Vodafone or El Corte Inglés. What colors have crossed your mind? Blue, red and green?
Tell me what color do you like and I’ll tell you what it represents
As Eva Heller points out in her book Psychology of Color, colors act on feelings and reason. In the research done to write the book, Eva consulted more than 2,000 people in Germany from different professions. 169 different feelings and impressions are reflected in the book.
Colors and feelings are not combined accidentally or for reasons of taste. It is something deeper that is related to our childhood, language or thought.
Matching colors correctly can save time and effort. These are the key meanings of each of the colors.
- The blue color represents sympathy, harmony and fidelity. Despite being cold and distant, it is the preferred color. It is the feminine color and the color of spiritual virtues.
- The red color represents kings and communism. It is the color of joy and danger. Furthermore, it is the color of all passions.
- The yellow color is the most contradictory. It represents optimism and also jealousy. It is the color of fun, entertainment and tradition.
- The green is the color of fertility. It represents hope and the bourgeoisie.
- The black color is the color of power, violence and death. The favorite color of designers and youth as a symbol of rebellion. It is the color of negotiation and elegance.
- The color white is the color of innocence. The color of good and of spirits. It is the color of painters.
- The color orange is the color of fun and Buddhism. It is exotic, eye-catching and underrated.
- The violet color is the color of theology, of magic, of feminism.
- The pink color is sweet and delicate, scandalous and cheesy.
- The gold color is the one that represents money, happiness, luxury.
- The silver color is the color of speed, money and the moon.
- The brown color is cozy, represents the ordinary and foolishness.
- The gray color represents boredom, outdated cruelty.
As you can see, the saying “to taste the colors” is not accidental. Perhaps now that you know a little more about the meaning of colors you stop to think about the color combinations in certain clothes or in some logos or brand images.
As Eva says in her book: “Whoever knows nothing about the universal effects and symbolism of colors and trusts only their intuition will always be outdone by those who have acquired additional knowledge.”
If you want to delve into the world of art, graphic design, illustration, the combination and meaning of colors in advertising or what artists are looking for when they create.
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