By now, you’ve likely put a great deal of thought into your packaging. You’ve probably even envisioned a color scheme that satisfies your aesthetic preferences. However, have you considered the psychology behind color choices?
Color Psychology Is Everywhere
Next time you’re out and about, take a look around at the multitude of products and business brandings that are on display on every billboard, business sign, poster and street corner. Since you’ve been considering your business’s packaging and how it relates to your branding, you’ve likely realized that each and every aspect of a brand is chosen very carefully. The color choices businesses make for their brand’s advertising and packaging schemes are no different.
If you group businesses of similar types together, you’ll notice several consistencies. Restaurant signage tends to be in reds, oranges or yellows, and for good reason – these colors are thought to represent hunger, warmth, and energy. Red is also an attention-getter, explaining its presence on a great number of business brands as well as important street signs.
Read on for a quick guide for the most common characteristics of all the colors of the rainbow:
White indicates purity, technology, neutrality, and calm. Apple and car manufacturers use this color.
Black represents strength, power and elegance. Find it in Nike and CBS signage.
Brown inspires dependability and productivity. Used by UPS and JP Morgan.
Pink represents femininity, youth, and gentleness. You can find it in a multitude of feminine products and brands.
Red inspires hunger, energy, determination, and passion. Look for red in brands like Target, CNN and multiple food service companies.
Orange indicates enthusiasm and success. Find orange in brands like Amazon and Harley-Davidson.
Yellow is for happiness and energy. You’ll see yellow as an attention getter in taxi companies as well as brands like Best Buy and McDonald’s.
Green represents wealth, nature, and safety. Green is often found in financial logos as well as packaging for “green” products or household cleaners – think Scrubbing Bubbles.
Blue inspires strength, dependability, and peace. You’ll find blue in Walmart, Lowes, and AmEx’s branding.
Purple represents extravagance and power. You can find purple in both Cadbury and Hallmark’s branding.
Color Psychology Is an Inexact Science
There’s no guarantee a specific color will make a consumer feel a certain way about your product. In truth, it’s likely each of these colors have the reputation they do because we have, over the years, assigned specific characteristics to certain situations and brands. Still, color psychology is worth considering when you’re choosing the color scheme of your packaging. After all, if even 25% of your target market sees your black packaging and derives the strength, power, and elegance you’re aiming for, you’re well on your way to a packaging color scheme that serves you.
If you’d like to incorporate color psychology into your private packaging label, contact Century Label for more information regarding your options.
Let’s Get Started
The design team at Century Label is ready to help you take your vision and apply it to your products. We will take you through every step of the process, preserving the integrity of your brand and using high-quality printing techniques.
Our customer care specialists are standing by to make sure every order is exactly the way you imagined it, ensuring your satisfaction. Request a quote today to get started on your own quest for branding success.
