Advent Blog

Color is a very powerful tool that should be used and leveraged effectively in your branding, marketing, and display design. It surrounds us every day and effects us psychologically and physically. The majority of information that we absorb is through our visual sense. Yet we rarely stop to contemplate why and how it accomplishes its effects.

Experiential Marketing is about connecting consumers with brands in personal and memorable ways. Therefore, it makes sense to always consider color choices as an integral part of any Experiential Marketing campaign.

The science of color is quite complicated and beyond the scope of this article. However, I would like to briefly touch on some of the more philosophical and cultural ideas associated with color and why they matter to marketing. The symbolism and psychology of color can be subjective and dependant on many variables.

Color symbolism and color psychology are culturally constructed linkages that vary with time, place, and culture. In fact one color may perform very different symbolic or psychological functions at the same place. Color symbolism is a contentious area of study dependent upon a large body of anecdotal evidence but not supported by data from well designed scientific studies.

Wikipedia - Color symbolism and psychology

Considerations When Choosing Color Palettes for Your Brand or Campaign

• Who is your target audience and what is their age, gender, class, etc?
• Where, geographically, is your target audience from and where will your event be held?
• When will your project launch and what are the current or forecasted color trends?
• How do you want to make your audience feel during their experience?
• What impression do you want to leave your audience with after their experience?

Have you thought about how the use of color might help you achieve your desired result from the target demographic or audience? The appeal and meaning of color is different for different genders. Men and women usually do not differ on dark or light colors, but women are more prone to prefer softer colors. Men often gravitate towards bright or bold colors. Children, teen-agers, and adults usually have separate distinct color preferences and interpretations of color as well.

Equally important to the age and gender of your demographic when choosing color is their location and culture. Geography plays a major role in the meaning of color and what certain colors symbolize. For example, in western culture white is often associated with purity or cleanliness. On the other hand, in certain Asian cultures white is often symbolic of mourning or death.

The time period of your marketing campaign is important because color trends change from season to season and year to year. If possible, think ahead to when a campaign will launch or when the event you are involved in occurs. Future color forecasts can be found by studying fashion, interior design, and graphic design industries.

When you know who your audience is and the time of your event you can then think about how you want to make your audience feel while attending and what impression you want them to leave with. Do you want to calm them? A soothing blue might help. Maybe your want to excite them. Think Yellow. Yellow is often perceived as an energetic color associated with the spring season and youthful age.

Color research can easily be achieved by poking around on the internet, visiting a book store, or simply taking a walk outside. Pay particular attention to magazines and fashion. They are current and often set or create color trends. For a more universal and lasting color palette look to nature. Nature never goes out of fashion or style.

In the end you may not be able to please everybody or pick the perfect color scheme for your Experiential Marketing campaign or project. However, going the extra mile, doing some research, and making the best decisions possible should pay off in the end and help provide your audience with a more memorable experience.

Color Resources and Articles

• Color Trends for 2008
• Sherwin-Williams 2008 Color Forecast
• Happy Blue Year: 2008 Color Trends
• Adobe Kuler
• Color Matters

Tags: color, display, exhibit design