AMiable Solution #139: Beating the Blues: 3 Other Colors that Work Well in Marketing

People love the color blue.  In fact, it’s one of the most popular colors in marketing, according to Dean Rieck, copywriter and marketing consultant.  Why?  Blue is easy to read in text and in headlines.  It allows you to highlight something subtly.  It makes good tints.

But if you want to keep your current audience engaged and interest a new one, you can’t market in the same color all of the time: you have to shake it up now and again.  Here are three other colors to consider adding to your promotions.

Red.  In 2009, the journal Science reported that the color red makes people’s work more accurate.  At least that was the conclusion drawn by researchers at the University of British Columbia when they tested the affect red, blue, and neutral computer background screens had on the cognitive performance of 600 people.  In the study, people who worked on computers with the red background did better noticing and recalling detail.  If you’re trying to sell something, that’s good news!  Highlighting key offers, benefits, prices, or contact information increases the likelihood of your prospects remembering your product or service and, hopefully, acting on it.

Pink.  While it may seem like a color best suited for attracting gender-specific audiences, it actually has a wider appeal and purpose, according to Derrick Daye.  In his June 22, 2008, article, “Color Psychology in Marketing,” “Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy.”  Furthermore, Daye says, “Traditionalists respond to pastels -- pink, rose, sky blue.”

Orange.  Like red, orange is an attention-grabbing color.  It stimulates the eye and creates a sense of warmth and energy.  But it also implies a good value, according to psychotherapist Amy Morin in her February 4, 2014, article, “How to Use Color Psychology to Give Your Business an Edge.”  If you’re promoting a lower-cost offer, incorporating orange into your marketing may just be the edge you need to turn your prospect into a customer.  According to Derrick Daye, “Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue.”

We can’t argue with blue’s coolness, and we certainly wouldn’t argue against anything with a proven success record.  But the next time you’re looking for the perfect color for your campaign, remember that “warm”--red, pink, and orange--is cool, too.