Misconceptions around the Psychology of Color
Why does color psychology invoke so much conversation but is backed with so little data? As research shows, it's likely because aspects such as personal preference, experiences, upbringing, cultural differences, context, etc., often muddy the effect individual colors have on us. So the idea that colors such as yellow or purple can evoke some hyper-specific emotion is about as accurate as your standard Tarot card reading. The conversation is only worsened by incredibly vapid visuals that sum up color psychology with awesome "facts" such as this one: “Yellow is psychologically the happiest color in the color spectrum.”

Now it's time to look at some research-backed insights on how color plays a role in persuasion.


The Importance of Colors in Branding
First, let's address branding, one of the most important issues relating to color perception, and the area where many articles on this subject run into problems. There have been numerous attempts to classify consumer responses to different individual colors. Still, the truth is that color is too dependent on personal experiences to be universally translated to specific feelings. There are broader messaging patterns to be found in color perceptions. For instance, colors play a fairly substantial role in purchases and branding. In an appropriately titled study called Impact of Color in Marketing, researchers found that up to 90 percent of snap judgments made about products can be based on color alone, depending on the product.

In regards to the role that color plays in branding, results from studies such as The Interactive Effects of Colors show that the relationship between brands and color hinges on the perceived appropriateness of the color being used for the particular brand; in other words, does the color "fit" what is being sold.

The study Exciting Red and Competent Blue also confirm that purchasing intent is greatly affected by colors due to the impact they have on how a brand is perceived. This means that colors influence how consumers view the "personality" of the brand in question; after all, who would want to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle if they didn't get the feeling that Harleys were rugged and cool?

Additional studies have revealed that our brains prefer recognizable brands, which makes color incredibly important when creating a brand identity. It has even been suggested that it is of paramount importance for new brands to target logo colors that ensure differentiation from entrenched competitors specifically; if the competition all uses blue, you'll stand out by using purple.

When it comes to picking the "right" color, research has found that predicting consumer reaction to color appropriateness about the product is far more important than the individual color itself. So, if Harley owners buy the product in order to feel rugged, you could assume that the pink plus glitter edition wouldn't sell all that well. Psychologist and Stanford professor Jennifer Aaker has conducted studies on this very topic via research on Dimensions of Brand Personality, and her studies have found five core dimensions that play a role in a brand's personality:

Brands can sometimes cross between two traits, but they are mostly dominated by one. High-fashion clothing feels sophisticated; camping gear feels rugged.