The psychology of color is the premise that specific colors in marketing and branding influence the viewer to feel a certain way or persuade them to take action.
For marketing purposes, color can play a role in how consumers respond and remember a brand. For example, research states that up to 90% of judgements made about products can be based on color alone.
For stores using digital signage, considering what colors you use in your signage, and how you contrast them is a strong tactic for engaging your consumers. Explore the following list to see the many ways you can incorporate the psychology of color into your brick and mortar digital signage strategy and boost your in-store marketing strategy.
1. Use Color to Create a Brand Identity
Research has found that there is a strong relationship between color, a brand’s personality and how it influences the consumer’s reaction or affiliation with the brand. For example, if a high fashion label chooses to exert a glamorous, sophisticated and romantic personality and then pairs these traits with rich colors such as emerald, eggplant purple and gold, then the consumer will associate those colors with those traits.
Using color as a way to describe your brand’s personality will add to the overall identity of your brand. When developing digital signage content to be used in-store, be sure to keep the identity of your brand in mind. Make sure that the colors embody your brand’s goals, and mesh well with your logo colors. The colors you use, paired with the personality traits you choose to embody, sets a scene for the type of audience you want to reach.
2. Consider Gender
According to the Smithsonian Magazine, genders were assigned colors in the 1940’s by manufacturers and retailers. Since then, generations have created stereotypes around color as they relates to gender. For example, blue is for boys and pink is for girls. Although both men and women like all colors, these gender stereotypes are still widespread in branding and marketing.
When developing in-store marketing material and digital signage, you must determine who your audience is and visually how you will attract your customers. If you are creating a more rugged brand geared toward men, you will probably use colors of brown, blue or black. If your market is female, you may want to incorporate soft colors and hues of pink or purple into your digital signage.
3. Contrast
There are many studies around about finding colors that result in high conversation rates. Many of these studies have found that conversion is encouraged less by the colors you choose, and more by the contrast between colors. For example if your in-store digital signage has a blue background, putting calls to action in a contrasting color like red or orange is more likely to result in the customer taking action.
People don’t necessarily associate feelings to color, but it is the contrast of the colors that influence how the viewer feels. By using bold colors you could ignite a feeling of excitement or energy. Using a variety of light, softer colors may create an environment of relaxation or tranquility. Whatever the color pallet is, what remains true is that areas of contrast grab your viewer’s attention and persuade your viewer to take action.
4. Attach Imagery
If we flashed 50 different logos of multinational corporations before your eyes, without showing the names of the companies behind those logos, you would be likely be able to name most, if not all, of them. This is because our brain remembers images. By using color and attaching it to an image, you can further promote your brand. Logos provide a physical identity to your brand persuading your consumer to identify him or herself with it.
Color is a powerful tool in marketing. Based upon how you use contrast, attach imagery and create a brand identity, you can use your digital signage to reach a specific audience and more successfully persuade your consumer to participate in your brand experience.
What are your experiences with using color in your digital signage and in-store marketing?