Have you ever wondered why social media giants use blue as their primary branding colour? Or why is magenta the favourite colour of florists and designers? It all boils down to the psychology of colour. Whether inspiring communication or reflecting a creative flair, colours can be powerful allies for retailers.

Does green convert better than red? Can colours applied in email marketing or on a website trigger specific actions? For retailers, shopping is the art of persuasion. A lot is decided by visual cues, the strongest and most persuasive being color. When marketing new products it is crucial to consider that consumers place visual appearance and color above other factors such as sound, smell and texture. Now is the highest time to debunk some of the myths concerning the significance of colours in retail and find out how they really influence brand perception and consumer behaviour.

60-30-10 rule rules

So, can green boost conversion? According to some industry experts, there is no single best color for conversions. The psychological principle known as the Isolation Effect states that an item that ‘stands out like a sore thumb’ is more likely to be instilled in memory. Studies have shown that participants are able to recognize and recall a given item far better (be it text or an image) when it blatantly sticks out from its surroundings. Concluding, there is no magic colour to send conversion rates soaring. The bottom line is that you can influence a reader’s action by guiding them with isolated colors. When designing a website or an email, one can also resort to so-called 60-30-10 rule, which is about selecting three different colors and using them in the ratio of 60, 30 and 10 percent to create a professional color scheme for a brand. Importantly, colour value (brightness) and colour saturation (intensity) may also influence perceptions, which contrast is key for drawing attention (and therefore call’s to action).

Black sells posh goods, red is the colour of impulse shoppers

When it comes to marketing of new products, it is crucial to consider that 93 percent consumers place visual appearance and colour above other factors (such as texture or smell) when shopping. 85 percent of shoppers place colour as a primary reason for why they buy a particular product. Colour also plays a vital role in branding, as it increases brand recognition by a whopping 80 percent. Colour is also one of the most powerful methods of design. However, it is not entirely universal. Colours have no intrinsic meaning. Their interpretation is based on personal experience, associations, context and culture. For example, colours that entice in North America are different from those that entice in India. In USA, retailers often use yellow to grab attention of windows shoppers. Creating the sense of urgency, red is often seen in clearance sales. Blue, which creates the sensation of trust and security, has been banks and businesses' all-time favourite. It is also associated with intellect, mind and communication, hence its popularity with "Big 3" social networks. Green is used in stores to relax, while orange triggers a call to action and is used to encourage consumers to subscribe, buy, or sell. Powerful and sleek, black is used to market luxury products. Red, orange, black and royal blue attract impulse shoppers and are most often seen in fast foods, outlets malls and clearance sales. Navy blue and teal entice shoppers on budget and are used in banks and larger department stores. Pink, sky blue and rose appeal most to traditional buyers and are most often seen in clothing stores.

Sources: http://digitalintelligencetoday.com; kissmetrics.com; http://www.verticalresponse.com; aliciacowan.com
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/funkyah/