The psychology of colour in advertising

Light and colour are of paramount importance for effective advertising. Psychologists believe that light challenges people, urging them to take action. Different shades of lighting evoke different moods. The combination of different lighting elements should create a play of light and shadow that shows the product in a more favourable light and, conversely, weakens the perception of its least effective attributes.

Psychological studies have shown that a shop window with lighting of 800 lux attracted the interest of 5 out of 100 passers-by, while lighting of 1200 lux attracted 20 people, and lighting of 2000 lux attracted the attention of 25 passers-by. It has been established that the weaker the light source, the denser the shadow it casts, resulting in visitor fatigue as they try to see the light and dark sides of the advertised product. When preparing a poster, brochure, or other printed advertisement, it is very important to think through the design carefully: position the text correctly, find an effective image, and choose a colour scheme against which the advertisement—including a highlighted Slotozen no deposit bonus —will be perceived in the best possible way.

When preparing a poster, brochure, or other printed advertisement, it is very important to think through the design carefully: position the text correctly, find an effective image, and choose a colour scheme against which the advertisement will be perceived in the best possible way. Based on the results obtained in numerous psychological experiments, scientists have concluded that colour has a certain effect on a person’s perception of body weight, room temperature, and the perceived distance of an object.

For example, red, yellow, and orange visually bring an object closer, increasing its volume and seemingly ‘warming’ it up. Blue, purple, and black visually distance an object, reducing its size and ‘cooling’ it. Therefore, when choosing a colour for advertising a product, it should be evaluated in terms of these parameters.

Colour perception depends on a person’s emotional state. This explains why, depending on their emotional state, people are attracted to some colours, indifferent to others, and do not perceive others at all. These patterns were discovered by Max Lüscher in the mid-20th century. When creating his colour test, Lüscher assumed that a person’s perception of colour was formed as a result of their lifestyle and interaction with the environment over a long period of historical development.

Initially, human life was determined mainly by two factors that could not be changed at will: night and day, light and darkness. Night meant conditions when active activity could cease. Day required active actions—searching for food, meeting basic needs. Hence, dark blue was associated with nighttime tranquillity, and yellow with sunny days and their concerns. Red was reminiscent of blood, flames, and situations requiring high mobilisation and activity.

The attitude to colour was determined by the nature of life activities of many generations, finding stability, and any manifestation of life activity, in turn, was always accompanied by one emotional state or another. Therefore, the attitude to colour has always been and remains emotional.

In addition, Lüscher made another important conclusion for the advertising industry: colour not only evokes a corresponding reaction in a person depending on their emotional state, but also shapes their emotions in a certain way.

The semantics of colour

Red – sets the mood for decisiveness and can evoke in a person a strong desire to perform a certain action and, in the context of advertising, to make an energetic effort and purchase the promoted product. This colour, like no other, is capable of quickly attracting attention and holding the gaze on the object of advertising. The semantics of this colour can be summarised as: ‘pay attention, don’t pass by, act boldly, give in to your first impulses.’ Red also carries a certain sexual charge. This is especially important for advertisers promoting products aimed at men, for whom the colour red has traditionally been symbolic.

However, this colour should not be overused: it is most effective in moderation. For example, a small detail in an advertisement or catalogue highlighted in red will immediately attract attention, while excessive use can make consumers feel aggressive or even irritated by the advertised product.

Orange

It helps evoke a surge of vitality and conveys an optimistic tone. In ancient times, it was regarded as the colour of health and creativity. This colour works particularly well in advertising medicines, children’s products, and services related to healthcare and education. Orange stimulates activity while simultaneously fostering a sense of inner balance and mental harmony.

Yellow

This colour encourages sociability. It is the colour of openness and friendliness. It also helps to balance unrestrained emotions, find inner peace and calm excitement. In addition, yellow can ‘endow’ an object with intelligence, so, for example, it is best to advertise high-tech products in yellow. This colour is also suitable for advertising children’s products, travel services, as well as advertising and PR agencies.

Green

It softens everything, takes the edge off emotions. This colour has a healing, relaxing effect. It will be appropriate and effective in advertising medicines, water purification systems, dental clinics and pharmacies, veterinary hospitals, health and environmental protection centres.

Pink

Pink is a wonderful aid in the sphere of personal relationships: it intensifies feelings, makes us more attentive, affectionate and responsive. The range of uses for this colour can be very broad: from advertising perfumes, goods for women and children to the services of marriage agencies and family centres.

Blue

It also tunes us into the realm of feelings, but more sublime ones, more platonic than mundane. It is the colour of friendly affection, kindred spirits. Blue is the colour of peace and universal harmony. It allows you to feel an invisible connection with the universe and can give an object a holistic look, and issues or matters a global perspective and successful outcome.

Blue

This colour helps you focus on the essentials: don’t get bogged down in details, don’t get distracted. A blue detail in a catalogue or advertising brochure will immediately attract attention and, unlike red, will never cause negative emotions.

Purple

It is the colour of inner focus. This colour promotes inner deepening: it helps you to abstract yourself from everything that is unnecessary at the moment and concentrate on the main problem. Another interesting detail is that purple stimulates brain activity and promotes creative problem solving. It is no coincidence that purple is so loved by creative people. Therefore, if you are advertising a product with which you want to emphasise the creativity of the product or are focused on providing services to the creative elite, a detail in purple will be simply indispensable!

Black

Black is the colour of self-immersion: it helps you shut yourself off from everything, withdraw and concentrate on solving a particular task. At the same time, this colour can induce melancholy and despair. Black brings a feeling of loneliness and isolation from the outside world. That is why it is better not to use this colour in print advertising. This recommendation, of course, does not apply to fonts and tables. With regard to them, with rare exceptions, it is better not to experiment.

White

White is the colour of complete openness and readiness to perceive the world in all its diversity. Another advantage of this colour is that it does not carry any unpleasant connotations. In print advertising, white can create a neutral effect, presenting the consumer with information about the product without emphasising any particular aspects or priorities.

Interestingly, each country has its own attitude toward colour, and national and cultural specifics must be considered when developing an advertising campaign for a particular region.

In the United States, red is associated with love, yellow with prosperity, green with hope, blue with fidelity, white with purity, calm, and peace, and black with complexity and danger. In Austria, green is the most popular colour; in Bulgaria, dark green and brown; in Pakistan, emerald green; and in the Netherlands, orange and blue dominate.

In general, the closer one moves to the East, the more significance is attached to colour symbolism. In China, red represents kindness and courage, black signifies honesty, and white—unlike the European symbol of purity and holiness—is associated with meanness and deceit. Therefore, when developing an advertising campaign in China, choosing the appropriate colour scheme is crucial to avoid misunderstandings.

Japan presents an interesting case, as the symbolism of colour is influenced not only by the colour itself but also by the shape of the colour image. Research shows that vertical or horizontal straight lines are generally associated with calmness, clarity, and stability, while curved lines suggest elegance and ease. However, this effect depends on context: the more frequent the vertical and horizontal lines and the more contrasting the colours, the more unpleasant the viewer may perceive them.

Simple and symmetrical shapes are processed more quickly than complex ones. Fantastic, intricate shapes without obvious associations attract attention but can produce unpredictable reactions.

The symbolism of shapes often corresponds to real sensations. For instance, the symbol ‘^’ conveys a sharp change, a concentration of force, and rapid energy release—similar to how lightning is depicted universally. Unbalanced shapes create discomfort, while incomplete shapes prompt viewers to mentally complete them.

The strong emotional impact of certain shapes and colour combinations has been understood since ancient times. Colours and shapes were deliberately used for psychotherapeutic purposes. A person’s perception of colour depends largely on their emotional state, and certain emotional states correspond to stable attitudes toward colours: some are preferred, some are neutral, and others are rejected.