subject: Vinyl Banner Printing: The Importance Of Color Psychology [print this page] Have you ever looked at a product or sign from far away? Even if you can't read the words, it's often possible to get an idea of the message or theme by simply looking at the colors. This phenomenon is known as color psychology, a term that describes the cultural meanings we attach to various colors red for love, purple for royalty, etc.
With modern technology, printed banners are available in practically every color under the sun, and color psychology is an important factor to consider. Read on to learn how we interpret the colors we see in outdoor banners, stop signs, cereal boxes, and more.
Red
Perhaps the most eye-catching color around, red can be used to elicit a variety of emotions. Sometimes, red makes us think of caution or danger, like when we see it on a stop sign or emergency exit door. Even the red pen on a graded assignment can come off as jarring. At the same time, red is also evocative of passion and love.
If you decide to use red in your customized vinyl banners, you can pinpoint a specific emotion by modifying other aspects such as font. For example, red text in a curly, ornate design is more likely to connote love than danger.
Blue
Unlike red, the color blue tends to have a calming effect on those who perceive it. For this reason, blue is usually considered a "safe" choice for stadium flags and banners that is unlikely to offend anyone.
Blue has several other meanings as well, which have been developed through common usage. Because we've seen so many advertisements for corporations with prominent blue elements, blue is also associated with business. Similarly, blue is often used to showcase new technology, giving the color a modern edge.
Green
Appearing prominently in nature, the color green makes us think of vitality, youth, and health. These associations can be useful for a variety of purposes. For example, you might have noticed that low-fat or sugar-free snacks in the supermarket are often packaged in green to illustrate their potential health effects. Alternatively, advertising campaigns designed to introduce a new spring fragrance, line of clothes, or other product often feature the color green to underscore the season.
But above all, green stands for one thing: being green. For this reason, companies or foundations sponsoring eco-friendly projects rely heavily on green for their printed banners.
Purple
Purple dye was once a rare commodity created from the mucous of snails. Because of its limited supply, purple became known as a regal, aristocratic color available only to the very rich. In modern times, purple retains some of its luxurious status, but can also be used to represent creativity and new ideas.
Like red, the specific mood that purple creates is often determined by font and other factors. If you're working on purple flag banners of your own, be careful to create a design that connotes uniqueness or even luxury, but never elitism.
