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Impact of Colors on the Psychology of Marketing — A Comprehensive over View

Author

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  • Nayanika Singh
  • S. K. Srivastava

Abstract

Colors have always played a significant role in impacting one's moods, emotions, feelings, sensations and perception and seem to offer possibilities for multifaceted interpretation rather than leaving room for only one way of looking at it. Different signs merge in a person's experience of a product as colors do not function separately and individually, but from multi-layered references and can influence consumers' purchase decision, how they see things, their emotions, choices and thus are integral to the realm of advertising and marketing. Furthermore the perception and application of color is strongly influenced by ones innate physiological and psychological predisposition, personal experiences, age, gender, personality, income, ethnographic and demographic factors that makes its application effective within the domain of marketing all the more cumbersome and challenging. However, as a marketing tool, color can be a sublimely persuasive force; and as a functional component of human vision, color can capture attention, relax or irritate the eyes, and affect the legibility of the text and - All things put together, the right colors empower and contribute to the success of an advertising campaign, a product, a service, or even an interior space and in contrast wrong colors can be a costly mistake. The present paper attempts to highlight and discuss the following research questions: 1. What is the significance and importance of colors in daily life (with special reference to marketing)? 2. How colors act as a medium in influencing the psychology of customers, contributing towards their branding, advertising, marketing and sale, based on a comprehensive review of literature and some noted case studies?

Suggested Citation

  • Nayanika Singh & S. K. Srivastava, 2011. "Impact of Colors on the Psychology of Marketing — A Comprehensive over View," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 36(2), pages 199-209, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:manlab:v:36:y:2011:i:2:p:199-209
    DOI: 10.1177/0258042X1103600206
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Meyers-Levy, Joan & Peracchio, Laura A, 1995. "Understanding the Effects of Color: How the Correspondence between Available and Required Resources Affects Attitudes," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 22(2), pages 121-138, September.
    2. Meyers-Levy, Joan & Tybout, Alice M, 1989. "Schema Congruity as a Basis for Product Evaluation," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 16(1), pages 39-54, June.
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    1. Jário Santos & Ig Bittencourt & Marcelo Reis & Geiser Chalco & Seiji Isotani, 2022. "Two billion registered students affected by stereotyped educational environments: an analysis of gender-based color bias," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-16, December.

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