There is a whole psychology behind using color in marketing. Some would say that certain colors make you hungry, while others suppress your appetite. Certain colors are symbolic of strength and stability and others evoke emotions, such as happiness. Does color really make a difference in marketing?

To be sure, certain colors stand out more than others. If you are competing for the instant attention of your target market, using a color that catches your eye would be a great advantage, such as a product on a crowded shelf at a retail business. Warm colors (those built with reds, yellows and combinations of the two, such as orange) tend to appear to proceed or advance to you, while cool colors (blues, greens and dark purples) appear to recede and regress. For that reason, many logos are designed with warm colors.

But there is more to consider than just warm and cool colors. For instance, look at the graphic I designed and used nine different colors. The top row is made of cool colors, the middle row of warm colors and the bottom row of neutral colors. Which colors stand out the most to you? My guess is you will say that two of the colors stand out the most and neither are warm colors. If you think the purple in the top right corner and the black in the lower right, there are two color components at work to draw your eye. These are density and contrast. Color is impacted greatly by the color of its surroundings. The wider the density value difference between the two, the greater the contrast. Black is as dense as you can get with color. White is as light as you can get. The contrast between the two is the greatest in value separation. Contrast draws our eye. Take a look at this next chart, showing black and white contrast, from very dense black to very light grays.

Likewise, now take a look at the graphic with black and color. Now which stand out the most? My guess is you are thinking the black and yellow combination stand out more than the others. That all has to do with the value of the two colors contrasted against each other. When the yellow was contrasted against white in the top illustration, it all but disappeared. Here is the point, if you want your marketing to work, you have to build a brand with a lot of contrast.

Now, let’s consider what brand this graphic is representing. Different colors convey a mood. If this were a logo, what colors would you use if it were representing these brands:

· An organic asparagus farm

· A bank

· A delivery service

· A power drink

· A jewelry store

· A tennis club

Does color in marketing matter? Yes it does! Consider what you are trying to convey about your brand to your customers and align the colors you use with your marketing message.