Impact of color on consumer purchase behavior

Impact of color on consumer purchase behavior

by Leatrice Eiseman
Director of the Pantone Institute,

Retail Systems 2000 - April 17, 2000

Color is critical in every phase of marketing. Some products have been reenergized and
companies have been reinvented because of color. New products adopt a certain color as
part of their identity, and the simplest icons can take on a persona because of their design
and color. It is possible for brands to become so closely identified with color that we
may recognize the brand even though we don't see the name.

Effective use of color is obvious in the food and beverage industry. Color affects the
adrenal glands, tempting the taste buds. For example, psychologists refer to red as a high
arousal hue, stimulating appetites of all kinds and attracting the human eye, particularly
in printed matter.

Red is associated with fire and heat and is a great color for when a company is offering a
hot deal or when a customer can get something for free.

Orange is also a high arousal hue that attracts attention and stimulates the appetite.

1 of 5
 Impact of color on consumer purchase behavior

Orange is a friendlier color than red and is a favorite among kids ages 3-6, and among
adolescents.

Examples of companies that have used orange are Dunkin Donuts, Burger King.

Pink is considered sweet and appealing. An example is Sweet n' Low

Yellow is generally a comforting color, but can take on other meanings such as delicious
and creamy or tangy and tart (when associated with citrus).

Yellow changes when it is combined with the power of black. People have an ancient
association with stinging insects and the yellow/black or orange/black combinations.

2 of 5
 Impact of color on consumer purchase behavior

These colors make people take notice and are the most visible of all printed color
combinations.

Green is connected with nature and a feeling of refreshment.

In the context of vegetables, is indicates that something is healthy and good for you.

If connected to a non-vegetable food, it is not as appealing and should be avoided in

advertising.

3 of 5
 Impact of color on consumer purchase behavior

Blue is associated with the constancy of the sea and the sky.

Suggestive of serenity and trust, it imbues products and printed ads with those same
characteristics.

Many banks use blue, as it creates a feeling of dependability.

In the icy shades, blue is pure, cool and unadulterated. It is a perfect color for products

like bottled water.

Blue has little appeal for adults in the context of food, but kids love it -- largely because
adults find it strange.

4 of 5
 Impact of color on consumer purchase behavior

Interestingly, while consumer preferences for certain colors may change with trends in
design and fashion, consumer perceptions of and responses to the basic color families
rarely change. In fact, notes Eiseman, biofeedback researchers have documented the
effect different colors have on brain waves, showing that different colors induce different
emotional states.

Memory retention studies tell us that consumers are up to 78% more likely to remember a
word or phrase printed in color than in black and white. The human eye is drawn to
color. Color activates the right brain, while the printed word activates the left brain.
When color is combined with the written word, it impacts consumers with the triple
whammy of greater recall, recognition and attention.

At point of purchase, where the consumer spends a mere .03 of a second glancing at each
product, the right color can hold the eye long enough to influence decision-making.
Adding color to point-of-sale brings a whole new dimension to the purchasing
experience. It's an idea that's time has come.

With HP's new technology, companies have a new way to communicate with color.
Recognizing the power that color offers at point-of-sale, HP has applied thermal inkjet
technology (TIJ) for the first time to transactions. With HP's new POS inkjet cartridge,
retailers can carry their color scheme and marketing messages to their receipts.

5 of 5