Consumers, Colors and Dollar$

Have you ever noticed that fast food logos and signage are primarily yellow and red? McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Hardee’s, Checkers, and the lot of them use the yellow and red color scheme on most everything. Why is that? 

Being competitors, you might think it would be advantageous to have different color schemes however they have one thing in common, they understand color.

Color matters and just like words, color delivers messages to our brain and can impact our behaviors and perceptions.

So why yellow and red for fast food? 

Well, yellow actually triggers hunger and makes us happy. Red invokes an immediate response from us, makes us stop and take note, and creates urgency. Arranging these colors together produces an overall message that our brain receives which is – stop here now because you are hungry and eating our food will make you happy. 

Next time you are in a grocery, snoop around and you might just discover a few color things. Look at the lighting above the produce section. Is it yellow? Notice that impulse buy items probably contain some red;  think Coca-Cola, Kit Kat, and 5 Hour Energy. .  

Is this all hoodoo voodoo or does color really have the power to change our behaviors and perceptions? You’ll be tickled pink to know, it sure does. 

According to researchers: 

• 52% of consumers will not return to your store if they do not like your aesthetics,

• 93% of purchasing decisions are visually-based, and 

• 85% of consumers say color is the main reason for purchasing a product. 

So, how are different colors perceived and what messages do they send? Here’s a very basic list of colors and their attributes. 

• Green: fresh, health, wealth

• Blue: trustworthy, calming, knowledgeable

• Purple: mystery, nostalgia, and appeals more to females than males

• Red: energetic, provocative 

• Orange: vitality, playfulness

• Yellow: positivity, motivation 

• Black: sophistication, timelessness

• White: purity, nobility

• Brown: natural, durable

Beyond color attributes, there are also color theory processes for picking primary, secondary, and tertiary palettes to create the right balance. All of this combined affects the message being sent to the consumer.

It’s no wonder so many financial, IT, and professional services have blue themes to their logos and branded visuals. Blue has a calming effect on people and helps remove anxiety. Blue also reassures the consumer that the company is trustworthy and knowledgeable. Speaking of calming relief, why do you think Pepto Bismol is pink? Yep, it’s a color thing and that’s the wonderful effects color has on us. 

Also, keep in mind that some color meanings do not translate in other countries like they do in the US. Some colors with a positive meaning in one land may be taboo in another. 

So, when branding your product or business, do the research and work with a designer to ensure your color combinations are constructing the right message for your consumer. This way you can have a better impact on the consumers you attract and retain. 

Oh, and sorry – not sorry – if you now walk down grocery aisles enamored with the color of every package and product on the shelf. 

Need help? Just give us a shout.