Colour Me Happy
I have this print hanging in my office of a spark-plug advertisement by modern art master, Lucian Bernhard. I really like this picture – it actually makes me happy when I see it. Partly because I bought it on my first visit to New York as a souvenir from the Museum of Modern Art, partly because my dad used to call me the sparkplug of the family engine‚ (so it’s a bit of a nostalgic thing), but mostly, I think I like it because it’s orange (my favorite colour)‚ which makes me think about colour and how we respond to it. Why are our favorite colours our favorite? Why do certain colours make us feel the way they do or behave a certain way?
Most of us, at some time or another have probably learned about the characteristics of colour, but I still find it interesting, so here’s a little overview of the colours and the qualities with which they’re associated (in North American culture).
White – truthfulness, purity, clean, devotion, mild, and contemporary.
Black – elegance, boldness, power, authority, seductive, evil, sophistication and classic.
Red – strength, sex, excitement, passion, speed, danger, aggressiveness, and demands attention.
Blue – security, trust, reliability, coolness, faithfulness, belonging, and dignity.
Green – abundance, health, fertility, freedom, healing, nature, growth, jealously, and peace.
Brown – effectiveness, politeness, richness, and helpfulness. Brown is the color of earth, and is abundant in nature.
Gray – earnestness, authority, and practicality.
Pink – softness, sweet, femininity, well-being, innocence, and nurture.
Purple – dignity, spirituality, royal, luxury, wealth, authority, mournfulness, and sophistication.
Orange – playfulness, pleasure, cool, warmth, cheer, vibrant, strength, endurance, and ambition.
Yellow – sunshine, warmth, cheer, happiness, cowardice, and jealousy.
Gold – expensive, and prestige.
Silver – cold, scientific, and prestige.
Choosing colour goes way beyond picking the perfect paint colour for the walls in our home – it plays a major part in the business world and how we brand ourselves. People respond more to non-verbal cues than verbal ones, so in creating your visual identity, it’s important to choose the corresponding colours for the emotional trigger you’re looking for from your audience. Think about the current emotion of your potential customer and the message you want to send. Then choose your colours.
