Green is the New Blue
Before I go into a client meeting to present new branding concepts, I always predict that the men in the group will gravitate toward the concepts that feature the color blue. I’m almost always right. Like 99% of the time. I even had a garden product client who loved our designs ─ all in shades of green for obvious reasons ─ who asked if we could change everything to blue. Then of course there’s my male client who says, “Any color but pink…!” (He used to be a race car driver).
So I think it’s fair to say that most men prefer the color blue. And evidently, studies as far back as the 1920’s across multiple cultures have found that, overall, both men and women prefer blue to all other colors. But men choose it more often. And the women who do prefer blue like their shade on the red end of the spectrum. That’s where this “girls wear pink” thing came from.
I was educated in Catholic schools and basically wore the same style navy blue jumper uniform (with a white Peter Pan collar blouse) for 12 years. Any wonder that blue isn’t one of my Top 5 color picks? I’m still in recovery.
Psychologists report that color impression can account for 60 – 70% of consumer reaction. That’s a good thing to know when you’re designing marketing materials, packaging or products targeted to a specific gender or socio-economic group. So while blue is the most popular color overall, don’t even think about introducing a blue food product. Dead-on-arrival (blueberries being the exception).
For some reason I always remember intuitively knowing that orange meant “inexpensive,” “cheap.” And sure enough, men and women both feel that way about it. Yet the Color of the Year for 2012 was Tangerine. So clearly, some shades of orange can be perceived as more upscale than others.
So what is the Hot New Color for 2013? Emerald: A lively, lush, radiant green...sophisticated and luxurious...the color of beauty and new life. I can live with that.
Comments (2)
06.25.2013
David Griesing
The picture says it all—about green and blue!
Your site looks wonderful Anita. A Linked-In blast was such a good way to announce it.
I’m still over here, indeed mostly working from over here, and know that summer has arrived when I hear your son motoring around. It’s an only child thing as only one can know.
My primary site http://www.davidgriesing.com is mostly blog, but will be adding video and some money making elements soon. (And speaking of marketing, the logo you guys designed for me is still hanging in my office!)
So glad to see you and your company looking SO GOOD!
07.06.2013
Rick Alexander
First - congrats on your new website - LOVE IT !!!
And with your article on color - you are so right on. I remember something similar to this in a college class way back in the early 70’s (and God knows there was a lot of color usage in the 70’s) !!!
I also have this “thing” about numbers and colors (must be from early education), something about 1= white, 2= green, 3 = pink, 4 = blue, 5 = orange, 6 = gray, 7= brown, 8 = magenta, 9 = black. (I think there was yellow in there somewhere, too, but I can’t remember). I really don’t know where this mental image came from - but it could have been from numbered blocks in my childhood. Funny how certain things stick !!!
Glad you all are doing well at Alvare’ - hope to catch up with you sometime in the not-too-far-distant future !!!
Rick