Importance of Colour in Business

INTRODUCTION
Colors are a dominating force in every aspect of human life; so much so that we today cannot imagine a world without colors. In the area of marketing, especially in advertising, colors provide the cornerstone of creativity and visual appeal. Color coordination has become the buzzword in fashion technology, interior designing, publishing, (both traditional and net based) and in a host of other domain. With such a huge impact of color on every aspect of human behavior, marketers cannot afford to misunderstand color - however the literature of marketing pays scant attention to the subject of color. This paper is an attempt to collate the available literature on color and its impact on human behavior; and provide the marketing fraternity with a better understanding of how colors can be utilized in various aspects of marketing. After more than fifty years of marketing theory and practice, marketing planning still remains one of the great, unconquered challenges. This challenge continues to grow as the environments in which companies operate become increasingly hostile, abrasive and dynamic. To overcome these challenges color is the one of the useful tool of marketing. Color strategy has become part of today’s marketing life. Trends for each year are no longer only predicted by the fashion industry. Moreover, the psychological value of color is in marketing more important than in the fashion industry. Some color associations and reactions can be very dangerous for your product. Be aware however, not to lose track of the origin of a product. On top, some colors can never work for a certain product whereas they will be perfect for another one. (Ever thought of using entirely black toothpaste?) Marketers, advertisers and graphic artists agree that the effects of color on the consumer certainly can help facilitate the exchange process. Studies have shown how color can grab and retain attention, can stimulate emotional responses, can affect an individual’s perception, can form attitudes, and improve learning and persuasiveness. Color is influential at every level of the marketplace, from brand logo, image, signage, display, packaging, and even the product itself. Color exercises very strong effects plus induces reactions in individuals based on both instincts and associations. You develop your brand through the use of brand identity - the logos, colors, and design that conveys your business’ promise. When developing your brand identity through printed material,

Page 1 of 56

advertising, or Web sites you should understand the role of color psychology in selling process. There are many simple rules in choosing the right color combinations. Color has its own psychological meaning and a certain influence on our psyche. The colors of the spectrum can be broadly associated with two moods: Warm active and exciting qualities of Red (and its shades), and the cool, passive and calming qualities of Blue, Violet and Green. Beyond these, there is wide speculation, since reactions to color are influenced by concerned subject matters and changing circumstances and contexts. It is true that color do evoke certain material, abstract, sensory and emotional associations that stay quite stable across cultures; there is much scope of further research into what actually makes one react in a certain way to a certain color specially in a country like India.

Page 2 of 56

The Psychology of color in Marketing
Color is a meaningful constant for sighted people and it's a powerful psychological tool. By using color psychology, you can send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, calm a crowd, or make an athlete pump iron harder. Employ the latest color psychology in all facets of marketing and particularly in logo design, web site design, the cover of a book, or the package of a product. The field of industrial psychology has a sub-field that studies only the psychology of color. It is no accident that Campbell's soup has used the same four colors on their labels for years and years. When I mentioned that product, I'll bet an image of that label popped into your head. Below is a quick overview of the meaning of basic colors in the Western Hemisphere. This information will help you decided what colors to use in your marketing projects. The psychology of color changes with lighter or darker shades of the colors below are often associated with much different meanings. And remember for the World Wide Web, and different cultures have differing views on the meaning of color. Black Black is the color of authority and power, stability and strength. It is also the color associated with intelligence (doctorate in black robe; black horn rimmed glasses, etc.) Black clothes make people appear thinner. It's a somber color sometimes associated with evil (the cowboy in the black hat was almost always the "bad guy"). In the western hemisphere black is associated with grieving. Black is a serious color that evokes strong emotions; it is easy to overwhelm people with too much black. White For most of the world this is the color associated with purity (wedding dresses); cleanliness (doctors in white coats) and the safety of bright light (things go bump in the night ... not the bright sunshine!). It is also used to project the absence of color, or neutrality. In some eastern parts of the world, white is associated with mourning. White associated with creativity (white boards, blank slates). It is a compression of all the colors in the color spectrum. Gray Gray is most associated with the practical, timeless, middle-of-the-road, solid things in life. Too much gray leads to feeling mostly nothing; but a bit of gray will add that rock solid feeling to your product. Some shades of gray are associated with old age, death, taxes, depression or a lost sense of direction. Silver is an off-shoot of gray and often associated with giving a helping hand, strong character (sterling in-fact!).

Page 3 of 56

Red If you want to draw attention, use red. It is often where the eye looks first. Red is the color of energy. It's associated with movement and excitement. People surrounded by red find their heart beating a little faster and often report feeling a bit out of breath. It's absolute the wrong color for a baby's room but perfect to get people excited. Wearing red clothes will make you appear a bit heavier and certainly more noticeable. (Some studies show red cars get more tickets but that maybe because the red car owners drive faster or the ticket giver notices the movement of the red car more prominently). Red is not a good color to over use but using a spot of red in just the right place is smart in some cases (one red accent in a otherwise neutral room draws the eye; a red tie with a navy blue suit and white shirts adds just the right amount of energy to draw the eye (no wonder it's the "uniform of the day" at the seats of government). Red is the symbol of life (red blooded life!) and, for this reason, it's the color worn by brides in China. Red is used at holidays that are about love and giving (red roses, Valentines hearts, Christmas, etc.) but the true color of love is pink. Pink is the most calming of all colors -- often our most dangerous criminals are housed in pink cells as studies show that color drains the energy and calms aggression. Think of pink as the color of romance, love, and gentle feelings, to be in the pink is to be soothed. Blue Ask people their favorite color and a clear majority will say blue. Much of the world is blue (skies, seas). Seeing the color blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming; but that isn't true of all shades of blue. Some shades (or too much blue) can send a cold and uncaring message. Many bedrooms are blue because it's calm, restful color. Over the ages blue has become associated with steadfastness, dependability, wisdom and loyalty (note how many uniforms are blue). People tend to be more productive in a blue room because they are calm and focused on the task at hand. Some studies are showing that weight lifters can lift more weight in a blue gym - in fact, nearly all sports are enhanced in blue surroundings. Green The color of growth, nature, and money. A calming color also that's very pleasing to the senses. Dark forest green is associated with terms like conservative, masculine and wealth. Hospitals use light green rooms because they too are found to be calming to patients. It is also the color associated with envy, good luck, generosity and fertility. It is the traditional color of peace, harmony, comfortable nurturing, support and well paced energy. Yellow Cheerful yellow the color of the sun, associated with laughter, happiness and good times. A person surrounded by yellow feels optimistic because the brain actually releases more seratonin (feel good chemical in the brain) when around this color. It is the color associated with optimism but be careful with yellow, when intense, it is the color of flames and studies show babies cry more in (bright) yellow rooms and tempers flare more around that color too. It has the power to speed up our metabolism and bring out some creative thoughts (legal tablets are yellow for good
Page 4 of 56

reason!). Yellow can be quickly overpowering if over-used, but used sparingly in the just the right place it can be an effective tool in marketing to greater sales. Some shades of yellow are associated with cowardice; but the more golden shades with the promise of better times. Orange The most flamboyant color on the planet! It's the color tied most this fun times, happy and energetic days, warmth and organic products. It is also associated with ambition. There is nothing even remotely calm associated with this color. Orange is associated with a new dawn in attitude. Purple What color were the robes of kings and queens? Yes, they were purple, our most royal color that is associated with wealth, prosperity, rich sophistication. This color stimulates the brain activity used in problem solving. However, when overused in a common setting it is associated with putting on airs and being artificial/ Use purple most carefully to lend an air of mystery, wisdom, and respect. Young adolescent girls are most likely to select nearly all shades of purple as their favorite color. Brown This color is most associated with reliability, stability, and friendship. More are more likely to select this as their favorite color. It's the color of the earth itself "terra firma" and what could represent stability better. It too is associated with things being natural or organic. Caution however, for in India it is the color of mourning. You develop your brand through the use of brand identity - the logos, colors, and design that conveys your business’ promise. When developing your brand identity through printed material, advertising, or Web sites you should understand the role of color psychology in selling process. There are many simple rules in choosing the right color combinations. Color has its own psychological meaning and a certain influence on our psyche. Here is a review of color theory literature highlighting the impact of some colors.

Page 5 of 56

Basics on How to Use Color Together
Color psychology is complicated field of study and goes deep into the meaning of combining colors for a particular desired effect. We will broad brush some basics that may well enough for you to make good color choices for a web site with marketing in mind. Monochromatic Color Scheme This is the use of a single color in varying shades. This can be a clean and interesting look on a web site. It's soothing and pleasing to the eye especially in the blue or green hues. Complimentary Color Scheme This is using high contrast of color by selecting colors directly opposite from one another on the color wheel (such as pink and lime green). This puts a warm color with a cool color and is pleasing to the eye. Triple Color Scheme This scheme uses three colors equally spaced from each other around a color wheel. It's popular with web designers and allows for a harmonious color scheme. You ARE that first flash of color seen on your web site it's important to remember that color is the first thing registered by a person who goes to your web site. It that is pleasing, they will read on -- if it's displeasing you may lose them in a nano second. So first select your background color and then select two other colors for your web site. Remember to keep in mind the meaning and harmony of colors. Different colors combinations and the manner in which they are used also have an impact on consumer behavior. In on-line business, red, blue and brown and shades have found to be the safest colors for use on the Internet. In business, color makes the first impressions so be aware and use color to your advantage!

The Strength and Influence of Color
Page 6 of 56

What colors have you chosen for your marketing materials? What were your reasons for making that particular choice? Was it because you liked those particular colors, or did you have a particular marketing message in mind? While visual appeal is an important consideration, your color choices could be sending a specific message to the people who view them. Are you sure you know what that message is? You'd be wise to consider the Strength of color when designing your marketing materials. Be it business card, brochure, web site, posters or other material, you'll be making color choices. Colors not only enhance the appearance of the item -- they also influence our behavior. You will do well to consider the impact that the colors you use will have on your target audience. For instance, have you noticed that most fast food restaurants are decorated with vivid reds and oranges? It's no accident that these colors show up so frequently. Studies have shown that reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave -- and that's exactly what fast food outlets want you to do. It's also no accident that you see a lot of reds and blacks on adult web sites. These colors are thought to have sexual connotations. Ever notice that toys, books and children's web sites usually contain large blocks of bright, primary colors? Young children prefer these colors and respond more positively than they do to pastels or muted blends. Market researchers have had a field day identifying the colors and the likely effect they have upon us. In North American mainstream culture, the following colors are associated with certain qualities or emotions: Red --Excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger. Blue -- (Listed as the most popular color) trust, reliability, belonging, coolness. Yellow --warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness Orange -- playfulness, warmth, vibrant Green -- nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance Purple --royal, spirituality, dignity Pink -- soft, sweet, nurture, security White --pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild. Black --sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery Gold -- prestige, expensive Silver -- prestige, cold, scientific However, the effects of color differ among different cultures, so the attitudes and preferences of your target audience should be a consideration when you plan your design of any promotional materials.

Page 7 of 56

For example, white is the color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors; people from northern climates prefer the cooler colors. Market researchers have also determined that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels - pink, rose, sky blue. Want to test some of this out? Check out web sites belonging to companies with marketing budgets that allow for extensive research into what sells best. BMW A luxury car with a luxury web site. There's a predominance of black (sophistication) and silver (prestige). BMW markets to people with high incomes who view themselves as sophisticated and look for a prestigious vehicle. Volkswagon Microbus Check out the predominance of yellow (happiness) and orange (playfulness). Matches the type of owners that Volkswagon is trying to attract, don't you think? Use of yellow color in school buses matches children; distantly show the bus as school in crowd to avoid accidents. So how can you put this information to use? First, think about your target market. Let's say that you are selling books for young children, but you are marketing to grandparents. You'd probably design the books in bright, primary colors (reds, blues, and yellows) to appeal to the children who will use them. However, the marketing materials (web site, brochures, etc.) would be designed with grandparents in mind. You might decide to go with blues (trust, reliability), pinks (nurture, sweet, security) and yellow (happy, playful). Of course, you would test your ads and colors on a small market segment before rolling out a large scale campaign. Give some thoughts to the message you want to send and to the psychology of the recipient. Then choose your colors accordingly.

The power of color in direct marketing

Page 8 of 56

Color is one of the most powerful elements of design for direct mail, ads, and other marketing materials.

Why? Because color is a form of nonverbal communication. Research has shown that color increases brand identity, assists in memory, increases a reader’s participation in ads, and improves readership, learning, and comprehension. This is a complicated subject and is worthy of a dozen posts, but I’d like to cover just three important points about why color choice is so important. Color carries meaning through association. This meaning can be divided into two parts: natural associations and psychological or cultural associations. By “natural association” I mean that colors bring to mind certain ideas that everyone understands. For example, green is associated with nature because that’s the primary color of plants everywhere in the world. Blue is associated with the sky. Yellow is associated with the sun. These associations are simple and universal. Psychological or cultural associations are more tricky. In the U.S., orange is associated with Halloween because pumpkins are a big part of that holiday. But since many other cultures don’t celebrate this particular holiday, that association doesn’t exist. Likewise, while black is associated with death in the West, white is often the death color in other cultures.

Practical considerations should guide color choice.
Page 9 of 56

Color associations and vocabulary are something you should know. But when it comes to designing marketing items, don’t get carried away. Copy is more important than color, and the whole point of design is to make sure people READ the copy. So keep a few things in mind:
• •

Black type on white paper is both practical and legible. Your cost savings from printing in two colors can sometimes outweigh any benefits from printing in many colors. Colors are seldom psychologically additive. That’s a fancy way of saying that you can’t reap the symbolism of multiple colors by throwing them all on a page. Too many colors will be distracting and make your layout look unprofessional and “cheap.” Keep it simple. When in doubt, use blue. It’s a favorite color and it’s easy to use in design. It’s legible for headlines, produces good-looking tints, and lets you highlight key points in the copy while not drawing much attention to the design itself. Some colors are hard to work with, such as orange, brown, and pink. They often don’t print the way you want them and tints can be tricky. Orange is a great color to grab attention. It goes in and out of popularity, but in general it’s underused. So it lets you stand out more easily.

•

•

•

•

Red is a power color for headlines, subheads, phone numbers, and other hot spots. Red and black can create a high-impact, reader-friendly layout. Just make sure you use a red that looks red and not pink or purple. • The best use for color? Photos and illustrations. Graphics like these can give a layout plenty of “pop” and let you keep the text simple and readable. There you have it. That’s my quick review of key points for using color in direct marketing. This barely scratches the surface, but there should be plenty here to give you some ideas for improving your marketing materials.
•

The Prevalence of Colors
Page 10 of 56

According to physics, when light falls on a surface it is reflected, absorbed or scattered. A surface, which reflects all wavelengths equally, is perceived to be white; where as a surface which absorbs all wavelengths equally is perceived to be black. The full spectrum (or distribution of color intensities) of the incoming radiation from an object determines the visual appearance of that object and its perceived color. The familiar colors of the rainbow in the spectrum contain all those colors that consist of visible light of a single wavelength only, the pure spectral or monochromatic colors. However, the dominance of color in human life goes far beyond physics. So much so that almost all known field of study have contributed to the understanding of color. It has been shown that on a biological level, colors tend to affect the mechanisms of the human eye. Muscles either relax or tense up; pupils expand or contract when exposed to different colors. The physical effects are considered by authorities to be the result of photochemical action on the glandular system. On a psychological level, colors tend to deliver a powerful subliminal communication. It tends to reinforce and enhance (or negate) the message being delivered by the marketer. The overall color design tends to either create a pleasant visual harmony, which appeals to the aesthetic senses, or it ends up creating a cluttered chaotic experience, which generates negative feelings (Lee, 2002). The effect of colors is more profound on human beings than perhaps any other medium. In 1976, Rikard Kuller demonstrated how color and visual patterning affects not only the cortex but also the entire central nervous system. Color has been shown to alter the level of alpha brain wave activity, which is used in the medical sciences to measure human alertness. In addition, it has been found that when color is transmitted through the human eye, the brain releases certain hormones, which affects our moods, mental clarity and energy levels (Engelbrecht, 2003). The impact of colors on human biological aspect may well be the foundation of the use of colors in occult studies. The development of visual arts — painting, photography and more recently computer based designing — lead to the development of “color theory.” Color Theory is a set of basic rules for mixing colors for achieving a desired result. The attractiveness of “color theory” lies in the fact that it allows us to define simple rules for understanding color. Goethe, in his Theory of Colors, first proposed a symmetric color circle. James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) is credited with having discovered the “Additive Color System” which uses the three primary colors — Red, Green and Blue — to produce other colors. The use of additive color system is commonly seen in various electronic devices like computer monitors and Televisions picture tubes. The much older “Subtractive Color System” explains how colors are created by mixing paints, dyes and inks to create colors, which absorb some wavelength of light and reflect others. Modern print technology makes use of the Subtractive Color System using Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black for printing purpose (Wikipedia,2010b).

Color and Culture

Page 11 of 56

Given the prevalence of colors in day-to-day life, it is not surprising that colors have cultural connotations and have been differently interpreted by different cultures. It is generally believed that perception regarding colors differs in various cultures. However it should be noted that the color association may be completely individual (due to extremely personalized experiences) or they may be spread across a whole spectrum (because of political, religious and racial origins). For example, in politics we also see an association of colors with various ideologies primarily for identification and easy recognition by voters. Red usually signifies communist or socialist parties. Conservative parties generally use blue or black. Black is also associated with fascist or neo-fascist parties. Pink tends to signify moderate socialist. Yellow is often used for liberalism. Green is the color for environmentalist. In the past, Purple was considered the color of royalty, but is rarely used by modern-day political parties. Color associations are useful for mnemonics when voter illiteracy is significant. Another case where they are used is when it is not desirable to make rigorous links to parties, particularly when coalitions and alliances are formed between political parties and other organization.

Similarity of Color Symbolism in culture
In an international research conducted by Osgood, May and Miron (1975) it was found that color meanings have many more similarities than differences across cultures. Concrete identifications of color (for example White – snow, truce), were the same for every culture. Majority of the cultures studied shared the same concrete associations (for example Red– sacrifice, heat; Yellow – plague; Green – spring and nature). Abstract associations (like White for eternity, innocence and light and Black for evil and death) showed similarities among cultures with very few exceptions. Only the Abstract symbolism was a bit arbitrary and related more closely to deities, religions and social classes such as castes. Another study carried out by Olga Dmitrieva (2002) at the Tomsk State University in Russia compared the color association between Russian and English speaking respondents. It was found that the color Red evoked more or less similar emotional states associated with it. For example both set of respondents tended to associate Red with intense emotions and states both positive (love, passion, sex, beauty, and ardor) to negative (aggression, danger, pain, betrayal). The study concludes that there may be significant similarities in the same language families across cultures and the differences that are present are primarily because of cultural, political or purely linguistic factors.

Various attempts have been made to explain the existing similarity of color meaning across cultures. An explanation of this universality is the fact that all humans have a common

Page 12 of 56

relationship to this universe and Mother Nature. It could also be that all of mankind has common links to ancient origins. Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung believed in what he called an uncontrollable “Collective Unconscious.” According to this theory, inherited memories of mankind’s entire experience (of evolution) are stored in the genetic building plan of our brain. Throughout human life the individual refines this genetic plan through experience and learning. The commonality of the genetic plan-giving rise to the universality of meaning (Byrne, 2003).Another explanation for the universality of color is provided from the field of linguistics. The linguistics theory argues that as most languages have evolved from the Indo-European languages, the meanings of certain key words have been retained across cultures (Davidoff, Davies & Roberson, 1999).

Dissimilarity of Color Symbolism in culture
In spite of the apparent similarities of the color meaning, differences do abound. The differences are significant to affect the marketing and advertising strategies. Thus the issue of studying color meaning in a multitude of cultures becomes extremely relevant for companies who compete in international markets (Fraser & Banks, 2004). Differences in the meaning of color can arise due to various reasons. It has been seen that younger people tend to prefer brighter and more solid colors while adults tend to prefer more subdued colors. In other words, preference for hues of longer wavelength at childhood gives way to that for hues of shorter wavelength as one matures (Biggs, 1956). Research in the United States has shown that working class people tend to prefer colors that can be named: like Blue, Red, Green, etc. While more highly educated classes tend to prefer colors that are more obscure: like Taupe, Azure, Mauve, etc. In many cultures, men tend to prefer cooler colors (Blue, Green) while women tend to prefer warmer colors (Red, Orange). Western men are also more likely to be color blind and so unable to see some of the differences in color on web pages (Kyrnin, 2006). Many investigations have indicated that there are differences between genders in preferences for colors. In another study Guilford and Smith (1959) proposed that women might be more colorconscious and their color tastes more diverse. Color preferences have also been seen to vary with climate dependent on the quality of sunshine and the clarity of atmosphere. The intensity of sunlight affects vision: as one approaches the equator it leads to red sightedness (accommodation to long waves of light) and thus predilection for warm hues. Opposite is true as one move towards the poles (Biggs, 1956). Similarly, White is the color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, Green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors, people from northern climates prefer the cooler color (Campbell 2002).

Table: Common Meaning of Colors in American and Indian Culture
Page 13 of 56

Page 14 of 56

Marketing and colors
«Color strategy» has become part of today’s marketing life. Trends for each year are no longer only predicted by the fashion industry. Moreover, the psychological value of color is in marketing more important than in the fashion industry. Some color associations and reactions can be very dangerous for your product. Be aware however, not to lose track of the origin of a
Color American Meaning Passion Excitement Sex Danger Radical Aggression Indian Meaning

product. Happiness On top,Marriage Prosperity Red Danger some Crime colors canAnger never work for a certain product whereas Environment they willHarmony Fertility Money be perfectPeace Health Green Islam Envy for – Inexperience Greed another – one. (Ever thought of using a entirely black or green toothpaste?)
Blue Calm Intelligence Stability Coldness Depression Obscenity Divinity Truthfulness The list ofRoyalty – color – associations –

we saw above is a standard one. The cultural- , national or – Authority religious – Power Style Submission Black influences – Superstition Evil Influences Villains as well asEvil Influences Death personal and fashion appreciation can clearly influence the impact of aPeace Innocence Purity color. APurity Humility – White Sterility global Mourning Cowardice Coldness marketing Widow – approach cannot simply be applied without considering the Cheerful Royalty color Optimistic Religion Hope effect. Yellow Happiness
Illness Avarice Ossification

Warning Decadence Illness / Jaundice

Some examples:
•

For makeup, the preferred colors depend also on the skin type. Lakme noticed that darker skin types use stronger and warmer colors for lipstick, whereas paler skin types are more

Page 15 of 56

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

likely to use softer colors. Nonetheless, eye color also influences the effect and some women might prefer a flashy lipstick to brighten their shade. High-tech products that are more fashionable, like nowadays MP3 players and telephones are more and more available in fancy colors. The colors are still having their individual impact but being joined with technology it is associated with being trend-setter and innovative. (Purple for example becomes a trendy color in this sense) It seems that the standards of live and income also influence color preferences. Flashy colors would rather attract lower income classes, whereas upper class prefers more sober colors Accordingly, Lee uses colors to specify their different positioning strategy: flashy colors in children wears and teenager for entry scale of products, and sober colors in office group– grey and dark blue - for their range of more designer products. Trendy colors and fashionable colors can also very well apply for people or products aiming to be noticed. We same the same in the clothing industry, flashy colors are worn for those wanting to be noticed. These colors attract the eye. Geographical differences and the way people live influences to a certain level also the color preferences: Latin America would prefer stronger colors, more vivid and linked to their life outside. Northern countries would be more tempted to have neutral colors. Religion and cultural heritage represent a life style that accepts different types of colors. Muslims is more likely to use strong and expressive colors like green though Hinduism represented more strict way of life and therewith combined the corresponding sober colors like orange. Some samples to finish with: white gives the impression of more space, drinking out a red glass would make a drink warmer than from a bleu glass and elderly people would prefer sober colors.

There is a mass of possibilities as long as you are sure how to use it. You can combine as you like while keeping in mind that exceptions are there to confirm the general rules. So why not try to be the exception and succeed in your positioning? Today we notice so many products, that each brand will need to find its way to be noticed. The mineral water brand launched its new bottles with a red packaging in 2004. In the market for bottled water, this was completely new. Their studies proved that it would precisely attract young people looking for something new and original. Combined with a good message it worked.

The packaging with colors
Packaging becomes more and more an important element in marketing. It is no longer sufficient if it just protects the product. The luxury products know this already since long time. Nowadays, trendy products will obtain more and more a suitable packaging, not only corresponding to the product but also including a color that reflects the product and the positioning. Imagine being in

Page 16 of 56

a shop buying a product, if you want it wrapped up as a present, the color of the wrapping counts as much as the wrapping itself. The color is the outer shelf of the product and reflects its impression. Therefore color in your packaging should not be neglected.

Using Colors in Marketing
Colors have been used successfully for marketing purpose the world over. Coca-Cola owes a huge part of its success to its visual identity. A flash of red and a curved white line is enough to get people thinking about their favorite soft drink. Mobile company “Orange” has appropriated the Orange color to create one of the most successful brands. The golden arches of McDonalds are recognized the world over as a welcoming place. Tiffany’s choice of its signature color has given a distinct identity to the brand. Similarly, Nivea’s image is its visual identity composed of blue and white color scheme. The Nivea Blue specially developed for Nivea transmits the positive associations of harmony, friendship and loyalty besides providing it with the synergistic effect of recognition (Haig, 2004). Color psychologists attribute different qualities to different colors but broadly it can be said that bright vivid colors, such as Red and Blue are energizing and outward focused. Extremely bright and electrifying colors such as Lime Green and Fuchsia are festive, dynamic and appeal to the young generation. Muted Gray based colors, such as Taupe, is sophisticated and reserved and appeal to the higher socio-economic groups. Similarly, dark shades such as deep forest green and navy blue convey the image of dignity and professionalism; whereas light shades of most colors such as Pink or Blue are delicate and ethereal. Yellow is the hardest to absorb but has the highest visibility and also greatest memorability. In general, pure colors and those at the Red end of the color spectrum have a greater visibility (Biggs, 1956). It has also been seen that the temperature of color also affects its association with business category. Cool colors like Deep Blue and Emerald Green work well with medical, automotive and technological businesses; where as Warm colors such as Golden Tan and Brick Red work well with food related business such as restaurants (Lee, 2002). No wonder, fast food restaurants the world over prefer using shades of Reds and Oranges because people tend to consume more in presence of these colors. Khan and Wansink (2004) have shown that people tend to eat more when variety is present – variety being reflected by prominence of color in the food which is served. Market researchers have also determined that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to Red, Orange, Black and Blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to Pink, Teal, Blue and Navy. Traditionalists responded best to pastels - Pink, Rose, Blue (Campbell, 2002). Similarly, certain colors have become associated with certain categories of

Page 17 of 56

products, for example, pastel blue and pink with toiletries in USA. Similarly, Yellow has also been associated with photographic films worldwide mainly due to the efforts of Kodak. Similarly Tangerine colored I-Mac is sold more in the Far East while Indigo Blue and Graphite are most popular in the rest of the world.

Implications for Marketing

A color contributes to the “smash ability” of a brand. Successful brands can be “smashed” like a glass bottle and consumers would still recognize the brand from its pieces. Logically, then, marketers should place a “signature” color at the center of all branding efforts. Trade marking the color is even better, as it secures the hue as a distinct part of the brand’s sensory experience. More to the point, it prevents competitors from using the trademarked color or any confusingly similar shade to promote their products. Of course, marketers have long recognized this fact, and the history of the marketing world is dappled with attempts to “own” a color. Examples range from Campbell Soup’s quest to monopolize Red and White to Kraft’s claim for Royal Blue on Silver solely for its Klondike bars in 1986 to Cadbury’s successful attempt of securing Although efforts have been made by various researchers to provide a complete emotional palette for colors — relating every color trade mark registration in New Zealand for the color Purple for its chocolate brands. Picking a color that has no intrinsic connection with the product makes it harder for competition to dismiss imitation as coincidence. While choosing a particular color for its brand a company should ensure that the chosen color supports the brand attributes and is appropriate for the particular product or service. The chosen color should also complement the brand personality, psycho-graphic and behavioral factors relating to the target segment. Moreover, the color should be relevant to the target audience and should be featured consistently on all communications materials and sales tools. Care should also be taken to ensure that the color does not have any negative connotations in other parts of world where the company aims to sell the product in the future.

Page 18 of 56

OBJECTIVES
The theme of this term paper is to conduct a detailed analysis of impact and psychology of the color in marketing. The objective of this paper is an attempt to collate the available literature on color and its impact on human behavior. The report provides the marketing fraternity with a better understanding of how colors can be utilized in various aspects of marketing.

HYPOTHESIS
• • • Color play major role in marketing. The different colors have different impact on consumer to buying better. Color affects shopping habits.
Page 19 of 56

•

Colors influence the mind and the perception.

ASSUMPTIONS
• • • • Color is a meaningful constant for sighted people and it's a powerful psychological tool. The use of a single color in varying shades OR usage of color together. Color is a form of non verbal communication. The color is the outer shelf of the product and reflects its impression.

Research methodology
• Primary data
Primary data will be collected by using survey method; survey conducted will be personally meeting with selected Businessman, Researchers, Salesman, Student and Consumer of today’s marketplace with the help of open and closed end questionnaires of use a randomly.

• Sample size

Page 20 of 56

100 people •

Sample design – Buyers of all segments different range including markets, factories,
showrooms and retailers shops as well as many wholesale and local market of city.

• Area of research
Jodhpur

• Sampling technique
Random

• Secondary data
These sources contain data, which have been collected and compiled for detailed study of the topic. The secondary data will collected from various books, reports, articles, websites and other sources. •

Tool’s for measurement
Closed end questionnaires

• Personal research methods used to be explained
We have research for this paper to end to end user by meeting them personally, we have taken guidelines from many branded companies by the sending them mail. The spss software is used for the factor analysis.

ANALYSES AND RESULTS
Table 1:-The ratio of respondents on the Gender basis.

Gender Male Female

Frequency
55 45

Percent 55% 45%

Page 21 of 56

Total

100

100%

This pie chart shows the ratio of respondents on the gender basis. Where 45% respondents are female and 55% respondent are male.

Table 2:- The ratio of respondents on the Age basis.

Age basis 20-30 30-40 40-50 Below 20

Frequency 67 14 4 12

Percent 67.0 14.0 4.0 12.0

Page 22 of 56

Over 50 Total

3 100

3.0 100.0

This pie chart shows the ratio of respondent on Age basis. Where 12% respondents are below 20 years, 67% respondents are between 20-30 years, 14% respondents are 30-40 years, 4% respondents are 40-50 years and 3% respondents are 50and above.

Table 3:- The ratio of respondents on the basis of occupation.

Occupation basis Business Others

Frequency 17 5

Percent 17.0 5.0

Page 23 of 56

Service Student Total

14 64 100

14.0 64.0 100.0

This pie chart shows the ratio of respondent on occupation basis. Where 64% respondents are students, 17% respondents are business person, 14% respondents are service person and 5% respondents are others.

Table 4:- Color makes products more successful.

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral

Frequency
17 57 21

Percent
17.0 57.0 21.0

Page 24 of 56

Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

4 1 100

4.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 17% of respondent strongly agree that color makes product appear more successful, 57% are agree with that, 21% respondent having neutral respond, 4% respondent are disagree with that and 1% is strongly disagree that.

Table 5:- The color has much importance while choosing products from alternatives.

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral

Frequency 13 53 26

Percent 13.0 53.0 26.0
Page 25 of 56

Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

8 0 100

8.0 .0 100

This pie chart shows that 13% of respondent strongly agree that while choosing products from alternatives, the color has much importance, 53% are agree with that, 26% respondent having neutral respond and 8% respondent are disagree with that.

Table 6:- Color has much importance in advertisement.

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree

Frequency 25 53 13 8

Percent 25.0 53.0 13.0 8.0

Page 26 of 56

Strongly Disagree Total

1 100

1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 25% of respondent strongly agree that advertisement in color is read more often than the black and white, 53% are agree with that, 13% respondent having neutral respond, 8% respondent are disagree with that and 1% respond is strongly disagree with that.

Table 7:- While purchasing, visual factor is more important than physical feel.

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree

Frequency 14 39 20 20

Percent 14.0 39.0 20.0 20.0

Page 27 of 56

Strongly Disagree Total

7 100

7.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 14% of respondent strongly agree that while purchasing we give importance to visual factor rather than physical feel, 39% are agree with that, 20% respondent having neutral respond, 20% respondent are disagree with that and 7% are strongly disagree with that.

Table 8:- Color play major role in marketing.

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral

Frequency 30 38 25

Percent 30.0 38.0 25.0

Page 28 of 56

Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

6 1 100

6.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 30% of respondent strongly agree that color play major role in marketing, 38% are agree with that, 25% respondent having neutral respond, 6% respondent are disagree with that and 1% is strongly disagree with that.

Table 9:- The different color has different impact on consumer to buy a product.

Page 29 of 56

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

Frequency 19 51 22 8 0 100

Percent 19.0 51.0 22.0 8.0 .0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 19% of respondent strongly agree that the different color has different impact on consumer to buy a product, 51% are agree with that, 22% respondent having neutral respond and 8% respondent are disagree with that.

Table 10:- Importance of color in readership and learning.

Rating criteria Strongly Agree

Frequency 17

Percent 17.0

Page 30 of 56

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

55 20 7 1 100

55.0 20.0 7.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 17% of respondent strongly agree that color can improve readership, learning and comprehension, 55% are agree with that, 20% respondent having neutral respond, 7% respondent are disagree with that and 1% are strongly disagree with that.

Table 11:- Color affects shopping habits.

Rating criteria Strongly Agree

Frequency 17

Percent 17.0

Page 31 of 56

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

41 23 17 2 100

41.0 23.0 17.0 2.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 17% of respondent strongly agree that color affects shopping habits, 41% are agree with that, 23% respondent having neutral respond, 17% respondent are disagree with that and 2% are strongly disagree with that.

Table 12:- Color influences the mind and perception to a particular thing.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 32 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

17 47 28 8 0 100

17.0 41.0 28.0 8.0 .0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 17% of respondent strongly agree that color influence the mind and perception to a particular thing, 47% are agree with that, 27% respondent having neutral respond and 8% respondent are disagree with that.

Table 13:- Color influences brand identity in variety of ways.

Page 33 of 56

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

Frequency 24 39 27 9 1 100

Percent 24.0 39.0 27.0 9.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 24% of respondent strongly agree that color influences brand identity in a variety of ways, 39% are agree with that, 27% respondent having neutral respond, 9% respondent are disagree with that and 1% are strongly disagree with that.

Table 14:- A color image may hold the attention for two second or more.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent
Page 34 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

16 57 22 5 0 100

16.0 57.0 22.0 5.0 .0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 16% of respondent strongly agree that a colored image seek attention for two second or more, 57% are agree with that, 22% respondent having neutral respond and 5% respondent are disagree with that.

Table 15:- Color increase brand recognition by up to 80 percent.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 35 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

22 35 17 25 1 100

22.0 35.0 17.0 25.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 22% of respondent strongly agree that color increase brand recognition by up to 80 percent, 35% are agree with that, 17% respondent having neutral respond, 25% respondent are disagree with that and 1% is strongly disagree with that.

Table 16:- Importance of natural color.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 36 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

19 51 24 6 0 100

19.0 51.0 24.0 6.0 .0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 19% of respondent strongly agree that if a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture with natural color may be worth a million, 51% are agree with that, 24% respondent having neutral respond and 6% respondent are disagree with that.

Table 17:- Color present an image of impressive quality.

Page 37 of 56

Rating criteria Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

Frequency 29 37 20 14 0 100

Percent 29.0 37.0 20.0 14.0 .0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 29% of respondent strongly agree that color presents an image of impressive quality, 37% are agree with that, 20% respondent having neutral respond and 14% respondent are disagree with that.

Table 18:- Color themes can assist in attracting new customers.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 38 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

27 56 10 6 1 100

27.0 56.0 10.0 6.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 27% of respondent strongly agree that color theme can assist in attracting new customers, 56% are agree with that, 10% respondent having neutral respond, 6% respondent are disagree with that and 1% is strongly disagree with that.

Table 19:- Color can be used as a tool to emphasize or de-emphasize areas.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 39 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

7 54 22 16 1 100

7.0 54.0 22.0 16.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 7% of respondent strongly agree that color can be used as a tool of emphasize or de-emphasize areas, 54% are agree with that, 22% respondent having neutral respond, 16% respondent are disagree with that and 1% are strongly disagree with that.

Table 20:- People remember presentation and documents better when color is used.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 40 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

20 45 25 10 0 100

20.0 45.0 25.0 10.0 .0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 20% of respondent strongly agree that people remember presentation and documents better when color is used, 45% are agree with that, 25% respondent having neutral respond and 10% respondent are disagree with that.

Table 21:- Color gives people a competitive edge.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 41 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

7 41 30 21 1 100

7.0 41.0 30.0 21.0 1.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 7% of respondent strongly agree that color gives people a competitive edge, 41% are agree with that, 30% respondent having neutral respond, 21% respondent are disagree with that and 1% are strongly disagree with that.

Table 22:- Use of color makes business appear larger to clients.

Rating criteria

Frequency

Percent

Page 42 of 56

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree Total

16 43 29 8 4 100

16.0 43.0 29.0 8.0 4.0 100.0

This pie chart shows that 16% of respondent strongly agree that use of color makes business appear larger to clients, 43% are agree with that, 29% respondent having neutral respond, 8% respondent are disagree with that and 4% are strongly disagree with that.

FACTOR ANALYSIS REPORT

Page 43 of 56

Descriptive Statistics
Mean Std. Deviation Analysis N

Q1_color Q2_imp_color Q3_role_of_color_adv Q4_imp_visual_fact Q5_role_mkting Q6_impact_consumer Q7_color_imp_rding Q8_color_affect_shoping Q9_color_influnce Q10_color_brand Q11_seek_attention Q12_recog_brand Q13_imp_natural_color Q14_color_impressive_qlty Q15_attracting_cust Q16_color_emphasize Q17_color_rememberence Q18_color_competitive_edge Q19_use_color

2.15 2.29 2.07 2.67 2.10 2.19 2.20 2.46 2.27 2.24 2.16 2.48 2.17 2.19 1.98 2.50 2.25 2.68 2.41

.783 .795 .891 1.155 .937 .837 .841 1.029 .839 .955 .748 1.123 .805 1.012 .841 .882 .892 .920 .986

100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Page 44 of 56

Descriptive Statistics
Mean Std. Deviation Analysis N

Q1_color Q2_imp_color Q3_role_of_color_adv Q4_imp_visual_fact Q5_role_mkting Q6_impact_consumer Q7_color_imp_rding Q8_color_affect_shoping Q9_color_influnce Q10_color_brand Q11_seek_attention Q12_recog_brand Q13_imp_natural_color Q14_color_impressive_qlty Q15_attracting_cust Q16_color_emphasize Q17_color_rememberence Q18_color_competitive_edge Q19_use_color

2.15 2.29 2.07 2.67 2.10 2.19 2.20 2.46 2.27 2.24 2.16 2.48 2.17 2.19 1.98 2.50 2.25 2.68 2.41

.783 .795 .891 1.155 .937 .837 .841 1.029 .839 .955 .748 1.123 .805 1.012 .841 .882 .892 .920 .986

100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Page 45 of 56

Communalities
Initial Extraction

Q1_color Q2_imp_color Q3_role_of_color_adv Q4_imp_visual_fact Q5_role_mkting Q6_impact_consumer Q7_color_imp_rding Q8_color_affect_shoping Q9_color_influnce Q10_color_brand Q11_seek_attention Q12_recog_brand Q13_imp_natural_color Q14_color_impressive_qlty Q15_attracting_cust Q16_color_emphasize Q17_color_rememberence Q18_color_competitive_edge Q19_use_color
Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000

.761 .720 .694 .756 .685 .681 .696 .681 .820 .654 .667 .677 .758 .692 .587 .530 .710 .336 .738

Page 46 of 56

Correlation Matrix Q14_c Q16_ Q17_c Q3_rol Q8_co Q13_i olor_i Q15_a color olor_r Q2_i e_of_c Q4_im Q5_ro Q6_im Q7_col lor_aff Q9_co Q10_c Q11_s Q12_r mp_na mpres ttracti _emp emem Q1_c mp_c olor_ad p_visua le_mkt pact_co or_imp ect_sh lor_inf olor_br eek_at ecog_ tural_c sive_q ng_cu hasiz berenc olor olor v l_fact ing nsumer _rding oping lunce and tention brand olor lty st e e Corre Q1_color 1.000 .124 lation Q2_imp_c .124 1.000 olor Q3_role_o f_color_ad v Q4_imp_v isual_fact Q5_role_ mkting Q6_impact _consumer Q7_color_ imp_rding Q8_color_ affect_sho ping Q9_color_ influnce Q10_color _brand Q11_seek_ attention .347 .057 .347 .057 1.000 .111 -.104 .013 .296 .042 .246 .049 .068 .063 .230 .018 .170 .076 .304 .097 .184 .124 .123 .194 .001 .087 .200 -.002 .159 .407 .137 .208 .119 -.109 .082 .078 .157 .243 .158 .069 .272 .051 .137 .238 .076 -.174 .296 Q18_ color _com petiti Q19_ ve_ed use_c ge olor .179 -.002 .170 .311 .156 .278

.111 -.104 .296 .049 .230 .076 .042 .068 .018 .304

.013 .246 .063 .170 .097

1.000

-.044

.285 .181 1.000 .218 .120

.100 .423 .218 1.000

.070 .088 .120 -.002

-.063 .209 .156 .009 -.017

.283 .300 .233 .204 -.031

.120 -.066

.186 .107

-.080 .205 -.033 -.096 .002

-.084 .278 .088 .275 .148

.076

.203

.150 .103 .098 .081 .006

.033 .049 .185

.235 .163 .174

-.044 1.000 .285 .100 .070 .181 .423 .088

.387 -.073 .149 -.007 .234 -.024 .014 .078

-.033 -.066 -.003 .133

.044 -.100 .040 .220

-.002 1.000

.048 -.036

.184 .194 .200

.124 .001 .159 .137

.123 .087 .407 .208 .082

-.063 .283 .120 .186 -.080

.209 .300 -.066 .107 .205

.156 .233 -.033 -.066 -.033

.009 .204 -.003 .133 -.096

-.017 1.000 -.031 .048 -.036 .002 -.031 -.150 .108 -.054

-.031 1.000

-.150 .059

.108 .287 .052

-.054 -.001 -.046 -.069

.094 .339 .039 .114 -.028

.208 -.007 .195 .150 .149 .096 .291 .234

.017 .024 .197 -.121 -.046

.035 .203 .119 .160 .033

.036 .334 .184 .313 .090

.059 1.000 .287 -.001

Q12_recog -.002 _brand Q13_imp_ natural_col or Q14_color _impressiv e_qlty Q15_attrac ting_cust Q16_color _emphasiz e Q17_color _remembe rence Q18_color _competiti ve_edge

.052 1.000

.119 -.109

-.046 -.069 1.000

-.144 -.107

.078

.157

.243

-.084

.278

.088

.275

.148

.094

.339

.039

.114

-.028 1.000

.349

.040

.025

.142

.215

.158 .051

.069 .137

.272 .238

.076 .203

.387 -.073

.149 -.007

.234 .014

-.024 .078

.208 -.007

.195 .096

.150 .291

.149 .234

-.144 -.107

.349 1.000 .040

.259

.061 .058

.135 .187

.205 .261

.259 1.000

.076 -.174

.296

.150

.103

.098

.081

.006

.017

.024

.197 -.121

-.046

.025

.061

.058 1.000

.148

.158

.179

.170

.311

.033

.049

.185

.044

.040

.035

.203

.119

.160

.033

.142

.135

.187

.148 1.000

.246

Q19_use_c -.002 olor

.156

.278

.235

.163

.174

-.100

.220

.036

.334

.184

.313

.090

.215

.205

.261

.158

.246 1.000

Page 47 of 56

Total Variance Explained Compone nt 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Initial Eigenvalues Total 3.348 1.821 1.498 1.489 1.295 1.238 1.102 1.053 .935 .804 .760 .673 .606 .551 .484 .401 .359 .314 .269 % of Variance 17.621 9.583 7.882 7.836 6.816 6.513 5.802 5.543 4.920 4.233 3.998 3.541 3.190 2.901 2.547 2.111 1.892 1.655 1.417 Cumulative % 17.621 27.204 35.086 42.922 49.738 56.251 62.053 67.595 72.515 76.747 80.745 84.287 87.477 90.378 92.925 95.036 96.928 98.583 100.000 Extraction Sums of Squared Loadings Total 3.348 1.821 1.498 1.489 1.295 1.238 1.102 1.053 % of Variance 17.621 9.583 7.882 7.836 6.816 6.513 5.802 5.543 Cumulative % 17.621 27.204 35.086 42.922 49.738 56.251 62.053 67.595

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis.

As per the total variance in table these three components have a significant impact on the study

Page 48 of 56

Component Matrix Component 1 Q1_color Q2_imp_color Q3_role_of_color_adv Q4_imp_visual_fact Q5_role_mkting Q6_impact_consumer Q7_color_imp_rding Q8_color_affect_shoping Q9_color_influnce Q10_color_brand Q11_seek_attention Q12_recog_brand Q13_imp_natural_color Q14_color_impressive_qlty Q15_attracting_cust Q16_color_emphasize Q17_color_rememberence Q18_color_competitive_edge Q19_use_color .442 .261 .625 .294 .532 .356 .418 .212 .222 .547 .354 .406 -.015 .513 .584 .390 .258 .456 .555 2 -.190 .147 .149 .282 -.603 -.179 -.476 .133 -.324 -.104 .521 .186 -.162 -.273 -.171 .536 .131 .203 .352 3 .244 .513 .316 -.657 .052 -.362 -.155 .293 .225 -.451 .214 -.145 .137 .137 .030 .013 -.136 .098 -.114 4 .342 -.495 .400 .031 .081 -.063 .077 -.246 -.148 -.171 .345 -.400 .280 -.226 -.064 -.085 .617 .048 -.190 5 .058 .148 -.084 .140 .080 .396 -.226 .557 -.094 .075 -.147 -.286 .497 -.062 -.388 -.273 .068 .148 .314 6 .042 .233 -.090 .191 -.142 .442 .208 .307 .178 -.269 .079 -.400 -.609 -.076 .105 .039 .232 -.081 -.252 7 -.033 -.099 .070 .005 -.041 .188 -.384 -.253 .736 -.176 -.267 .116 .036 -.279 .089 .039 .145 .214 .156 8 .589 .192 -.045 .317 -.014 .000 .148 -.060 .104 .046 .082 .205 .122 -.444 -.206 .076 -.384 -.023 -.266

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis. a. 8 components extracted.

Component extract from factor analysis
Component 1- Identity
1) Advertisement in color is read more often than the same advertisement in black & white.

2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)

Color influences brand identity in a variety of ways. Color increases brand recognition by up to 80 percent. Color presents an image of impressive quality. Color theme can assist in attracting new customers. Color gives people a competitive edge. Use of color makes business appear larger to clients.

Component 2- Behaviour 1) Color play major role in marketing. 2) Color can improve readership, learning and comprehension. 3) A colored image may hold the attention for two seconds or more.

Page 49 of 56

4) People cannot process every object within view at one time. Therefore, color can be used as a tool to emphasize or De-emphasize areas. Component 3- Selection of products 1) While choosing products from alternatives, the color has much importance. 2) While purchasing products we give importance to visual factor rather than physical feel. Component 4- Remembrance
1) Customers remember presentations and documents better when color is used.

Component 5- Attraction
1) Color affects shopping habits.

Component 6- Differentiation 1) The different colors have different impact on consumer to buying better. 2) If a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture with natural colors may be worth a million, Memory-wise. Component 7- Aptitude 1) Colors influence the mind and perception to a particular thing. Component 8- promotion 1) Color makes products appear more successful.

FACTOR /VARIABLES Q1_color Q2_imp_color Q3_role_of_color_adv Q4_imp_visual_fact Q5_role_mkting Q6_impact_consumer Q7_color_imp_rding Q8_c olor_affect_shoping Q9_color_influnce Q10_color_brand Q11_seek_attention Q12_recog_brand Q13_imp_natural_color Q14_color_impressive_qlty Q15_attracting_cust Q16_color_emphasize Q17_color_rememberence Q18_color_competitive_edge Q19_use_color /MISSING LISTWISE /ANALYSIS Q1_color Q2_imp_color Q3_role_of_color_adv Q4_imp_visual_fact Q5_role_mkting Q6_impact_consumer Q7_color_imp_rding Q8_co lor_affect_shoping Q9_color_influnce Q10_color_brand Q11_seek_attention Q12_recog_brand Q13_imp_natural_color Q14_color_impressive_qlty Q15_attracting_cust Q16_color_emphasize Q17_color_rememberence Q18_color_competitive_edge Q19_use_color /PRINT INITIAL CORRELATION SIG EXTRACTION /CRITERIA MINEIGEN(1) ITERATE(25) /EXTRACTION PC /ROTATION NOROTATE /METHOD=CORRELATION.

FINDINGS

Page 50 of 56

1) Chart1 shows that 45% respondents are female and 55% respondents are male. 2) Chart2 shows that 80% respondents are youth, and 20% are above 30 years. 3) Chart3 shows that 64% respondents are students, 17% respondents are business person,

14% respondents are service person and 5% respondents are others.
4) Chart4 shows that 64% respondent’s agree that color makes product appear more

successful and rest of the respondents not agree with that. 5) Chart5 shows the ratio of respondents where 66% respondents are think that while choosing products from alternatives, the color has much importance and rest of 34% respondents think that color has not play much important role. 6) Chart6 shows that 78% of respondent agree that advertisement in color is read more often than the black and white,13% responded having neutral respond and rest 9% respondent are disagree with that. 7) Chart7 shows that 53% of respondent agree with that purchasing we give importance to visual factor rather than physical feel,20% responded having neutral respond and rest 27% respondent are disagree with that.
8) Chart8 shows that 68% of respondents agree with that color play major role in marketing,

, 25% respondent having neutral respond, 7% respondent are disagree with that.
9) Chart9 shows that 70% of respondent are agree that the different color has different

impact on consumer to buy a product, 22% respondent having neutral respond, 8% respondent are disagree with that.
10)

Chart10 shows that 72% of respondents are agree that color can improve

readership, learning and comprehension, 20% respondent having neutral respond and 8% respondent are disagree with that.
11)

Chart11 shows that 58% of respondent are agree that color affects shopping

habits, 23% respondent having neutral respond, 19% respondent are disagree with that.
12)

Chart12 shows that 64% of respondents are agree that color influence the mind

and perception to a particular thing, 27% respondent having neutral respond and 9% respondent are disagree with that.

Page 51 of 56

13)

Chart13 shows that 63% of respondents are agree that color influences brand

identity in a variety of ways, 27% respondent having neutral respond, 10% respondent are disagree with that.
14)

Chart14 shows that 73% of respondent are agree that a colored image seek

attention for two second or more and 22% respondent are having neutral respond, 5% responded disagree with that.
15)

Chart15 shows that 57% of respondent think that increase brand recognition by up

to 80 percent, 17% respondent are having neutral respond and 26% responded disagree with that.
16)

Chart16 shows that 70% of respondents are agree that if a picture is worth a

thousand words, a picture with natural color may be worth a million, 24% respondent having neutral respond, 6% respondent are disagree with that.
17)

Chart17 shows that 66% of respondents are agree that color presents an image of

impressive quality, 20% respondent having neutral respond, 14% respondent are disagree with that.
18)

Chart18 shows that 83% of respondents are agree that color theme can assist in

attracting new customers, 10% respondent having neutral respond, 7% respondent are disagree with that.
19)

Chart19 shows that 61% of respondents are agree that color can be used as a tool

of emphasize or de-emphasize areas, 22% respondent having neutral respond, 17% respondent are disagree with that.
20)

Chart20 shows that 65% of respondents are agree that people remember

presentation and documents better when color is used, 25% respondent having neutral respond, 10% respondent are disagree with that.
21)

Chart21 shows that 48% of respondents are agree that color gives people a

competitive edge, 30% respondent having neutral respond, 22% respondent are disagree with that.

Page 52 of 56

22)

Chart22 shows that 59% of respondents are agree that use of color makes business

appear larger to clients, 29% respondent having neutral respond, 12% respondent are disagree with that. After the survey we found that sample of the survey is small and if we apply that result on whole population then result may be different from what we get in our findings.

CONCLUSION
For marketers, color has many uses. Many times it is the very first thing we notice. Color shapes the way we think in an immediate and visceral way. Color can be a primary tool in the hands of a
Page 53 of 56

marketer. In a society faced with information and stimulation overload, color communicates with refreshing simplicity and impact. Color has strong associative meaning, it can communicate quickly, and it can elicit a powerful subconscious response. In the last couple of decades, globalization has become a general tendency of the overall market. Companies need to be aware of cultural color differences that exist among most nations worldwide. Color perception, meanings and preferences vary by culture and ethnicity. It is definitely a significant factor in global marketing. To some human feeling — the only conclusive finding is that the colors of the spectrum can be broadly associated with two moods: Warm active and exciting qualities of Red (and its shades), and the cool, passive and calming qualities of Blue, Violet and Green. Beyond these, there is wide speculation, since reactions to color are influenced by concerned subject matters and changing circumstances and contexts. It is true that color do evoke certain material, abstract, sensory and emotional associations that stay quite stable across cultures; there is much scope of further research into what actually makes one react in a certain way to a certain color especially in a country like India. The conclusive finding is that the colors of the spectrum can be broadly associated with two moods: Warm active and exciting qualities of Red (and its shades), and the cool, passive and calming qualities of Blue, Violet and Green. Beyond these, there is wide speculation, since reactions to color are influenced by concerned subject matters and changing circumstances and contexts. It is true that color do evoke certain material, abstract, sensory and emotional associations that stay quite stable across cultures; there is much scope of further research into what actually makes one react in a certain way to a certain color specially in a country like India.

REFERENCES
1. Abraham, R., “Intelligent Use of Color, Webpage, 2005.

http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/industryinsight/printing/Abraham.

Page 54 of 56

050426.asp?A=COV&S=Covert=Section=C, . 2. AFSIT-SIG for IT for IT Internationalization, A.Sato, T.K., ed., The Center of the International Cooperation for Computerization (CICC), Data Book of Cultural Conventions in Asian Countries, Japan, 1997. http://www.cicc.or.jp/english/hyoujyunka/databook/225.htm (Accessed April 12, 2006). 3. Bhat, V.,“The Meaning of Color,” Webpage. http://kradanta.blogspot.com/2006/03/meaning-of-color.html. (Accessed April,19, 2006). 4. Biggs, E., Colour in Advertising, The Studio Publications, London,U.K., 1956. 5. Byrne, M., “Similarities of Color Meanings Among Diverse Cultures, ”2003.http://bwwsociety.org/feature/color.htm (Accessed April 11, 2006). 6. Campbell, J., “The Psychology of Color In Marketing Materials,”Webpage, 2002. http://www.smallbusinessnewz.com/ 7. Smallbusinessnewz-13-20020203 the Psychology of Color in Marketing Materials.html 8. Davidoff, J.; Davies, I. & Roberson, D., “Is color categorization universal? New Evidence from a stone-age culture,” Nature (398), 203-204,1999. 9. Dmitrieva, O., “Colour Associations.” PDF,2002. http://www.colormatters.com/research/ColorAssociations.pdf.(Accessed April 17, 2006). 10. Engelbrecht, K.,“The Impact of Color on Learning,” 2003. http://web.archive.org/web/20040218065036/. (Accessed April 15,2006). 11. Eysenck, H.J.,“A critical and experimental study of color preferences,” American Journal of Psychology, 54, 385-394, 1941. 12. Haig, M. Brand Royalty, Kogan Page Limited, London, UK.Johnson, D., “Color Psychology,”Webpage,20002006.http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html(Accessed April 19, 2006). 13. Kyrnin,J., “Using Colours to Convey Meaning may Backfire on a Web Site,” Webpage, 2006. http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/aa072604.htm,(Accessed on April 18, 2006). 14. Lee, N.R., “Colour as a Tool for E-Branding,” PDF, 2002 http://www.color matters.com/research/nrl_ebrand.pdf.(Accessed February 25, 2006). 15. Lindstrom, M., “BRAND Sense: Building powerful brands through touch, taste, smell, sight and sound,” Free Press, 2005. 16. Neupaney, J., “Spaces That Work,” Webpage, 2004.http://www.businesstravellerindia.com/2004 17. Osgood, C.E.; May, W.H. & Miron, M.S., Cross-Cultural Universals of Affective Meaning, University of Illinois Press, Champaign, IL, USA, 1975. 18. Swanson, C.,“The Impact of Cultural Transformation on Brand Marketing,” Webpage, 2004. http://www.refresher.com/!toniq6.html (Accessed January 27, 2006).
19. Adams, F. M., & Osgood, D. (1973), “A Cross-cultural Study of the Affective Meanings of Color,” Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 4, 135-156. 20. Aslam, M. M., (2006), “Are You Selling the Right Colors? A cross-Cultural Review of Colors as a Marketing Cue,” Journal of Marketing Communications, Vol. 12, No. 1, 15-30. Page 55 of 56

21. Friedman, Thomas L., (2000), the Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization. Anchor: New York, NY. 22. Grimes, A., & Doole, I.(1998), “Exploring the Relationship Between Color and International Branding,” Journal of Marketing Management, 14, 799-817. 23. Jacobs, Laurence, Charles Keown, Reginald Worthley, and Kyung-Il Ghymn (1991), “Cross-Cultural Color Comparisons: Global Marketers Beware!” International Marketing Review, 8(3), 21-30. 24. Madden, Thomas J., Kelly Hewlett, and Martin S. Roth (2000), “Managing Images in Different Cultures: A Cross-National Study of Color Meanings and Preferences,” Journal of International Marketing, 8, 4, 9.

25. "Business Papers in Color. Just a Shade Better", Modern Office Technology, July 1989, Vol. 34, No. 7, pp. 98-102 26. Embry, David, "The Persuasive Properties of Color", Marketing Communications, October 1984. 27. Johnson, Virginia, "The Power of Color", Successful Meetings, June 1992, Vol 41, No. 7, pp. 87, 90.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. www.colormatters.com/market_whycolor.html 2. www.marketing-planet.com/.../the-strength-and-influence-of-colour.html

3 4. 5. 6.

http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/aa072604.htm,(Accessed on April 18, 2006). http://www.color matters.com/research/nrl_ebrand.pdf. http://www.refresher.com/!toniq6.html Wikipedia, “Color theory –Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,”Webpage,2006b.http://en. wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colour_theory&oldid=48622855(Accessed April 17, 2006).

BOOKS
1. Fraser, T. & Banks, A., The Complete Guide to Color, ILEX, East Sussex, 2004. 2. Guilford, J. & Smith, P.,“A system of color preferences, “American Journal of

Psychology 72(4), 487–502, 1959.
3. Kahn, B.,Wansink, B., “The Influence of Assortment Structure on Perceived Variety and

Consumption Qualities,” Journal of Consumer Research, 30: 519-533, 2004. 4. Louis Cheskin, “Color guide for marketing media”, Macmillan, 1954. 5. Mary S. Anderton, “Color fun Greenberg, Karl (2002), “Blue Gets the Blue Ribbon,” 6. Brandweek, 43, 9, 28damentals of marketing”, 1980.
7. Grieve, K. W. (1991), “Traditional Beliefs and Color Perception,” Perceptual Motor Skills 72 (3),1319-1323. 8. Paul, Pamela (2002), “Color by Numbers,” American Demographics, 24,2(Feb), 30.

Page 56 of 56