Did you know that color can evoke emotion and affect your decision-making? Did you realize that it is a powerful non-verbal communication tool?
Color Everywhere
Color is so prolific, it even affects the way you spend your money. Nearly every color used in the logos and campaigns of the well-known brands you see every day was painstakingly chosen using data from research teams, theorists, and focus group testing. Color is not an afterthought in advertising. It is one of the most important considerations for a brand, as it can evoke so many subtleties in perception that it may end up being the determining factor of success for a company. Even the seemingly dismissible variation in a dusty blue versus a navy blue may steer perception in the wrong direction and sever communication. Color is everything. It is everywhere.
Black and White – Lack of Color Speaks Volumes
Even the absence of color is a profound statement; the minimalist’s white canvas with black text speaks volumes with seemingly so little. Over the years, trends have come and gone, but the grace and elegance of black and white has remained steady. Never underestimate the power of monochrome.
Color Meanings
Other elemental colors have taken a firm position in the psyche as well – red is associated with stopping and may trigger alarm, blue is soothing and evokes trustworthiness and dependability, yellow is energetic and cheerful, and green can signify freshness, money, or eco-friendly principles.
Subtlety in Design and Color
While colors have deep roots and history in our media-saturated world, new shades and variations of our primary colors are created every day. Artists mix colors and experiment with complimentary hues, designers create logos with variations on the foundational red, yellow and blue. Beautiful shades of color line the walls of every paint store, and artists’ palettes are virtually unlimited.
Pantone Color of the Year Campaign
Pantone has even started a Color of the Year campaign, in which a color is chosen based on the perceived cultural essence for a particular year. The colors of the year for last several years are below.
Read about Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2022.
People love color, people communicate with color. It is a driving force in design of all kinds, from home décor to advertising, and one of the few crucial threads that runs through every aspect of our lives, connecting everything around us. Can you remember a time when color affected you, your decisions, or your mood?
Check out this fun color palette creator that lets you experiment with different color combinations and share your creations with the community.
Another great site for Pantone color connoisseurs.
