Communicating through Colour.

by Natasha Stewart-Stark

True Colours (by Cindy Lauper)… Colours of the Wind (from Pocahontas)… Purple Rain (by Prince)… Red Red wine (by UB40)… Blackbird (by the Beatles)… Red (by Taylor Swift)

From the very first note, these songs instantly conjure up feelings, and it is not just the beat. Although we are not aware of it, colours have always brought up emotions, even if only heard them in lyrics. Songs don’t just use colours to paint vivid pictures but also convey powerful messages without writing out every emotion they wish to invoke. Purple Rain immediately makes you think of royalty and wealth. At the same time, Yellow Submarine is all happiness and silliness — just hearing the colour’s name, you can instantly feel each nuanced and personalized meanings?

You can mimic this method in communication pieces as well. When you include strategic colour, it will add value through implications and invoke emotions. Our bodies react to colour in specific ways, often subliminally and without conscious awareness. Take a look at the colourful tones of the page header; did the pops of colour draw you in? The subtle yellow background relaxed the jarring contrasts by calming your emotions and allowing you to see the informative quality of the piece. The reasons for this conditioning are wide-ranging and can be attributed to culture, politics, religion, and social influences.

Through understanding what each colour means to us, we can make informed design decisions that enhance the message and appeal to the right audience. Knowing these loose “rules” of colour can save a design from any unintentional offence and arm you with the knowledge that your work will communicate with added strength.

Mood

Colour impacts your mood it allows certain shades to invoke powerful emotions in some people. Colours are fun. Most people will have a favourite or at least one that will bring a smile to their faces. In general, we tend to surround ourselves with the colours we love or that enhance our mood.

The most common reactions to colour in the western world are:

• Red generates strong feelings, enthusiasm, and passion. Some may associate red with anger, violence, blood, and danger. Red is all about high energy, and designers use it to make spaces lively and interesting; it is known to boost energy and is commonly described as glowing, confident, and alive.
• Yellow is a stimulant. It increases appetite, memory capacity, and enhances communication. We associate yellow with the sun, warmth, and a cheerful outlook. But yellow is also associated with caution (yellow lights and caution signs) and with cowardice. In design, yellow is warm, cheerful, and a dramatic contrast in print or when used with cool, dark colours. It can make people feel happier it is warm, exciting, and happy.
• Blue brings down blood pressure and slows heart rate as it is deep, peaceful, and supernatural. We associate blue with introspection and wisdom, and designers use it to create calm, cool, peaceful spaces. Though it’s the colour of protection and loyalty, we do have some negative associations with blue. It represents depression, the darkness of night, doubt, and emotional distance.
• Green in spaces foster creativity and productivity. Many of our associations with green are very positive–progress, growth, balance, and youth–we also have quite strong negative associations with some green hues. We think of green as the colour of greed, envy, and sickness. The colour of life projects peace, stillness, and nature.
• Brown represents the earth, and it’s a symbol of balance and of nature. Since brown is a warm neutral, it complements and balances a wide range of colours. Its earthiness allows designers the opportunity to play with splashes of more vibrant hues without overwhelming a project. The physical effects of brown include an increase in tryptophan, which can promote drowsiness (the same effect as that Thanksgiving turkey!) Brown helps us feel connected to our roots and to home. Brown packaging is also used to indicate a natural product or includes recycled content. Typically, brown is a relaxing colour that provides a warm, nurturing background.
• Black is assertive, and authoritative. When we see something in black and white, it means there’s no uncertainty, no confusion. But black is also a bit mysterious. It’s the colour of darkness, and it’s also historically been associated with evil. We think of black as sophisticated, particularly when it comes to clothing, and while it’s dramatic when used professionally, it’s not particularly subtle or nuanced. Black is crisp, but it’s often best used in moderation, as it can be too imposing if overused.
• White is simple, clean, and creates a stark contrast with other colours. It helps us feel organized and focused, and white conjures images of a fresh start and new beginnings. Physicians wear white coats as a symbol of cleanliness, and crisp white sheets speak of fresh air and spic-and-span houses. White symbolizes neutrality and diplomacy — think of the white flag of a truce. White can also be cold and impersonal, used to create distance or increase our perception of space. White can be intense, even unpleasantly, like anger that’s white hot.
• Gray is typically considered a cool, unemotional colour. It’s the symbol for compromise or ambiguity. It’s an intellectual colour, representing the ability to see both sides of an issue and come to a nuanced, practical conclusion. Gray tends to have less of a physical effect than other colours, though heavy-handed gray can feel a little depressing. Generally, gray is a sophisticated and versatile neutral.
• Orange, perhaps having the strongest universal reaction (whether good or bad is individualized) it tends to stimulate the appetite, increases energy level, and even boost metabolism, it can be radiant, healthy, serious yet considered one of the most hated colours.
• Purple is an expensive colour it is associated with royalty and luxury, and the colour of creativity and innovation. A trendy, friendly colour, though certain hues can be unsettling and make us feel a little off-center.
• Pink consistently tones down aggression and anger, which is why it’s been successfully used in jails’ holding cells. Deep pinks heighten energy and blood flow like reds do, while paler pinks are mood-softeners. Pink conveys femininity, breast cancer awareness yet can be seen as a mistake as typically designers use it to call attention to an error.
• Pastel tones cultivate calmness, happiness, relaxation
• Bright colours are appealing to children and can promote a nostalgic feeling of belonging but may repel in formal situations
• Vibrant orange or yellow calls attention to itself and will draw the eye, arresting

Remembering these emotions when choosing a colour will help you create the proper mood and tone for your design.

Cultural meaning

Colour has different meanings depending on how where you are. Researching the region of your audience will help ensure appropriate colour choice.

Some examples:

• In western cultures, white is the colour of brides and innocence by contrast, in some Indigenous Nations white could mean mourning.
• In western cultures, black is a colour of mourning, in Japan however it is a colour of honour, with white the colour of mourning.
• Red in the west represents danger, love, passion, in India, it is a colour of purity, in China, it is a colour of good luck, and in South Africa, it is a colour of mourning.
• Yellow represents courage in Japan, mourning in Egypt and hope in the West.

Political Associations

Ottawa is a political town so creating the correct associations is vital. These colours are associated with a political party, each colour could represent the values and behaviours of the party.

• Liberal — Red
• Conservative — Blue
• NDP — orange
• Green Party — Green

Other colours with political associations are:

• Red is often linked to socialism and communism
• White has links to pacifism and the surrender flag
• Black is a colour associated with anarchism.
• Working-class Nazism has been known for the colour brown as the SA was known as the ‘brownshirts’.

Religion

Colours also represent certain religions so to not unintentionally offend anyone through your designs, here are some examples of these colour/religion associations are:

• Green is considered to be the holy colour of Islam
• Judaism is represented by the colour yellow
• In Hinduism, many gods have blue skin
• White is linked to peace across many religions

This may be only necessary if designing with any specific religious link.

Social influences

Advertisements have shaped our view of the world for generations. We cannot deny certain shades will immediately make us think of specific brands. The red of Coke or the yellow outline of National Geographic are a few brands known for their colour selection, this may limit you in design as you may not wish to be associated with this brand or on the flip-side, it may enhance the meaning of the design.

Colour has a lot of conflicting meanings to different people. These meanings can help you choose the perfect shades to enhance your design. Being armed with an educated awareness of the power of colour will be the best tool for creating powerfully emotional communication pieces.