EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF COLOR CONTINUED

RED - Red sets the pituitary gland going at a rapid pace. Any design in red takes on a persona that is exciting, passionate, provocative, and dynamic. Aggressive in nature, it commands attention and demands action. Seen as the sexiest of all colors, red is equally seductive in the marketplace. Deepen the red tones to shades of burgundy and they still maintain the inherent excitement of the "mother" color but are more subdued. Consumers respond well to wine tones. They see them as rich, refined, expensive as well as more authoritative, mature, lush, opulent, and elegant than a vibrant red. The result: burgundy is an excellent choice for expensive products.

PINK - Depending on its value or intensity, pink has various mood swings being either romantic, youthful, happy, or sweet. If you are looking for the same high energy as red, then vivid, shocking or hot pinks create a feeling of movement and wild abandon. Although these colors are fun and exciting, they are riskier to use than red because they are often thought of as faddish and do not age well. These colors are used for less expensive items such as toys or plastic novelty goods. Bubble-gum pinks are immature, artificial, and seen as tacky on items that are more expensive. The cosmetic industry favors dazzling, voluptuous pinks because they create attention at the point of purchase when a sultry, upscale, and sophisticated look is the goal. Do you want a more "grown up" look? Then magenta or fuchsia give the impression of sensual and theatrical. Less saturated pinks watered down to the point that red is almost gone give a romantic mood whereas dusty pinks and mauves are soft, subtle, and sentimental. Seen as sweet and healthy (pink cheeks), pinks are excellent choices for the food and beverage industry, cosmetics, perfumes, bath products, facial salons, and health care products.

ORANGE - The hottest temperature of all colors, orange is glowing, vital, and high arousal that is associated with autumn's shimmering foliage or radiant shadings of sunset. In its most vivid intensity, it is a color not taken seriously because it then becomes playful, expressive, happy, and childlike. Bright orange is an excellent choice for toys, games, inexpensive plastics, and any novelty products that appeal to children or the young-at-heart. When used in graphic applications, it becomes comedic and cartoon-like so it is not a good choice if you want to convey a serious message. Quite a few people view bright, fluorescent orange as loud and many dislike the neon intensities. However, vivid or neon orange are highly visible and excellent point of purchase colors. More subtle tones of orange radiate warmth and vitality. These shades lend themselves well to "ethnic" Mexican or Indian themes or products. Peach, apricot, coral, and melon are pleasing to the eye and are outstanding choices for the upscale, affluent markets. These colors are nurturing, approachable, tactile colors that people want to reach out to touch or taste making them first-rate choices for healthcare products, dining areas, food services, or food packaging. Other first-class uses of these colors are makeup salons, beauty spas, and in beauty products and/or packaging.

YELLOW - Warm, sunny, luminous yellow equals splendor and the heat of the sun in every society. It is optimistic, creative, encouraging, imaginative, has an aura of enlightenment, and gives a feeling of well-being. However, if a person is emotionally fragile with low-self esteem yellow can upset them. Yellow is the most visible and luminous color of the spectrum plus is the first color the eye process. In lighter shades, consumers see yellow as cheerful, mellow, and soft to touch. The more saturated yellow is the brighter it becomes unlike other colors that deepen with saturation. Various shades of yellow are associated with delicious foods such as banana cream or custard. Lemon yellow is happy with a sweet, citrus taste although less sophisticated than cream yellow. Most Americans prefer cream or sun-baked yellows while green-yellow is not popular. Asian cultures accept all shades of yellow, especially the green-based hues. Green-yellow is often associated with tart, acidic tastes such as the lime. Proceed with caution. In nature yellow and black is the most unignorable color. They are a predatory and dangerous color combination seen in stinging insects such as the wasps, killer honeybees, and other exotic creatures. Mix black with yellow and the result is various shades of green, which expands a color palette with just two colors. Think of yellow and black road signs. An industrial strength color combination for signage, it is the "pow" in powerful and commands attention on store shelves, signage, or in design

BROWN - Rustic, sheltering, rich brown is associated with hearth and home, substance and stability, and earth. More than any other color, think of brown in terms of usage and context. Connected to the earth, various tones of brick, brown, tan, clay, and terra cotta are rooted, protective, and secure combinations. Earthy colors generally give a positive response. However, browns can also give the impression of something dirty, which is not a pleasant thought and is a challenge to the fashion industry. Browns have earned greater visibility and respect due to designer coffees and brown leathers in the fashions and interiors industries. In the food industry, browns have been successful for many years. Think of brown breads, rice, grains, and cereals—healthy, wholesome, and organic. On the other side is chocolate—mouthwatering, delicious, and a comfort food. Whether related to wholesome and healthy or satisfying your sweet tooth, brown relates to good taste and is appropriate to foodstuffs or food service environments.

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