Color and communication

Colors are an excellent form of communication. They are more attractive and draw attention at the faster rate. These colors can be used to express non verbally. As a powerful form of communication, colors are irreplaceable. People perceive colors in their own way though some general perceptions are there. Colors not only help in communication but also they explain t he nature, mood and bring out various reactions in us. Thus, colors are an excellent form of communication.
Communicating through colors is simpler than putting information into words. Different colors express different feelings, different moods and different attitudes.
Colors have psychological properties like Red means "stop" and green means "go." Traffic lights send this universal message. Likewise, the colors used for a product, web site, business card, or logo cause powerful reactions. Color Matters!
<big>Psychological and physiological reactions of colors</big>:-

1.Red:-Red is a powerful color. Technically it is not the most visible but it has the property of appearing nearer than it is and therefore it grabs our attention first. Therefore it is used in traffic lights all over the world. Its effect is physical; it stimulates us and raises the pulse rate, giving the impression that time is passing faster than it is. It is the favorite color of the fast food joints like KFC, Coca Cola , Mc Donalds etc. Red refers to moods like affectionate, angry, calm, hostile, full of vitality etc. The symbolic meaning given by red generally are lust, happiness, love, blood, intimacy.

2.Yellow:-Yellow is the color of both happiness and caution. Yellow is the color of sunshine , thus it reflects joy, cheerfulness. yellow is the strongest color psychologically. The correct shade in yellow can lift up the self esteem creating confidence and optimism. As yellow is the most visible color it is the color of the school buses. Warm yellow holds attention and promotes alertness , thus it is one of the ideal color that can be worn at public speeches. In color therapy yellow is thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.

3.Blue:-Blue is the color of the mind, it does not affect us physically but soothes the mind. Blue is nature’s color, the color of the sky, sea etc. it is a cold color and represents trust , loyalty, success, authority etc. blue color is used by the corporate in their logos like Pepsi-co , Adobe Photoshop , Infosys which refers to their trustworthiness and stability. On the other hand, blue has evolved as the color of depression in American Culture. The most common invention in blue is the ‘Blue denim’.

4. Black:-Technically black is not a color, it is absence of color. Black is mysterious, associated with silence and sometimes death. Black is associated with sophistication, authority, uncompromising excellence and clarity. Black is used in logos like Adidas, 007 Bond movies, blackberry to communicate clearly, depict sophistication and excellence. But black is also considered negative when spoken about Black magic, Black hole, death etc.

5.Green:-Green color is the centre of the spectrum, thus it resembles balance. It is associated with harmony, balance, environment, healing , health and money. Green refers to trees which maintain the balance of nature, it is an eye friendly color. If green is mixed with blue, it is liked by other people and it helps to get their favour. The color green is used in logos for Animal Planet, Sony Ericson, The city of Melbourne logo etc. It has created an environment friendly and nature loving image for them. Green is also referred to United States Dollars .

6. White:-White is all reflection and no absorption. It is the color of purity. It is the world color for peace, this is why , a white flag was shown to end up wars in the past. White is the color of calmness and innocence. It is a neutral color. It also explains cold or death in some places. White says ‘Touch me not’ as it depicts hygiene, purity and clean. White is used in company logos with an opposite colors in background which makes it more attractive Nike, Dominos, KFC etc use white in their logos which makes it more attractive.

7.Violet:-Violet is the combination of blue and red, thus it has got properties of both cold and warm colors. Violet is the color of spirituality , authenticity, luxury, mystery , royalty etc. It has certain narcotic qualities , so it is used as an anaesthesia in minor operations by doctors in Texas. Violet if used in excess can explain something cheap and nasty . The logos which use this color are Hallmark , yahoo etc.

8.Pink:-Pink is lighter red, which helps muscles relax. Pink is generally associated with warmth, unselfish love, femininity and nurture. One can use pink while talking to women as it makes them comfortable. Medium shades of pink can be used to bring about creativity and originality. Dark pinks can be used in public speeches as it inspires others and depicts the passion in you for your speech. The Barbie logo is an excellent use of pink as it refers to femininity and delicateness.
<big>Advantages:</big>
1. Color attracts attention better than words thus people pay more attention to the color that the speaker is wearing, the colors around him etc rather than the content of the speaker. If a person is wearing a bright yellow shirt along with a black trouser, people will get distracted.
2. We tend to pay more attention to colorful things than which lacks color. For example, movie posters.
3. They help to create a comfortable environment and many a times a person first impression is judged by the colors he is carrying.
4. The logos for the companies are also designed according to the physiological and psychological effects of colors on the people.
<big>Disadvantages:</big>
1. The colors are perceived differently by different people.
2. If a person cannot see color difference, then no color can make a difference.
3. Color must be used to communicate and not to decorate.
4. Wrong use of color can confuse people.
5. A color is perceived differently in different parts of the world, for example in England blue is for sadness whereas in Spain it depicts health.
Thus, colors must be used to communicate within right environment and right context. They can prove to be an excellent tool for communication.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu