I am now aware of “Brat” and aware that designers selected a unique shade of green for promoting “brat.” To me, the color is best-called puke green, but what do I know - I am no longer relevant to markets (too old).
Color is critical to marketers. I first learned that as a publisher. I was sitting in George Delacorte’s office (Founder of Dell Publishing) and listened to him and his designers talk about a book I published, and how the colors should make it visible in the bookstore and the magazine racks. For the record, we had a black background, yellow type, a bit of white, and generous use of red for bullet point copy.
Color has a profound effect on human emotions and behavior. Distinct colors can evoke specific emotional responses due to psychological associations:
- Red: Evokes energy, passion, and excitement. It can also mean danger or anger.
- Blue: Evokes calm and serenity, trust, and security, but can also mean sadness.
- Yellow: Evokes happiness and optimism but can also cause feelings of anxiety or agitation.
- Green: Connotes nature, growth, and harmony, and creates a sense of relaxation and renewal.
- Purple: Conveys luxury, creativity, and spirituality.
- Orange: Stimulates enthusiasm and creativity.
- Black: Is associated with power, elegance, and sophistication, but also with mourning and negativity.
- White: Signifies purity, cleanliness.
Be aware that colors are cultural. In the Western world, white is a wedding dress. In the Eastern nations, it is linked to mourning and funerals. You best know your target market in selecting colors. If you were providing a water bottle for a Yoga class, knowing color, and guiding your client to it, is proof positive you are a consultant and 4Imprint may not be the place to shop for advice.
As design consultants, knowing the relationship between color and emotions can help in color selection. That choice can significantly influence perception and behavior. The choice of color should also align with the overall theme and message of the content. For example, a bold red might be suitable for a thriller novel, while a soothing green might be better for a wellness guide. Combining colors effectively and ensuring good contrast can also help in making the cover visually appealing and impactful.
Consultants bring knowledge and experience, not just products…. CONSULT.
Joel D. Schaffer, MAS is CEO and Founder of Soundline, LLC, the pioneering supplier to the promotional products industry of audio products. Joel has 48 years of promotional product industry experience and proudly heralds “I was a distributor.” He has been on the advisory panel of the business and marketing department of St. John’s University in New York and is a frequent speaker at Rutgers Graduate School of Business. He is an industry Advocate and has appeared before the American Bankers Association, American Marketing Association, National Premium Sales Executives, American Booksellers Association and several other major groups. He has been a management consultant to organizations such as The College Board and helped many suppliers enter this industry. He is a frequent contributor to PPB and Counselor magazines. He has facilitated over 200 classes sharing his industry knowledge nationwide. He is known for his cutting humor and enthusiasm in presenting provocative and motivating programs. He is the only person to have received both the Marvin Spike Industry Lifetime Achievement Award (2002) and PPAI’s Distinguished Service Award (2011). He is a past director of PPAI and has chaired several PPAI committees and task forces. He is a past Chair of the SAAGNY Foundation, Past President of SAAGNY and a SAAGNY Hall of Fame member. He was cited by ASI as one of the 50 most influential people in the industry.