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Ever wondered why Facebook and Twitter interfaces are blue? Or, why do Mcdonalds use red as their brand color?
Well, there are particular reasons behind this. They didn’t choose the color randomly.
Color plays a vital role in various aspects of daily life — from decision-making to choosing the right partner to date; color affects our brain for it.
If you are in business, choosing the right color can change the entire game.
This blog post will talk about what are the most popular colors and why brands choose distinct colors for different purposes.
What are the most popular colors in the world?
According to a survey conducted by YouGov in 10 different countries, the most popular color in the world is blue. Not only does this survey confirm it, but any other survey conducted for the most popular color also consistently reveals blue as the top choice.
However, based on the demography, it might slightly change. For instance, Britain is the number one country where people have expressed blue as their favorite color. The next countries that favor blue as their favorite color are Germany, the USA, Australia, and China.
The interesting thing is that men are more likely to prefer blue than women. For example, in the USA, 40% of men said blue is their favorite color, while only 24% of women chose blue as their favorite.
Does it make sense now why Facebook’s interface is blue?
The other popular colors in the world are green, red, purple, and yellow.
If you don’t like any of the above colors, it is totally normal. Because people get influenced by different factors and choose the colors accordingly.
Meaning of different color
Various colors actually have different meanings and if you know them, it will be easy for you to pick the right one.
Blue
Blue makes people feel calm, safe, and trustworthy, so it's often used by serious businesses like I mentioned about Facebook. Especially for tech companies, blue makes people trust the brand. In places like hospitals, blue can make people feel relaxed and peaceful, like they're in a safe place.
Green
Green symbolizes nature, growth, and balance. It's linked with renewal, stability, and environmental care, making it popular for eco-friendly brands. Additionally, green is often symbolized with wealth, seen in finance-related businesses.
Red
Red is full of passion, energy, and urgency. It gets noticed fast and makes people act quickly, making it great for ads or urgent messages. It can also stir up strong feelings like excitement, desire, or even a bit of aggression, making it perfect for bold marketing. Another interesting fact is, red is linked with love and romance. That’s the reason we see red on Valentine's Day or in beauty and fashion ads.
Yellow
Yellow is warm and positive, like sunshine, bringing joy and cheerfulness. It also expresses creativity and thinking, making it great for brands targeting creative audiences. But too much yellow can be overwhelming or make people cautious, so it needs to be used carefully in design and branding.
Orange
Orange mixes red's energy with yellow's cheer, symbolizing enthusiasm and creativity. It's warm, exciting, and adventurous, making it ideal for brands seeking to stand out. Plus, it can stimulate appetite, commonly used in food and beverage industries, especially in restaurants and fast-food chains. That’s the reason we often see lots of orange branding colors in juice shops.
Purple
Purple is linked with luxury, creativity, and spirituality, making it ideal for high-end brands. Car brands like lamborghini and bugatti use purple in their special additions. Purple adds mystery and depth to design, appealing to brands aiming for complexity. Purple is also suitable for beauty, fashion, and wellness industries.
How important is color theory for brands?
In the UI/UX industry, everyone knows how important colors are! You can’t provide the very best experience solely through designs if you don't choose the right colors. Brands can't position themselves properly without the correct use of colors.
Even the audience may not trust a brand solely because of its color scheme.
It's not just about a single color; it's about the color palette. If you're a digital product designer, you must consider all aspects of the brand's messaging, the audience demographic and behavior, current trends, and all other factors to choose the right colors.
The Psychology of Color Preferences
Colors have psychological effects on people’s decision making process. Here are some examples and explanations about color psychology.
Cultural Influences on Color Perceptions
Colors hold different meanings across cultures; for instance, while white symbolizes purity in Western cultures, it signifies mourning in some Eastern cultures.
Designers must conduct thorough research to ensure their color choices resonate positively with the cultural backgrounds of their target audience.
Emotional Responses Elicited by Different Colors
Blue often induces feelings of calmness and trust, making it ideal for brands aiming to convey reliability and professionalism.
Warm colors like red and orange tend to evoke a sense of urgency and excitement, making them effective for stimulating action or creating a sense of urgency in marketing materials.
Branding Considerations and Color Psychology
Brands like Coca-Cola leverage the boldness of red to express passion and energy, aligning with their dynamic brand identity.
The use of green by environmentally conscious brands like Starbucks signifies sustainability and eco-friendliness, connecting with their target audience's values.
Gender Variances in Color Preferences
Research suggests that men tend to prefer bold, high-contrast colors, while women often lean towards softer, more muted tones.
Designers should consider these gender differences when creating products or marketing materials to ensure they appeal to a diverse audience while aligning with brand messaging.
Impact of colors on Decision Making
Colors play a significant role in influencing consumer decisions, from the products they purchase to the actions they take.
Understanding how different colors affect perceptions and behaviors can empower designers to create more effective user experiences. Here's how colors impact decision-making:
Visual Appeal and Attention Capture
Vibrant colors, such as red and orange, can capture attention quickly, making them effective for highlighting important elements like calls-to-action or promotions.
Eye-catching colors stimulate curiosity and encourage users to explore further, increasing engagement with the content or product.
Brand Recognition and Identity
Consistent use of brand colors helps establish brand recognition and reinforces brand identity in the minds of consumers.
Colors become synonymous with brand values and messaging, influencing consumer perceptions and fostering brand loyalty.
Emotional Triggers and Associations
Colors trigger emotional responses that can influence decision-making processes. For example, warm colors like yellow and orange give a vibe of warmth and positivity, while cool colors like blue and green convey calmness and trust.
By strategically choosing colors with desired emotional responses, designers can create experiences that connect with users on a deeper level, influencing their decisions and behaviors towards a brand.
Call-to-Action Effectiveness
The color of a call-to-action button can significantly impact its effectiveness in prompting user actions. For such buttons, designers need to focus on what catches the attention faster.
Contrasting colors that stand out from the rest of the design draw attention to the call-to-action, making it more compelling and increasing the percent of conversions.
Mood Enhancement and User Experience:
Colors can influence moods and create specific atmospheres. For example, calming blue tones can enhance relaxation and trust, useful for healthcare or financial services websites. By considering color choices' emotional impact on user experience, designers can create positive environments that aid decision-making.
Case studies and examples
Here are some real life case studies that suggest how colors can impact the company’s goals and targets.
Case study 1
In 2016, Instagram underwent a major rebranding effort. They changed their logo from the classic retro camera icon to a more modern and colorful gradient design.
As a result, despite initial backlash and criticism from some users who preferred the old logo, Instagram's rebranding was ultimately successful.
The new logo better reflected the app's evolution and attracted a younger audience. Instagram's user base continued to grow, and the platform maintained its position as one of the leading social media platforms globally.
Case study 2
Tropicana, a popular orange juice brand, underwent a significant redesign in 2009. They changed their packaging from the iconic orange color to a more minimalist design featuring a glass of orange juice.
And guess the result? The new packaging was met with significant backlash from consumers, who found it generic and confusing. As a result, Tropicana's sales dropped by 20% within just two months. The company quickly reverted to its original packaging design, and sales recovered.
There are actually more examples like these where a slight change in color played a major role in the overall success of companies.
Tips for designers to play with different colors
Here are some additional tips for the designers who work on UI/UX:
- Don’t stop playing with colors unless you find the right outcome
- Try to align brand voice and audience’s choice
- Bring small changes in colors for A/B testing
- While adding bold colors, be cautious about the outcomes
- Get feedback from real world users for better understanding
- Don’t stick to a particular color theory when you are not getting results
Wrapping up
I guess you already got a clear concept why color is important and why different colors are most popular all over the world. Try to find out the core of your brand and choose the right color for branding. Don’t ever use random colors for branding which might negatively impact your company’s turnover.
