Assistant Professor

Amity School of Fine Arts

Amity University

 Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India  

Abstract

Everyone is fully aware of the potency of commercials in today's conventional and non-traditional media age. The brand image is directly proportional to the concept and content. As a result, most businesses have their own advertising strategy, whether online or offline, in place to communicate their message or information to their target audiences.

Advertising is a process or occurrence that results in a variety of advertising components. Color is the most important visual element for developing brand pictures. After the introduction of color, all of these factors contribute to the overall production value of today's advertising. Because it is closely related to aesthetics and visual memory. As a result, it can immediately influence customer buying habits. Color palettes are one of the subconscious cues used by marketers in today's commercial world.  Many existing research conclude that the using of a specific color scheme can impact purchase intent. Thus, the color scheme is simply treated as “Roop” (appealing) is taken into account, it can easily transform the perspective of a consumer's purchasing behaviors.

My modest endeavor is to identify the impact of color theory on customer purchasing behaviors. Furthermore, this study aids in determining the co-relationship between both factors in terms of advertising and consumer behavior, which opens up new avenues for future quantitative research that may be used for a research-based understanding of buy intent.

Keywords

Appealing, Brand image, Components, Concept, Consistent, Consumer behavior, Color scheme, Integrated Marketing Communication, Roop, Subconscious, Occurrence, Visuals elements.

1. Background Idea:

Color, according to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, is a mixture of black and white, and this was widely accepted until 1666 when Sir Isaac Newton created the prism excrement theory as the scientific basis for understanding color. After passing light through a prism, he discovered that white light split into a range of multiple colors in the opposite direction of a combination of multiple colors recombined to produce white light.

Newton referred to these phenomena as a spectrum. After several studies, he decided that the spectrum was continuous, and he identified the seven color designations for segments of the spectrum as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet by analogy with the seven notes of the musical scale. Newton discovered that colors in all spectral sequences that exist in the world are not the result of imagination or the brain's illusion, but rather the outcome of light after conducting several experiments.   Whether the colors are homogeneous or blended.

He demonstrated his theorem that color is a characteristic of light. He realized that in order to decode colors, he needed to understand light. So, he attempted to analyze color scientifically; as a result, he researched electromagnetic radiation and found that color is a type of electromagnetic radiation; light shares features with both waves and particles. Light can connect often by transmitting minute energy packets, a process known as wave motion.  Every light beam must have certain frequency, wavelength, and energy values connected with it.

The number of waves going by a fixed point in space or time defines frequency, which is commonly expressed in hertz (1 Hz = 1 cycle per second).  As a result, the wavelength is essentially the distance between the respective positions of two consecutive waves and is commonly expressed in meters, such as nanometres (1 nm = 109 meters).

Light is not the sole type of electromagnetic radiation; in fact, it is only a small portion of the overall electromagnetic spectrum; yet, it is the only form that the human eye can sense. Light wavelengths range from around 400 nm at the violet end of the spectrum to 700 nm at the red end (see table).  In 1801 an English surgeon named Thomas Young proposed another successful explanation of colour vision, the trichromatic hypothesis, which was refined 50 years later by the German scientist Hermann von Helmholtz. This theory was framed on behalf of color-matching experiments and assumes the existence of three types of color receptors in the eye. The receptor cells, known as cones (from their shape) are responsible for identifying color and it was scientifically proved in the early 1960s. Maximum sensitivities are found in the spectrum’s blue, green, and red sections, with absorption peaks at 445 nm, 535 nm, and 565 nm, respectively. Because of their sensitivity to short, medium, and long wavelengths, these three sets are commonly referred to as S, M, and L. According to the trichromatic theory, color vision is determined by the relative intensity of the responses of the S, M, and L cones. (The perception of white is produced by equal stimulation of all three.) There is clearly a link between this trichromatic theory and the tristimulus value system.

Although the trichromatic theory appears to explain much about color vision, alternative ideas, particularly the opponent process theory, have been supported and explored. This concept, first presented by German scientist Ewald Hering in 1878, assumes that color vision contains three systems, each responding to a pair of opposites—light-dark, red-green, and blue-yellow. Many psychophysical facts support it, notably that blue and yellow (and red and green) cannot coexist in any seen color; there are no bluish yellows (or reddish greens). This method can explain certain contrast and afterimage effects relatively simply.

1.1. Introduction:

Color is the most essential component of our day-to-day life. The aesthetical beauty of our surroundings or psychological and religious response to emotional sensation or selection of art, fashion, or business are influenced by color theme as well as color psychology.

One widespread impression of the relationship between color and mood is that red, orange, yellow, and brown colors are "warm," whereas blues, greens, and greys are "cold." Red, orange, and yellow are believed to elicit excitement, cheerfulness, stimulation, and assertiveness; blues and greens are thought to elicit security, serenity, and peace; and browns, greys, and blacks are said to elicit sadness, depression, and melancholy. It should be noted, however, that the psychological experience of color is subjective, and only broad statements regarding its characteristics and applications can be given.

In accordance with the demographic location, historical facts, cultural beliefs, and practices the meaning of color symbolism, color preferences, Colour harmony, and other psychological aspects are varied.  When we go through the cross-cultural study, American and Japanese concepts of warm and cold colors are essentially the same, but in Japan, blue and green hues are perceived to be "good" and the red-purple range is perceived to be "bad," whereas in the United States, the red-yellow-green range is perceived to be "good" and oranges and red-purples are perceived to be "bad." In the West, the color of mourning is black, although other civilizations choose white, purple, or gold.

Many languages contain metaphorical expressions that use color (common examples in English include "green with envy," "feeling blue," "seeing red," "purple passion," "white lie," and "black rage") and thus cannot always be translated literally into other languages because the associated symbolic meaning is lost. Color symbolism is used extensively in art, religion, politics, rituals, and everyday life. Because of the special psychological meaning connected with the shape, its strong emotional overtones might alter color perception, therefore an apple- or heart-shaped figure cut from orange paper may appear to have a redder hue than a geometric figure cut from the same material. Aside from emotional connotations, other factors influencing color perception include the observer's age, mood, and mental health. People with similar personality qualities frequently have similar color perceptions and preferences. Schizophrenics, for example, have been observed to have an aberrant color perception, and very young toddlers learning to discriminate hues frequently prefer red or orange. Many psychologists feel that analysing a person's usage of and reactions to color might disclose information about that person's physiological and psychological state. It has even been proposed that certain colors can have a therapeutic effect on those with physical and mental problems.

Although the medical benefits are still being debated, color has been found to elicit distinct physical and emotional responses in humans and some animals. Rooms and items painted white or in light shades of "cool" hues may appear larger than those painted in the strong dark or "warm" colors; black or very dark colors have a slimming, or shrinking, impact, as designers and decorators are well aware. To get the same impression of warmth, a "cool" room painted a pale blue requires a higher thermostat setting than a "warm" one painted a pale orange.

Viewers of a display of strange colors produced by special lighting may suffer from headaches and nervous disorders; good healthful food given under such conditions appears unpleasant and may even cause illness. Some colors elicit a pleasant emotion in the observer. Affective contrast enhancement occurs when an effectively favorable, or pleasurably perceived, color is observed after a less-pleasant one.

The effect of color combinations on an observer is determined not only by the individual effects of the hues but also by the harmony of the colors combined and the pattern's composition. For ages, artists and designers have studied the effects of colors and generated a plethora of theories on how to use color. The existing theory is available in the form of a literature review and is only based on a hypothesis because it is very person-to-person depending on their persuasion power. So, color perception is directly dependent on individual experiences.  

2.  Effect of Color Pallets on Consumer Buying Behaviour:

Color palettes unquestionably have the ability to substantially catch viewers' attention and influence consumer purchasing decisions.  Color theory and color psychology are effective tools for merchandisers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses because people have psychological connections to color. Regardless of whether the marketing is aimed at improving the bottom line or the in-store consumer experience, both factors have a big impact. The brand image is immediately created by the color scheme, and it will be useful for many other design solutions to maintain brand approval.

2.1. Brand Identification:

 Since visual memory is the most powerful, most people can identify things by their outward look. As a result, the color has extraordinary linking and identifying power that is directly related to branding. According to several surveys conducted by the University of Loyola in Maryland, brand recognition can be increased by up to 80% by a single color. Customers are therefore immediately drawn to a color scheme in most stores.

For instance, it is extremely challenging to maintain a new product to chase the reputation of established brands during a period of peak demand for soft drinks like Coca-Cola's and Thus Up. Through in-store displays, The Mountain Deo boldly introduces their soft drink with its characteristic bright color scheme. Minor color variations can reduce brand visibility, just as a single spot of color can ruin an entire painting's brilliance. As a result, the top brands in the world follow strict color consistency guidelines. The same shade of blue will be used throughout a product's branding, including in advertising, social media posts, packaging, and store displays. Since colors seem different in print than they do on screens, consistency can be challenging to achieve. Additionally, differences may occur whether printing with litho, flexographic, or digital processes.

2.2. Differentiation Through Color:

Color is the first visual component that’s why it is pretty obvious that it attracts attention. Just contrast the elegance of a colorful magazine with the beauty of a black-and-white newspaper. A greater audience will like a colorful magazine than a grey one since it is more eye-catching. Warm hues like red, yellow, and orange are excellent at catching the eye. Some firms utilize color to stand out in a crowded shopping aisle and create originality. Sharp black packaging and store displays might help you stand out if your rivals use colorful colors. On the other hand, other product categories predominately use greys, blacks, and whites.

Your products may stand out more if they are painted in a creative or vivid color scheme like pastels. In order to identify between the products in their collection, the company employs colors as the appropriate elements. To make it simple to distinguish between different goods, such as skincare and hair care, businesses utilize bottles in a variety of color colors. Customers can more easily find shampoos and conditioners among a brand's different options by using a color code, such as green for straight hair, red for wavy hair, and purple for curly hair. In order to help customers find the things they need, the Great Northern Instore integrated product color-coding into a display for 3M Command.

2.3. Color Psychological:

Color can also be used to manipulate shoppers' associations in order to increase product sales. Some color schemes, for example, project opulence. A largely black display with a white, silver, or light accent color can instantly elevate a product display. In general, most electronics products, fragrances, cosmetics, and alcoholic products are black color schemes.  Every color has its own values and meaning that are directly associated with cultural and psychological influences that can be used the advantage to attract the target audience. In India believe red can represent love and passion but in the Western thought process red can be a sense of danger. So, while adopting the red color scheme companies with take the cultural association of their target audiences. 

2.4. Cultural Influence of Color:

Color is strongly associated with our cultural beliefs and we are blessed with a number of seasons and each season has its peculiar characteristic features along with selective color palettes. So, according to the inspirational seasonal color pallet, the retailer aligns the products with seasonal promotions. It’s often marked as color marketing tactics. Such as in the month of February worldwide celebrated as Valentine’s Day to attract lovers and youth the candy aisle is filled with red and pink displays. Like the same brand draws anticipation by adopting pastels at Easter, Around Halloween, they swap in orange, black, purple, and green.

To cherish the eve of Christmas most of the brands usually use the color palette of Red, Green, Silver, and gold.  Some are coming with new colors into their temporary displays to match the current season or upcoming cultural festivals. Such as for the month of July available food products in barbeque are composed of red, white, and blue displays.

3. Color Psychology Influences Consumer’s Emotions:

Most likely, every buyer emotionally or mentally connects with the product, and only the consumers make the decision to purchase a product. It also depends on the age group and preferences of the consumers, which are closely related to their spontaneous actions. As a result, it is understandable that emotional responses are an important component in the retail environment. As a result, we already know that colors and emotions are orthogonal.

As a result, color has a big impact on marketing, because every color can evoke emotions that influence how we think and feel. Many polls suggest that identifying a rise in sales is dependent on the design, packaging, and color psychology utilized to evoke the emotions needed to trigger purchasing decisions and influence consumer behavior. Each hue and shade can elicit different feelings in color psychology, such as

3.1. Blue:

The blue color is emitted by the sky and the water in nature. As a result, the color blue elicits sentiments of peace, tranquillity, and tranquillity. It creates a sense of security and comfort, which can aid clients' purchase decisions. According to the research, "Blue Room" marketing has a favorable impact on consumer purchasing behavior. Blue, like red, induces the release of soothing hormones, slowing breathing and lowering pulse rate, resulting in total relaxation of the mind while consumers make purchasing judgments.  It can also evoke emotions such as honesty, spirituality, imagination, excitement, and compassion.

3.2. Yellow:

"Yellow" is another prominent color on the warm color wheel. It has the same intense power to attract the viewer's attention as Red. Yellow has the brightest wavelength after white. As a result, brands use it to memorize or construct their brand image, and it is especially popular for clearance sales. Yellow is generally connected with feelings of warmth, happiness, and optimism. This color has the ability to promote cerebral activity, increase consciousness, and increase energy levels. However, overuse of this color might cause anxiety.

3.3. Red:

Much scientific research suggests that red causes us to breathe faster. Increased heart rates can indicate an adrenaline rush connected with danger. This color will now have immense emotional significance. The color red conveys the emotion of love. The physiological impacts of red encourage people to buy on impulse. Tough red also depicts blood, therefore it symbolizes danger because of its high-frequency wavelength's visibility. As a result, it's also employed for safety.  Because of traffic lights and stop signs, children all across the world are learning that the color red is associated with safety, and this association persists into adulthood. The emergency first aid service and pack are red for this purpose so that they can be clearly identified.

3.4. Black:

The adaptability of black would have been classified as a neutral color that can be easily blended with numerous branding color schemes. When black is boldly applied to a brand, it conveys both solidity and elegance, reflecting a male-dominant personality. It simply denotes refinement, power, and formality. Blacks also show mourning, fury, and grief.

3.5. White:

Natural colors include black and white, which are commonly linked with all major brands. White is essentially the polar opposite of black in that it is associated with feelings of purity, goodness, and innocence; similarly, blue predicts the same. It also signifies freshness and reflects unspoiled, pristine, or even sterile, like snow or a blank canvas.

3.6. Orange:

The color orange is created by combining red and yellow. In terms of psychological belief, it is a combination of love (Red) and pleasure (Yellow). As a result, the orange generates sentiments of enjoyment because it represents sunshine and tropical paradise. It also conveys resolve, encouragement, excitement, and stimulation. As a result, the majority of health and fitness products, such as energy drinks and hardware tools, use this color palette to attract their target audiences.

3.7. Green:

A green color palette pervades raw nature. As a result, it symbolized purity, health, and youth. Thus, green is related to its association with plants, from which the concepts of life and expansion come. Green is sometimes used to indicate energizing and industriousness. It also represents harmony and connectedness, and green colors are used to demonstrate sustainable development or ecologically friendly brands.

3.8. Purple:

Purple is an unusual color that is utilized for special events to create a sense of newness and surprise. Purple is connected with opulence or prosperity. It is also associated with power and monarchy. Indigos are still seen to represent serenity, and some believe that purples reflect ambition and vigor. Violet represents wisdom, dignity, independence, mystery, enchantment, and creativity.

3.9. Pink:

Pink is a red tint; however, it is softer than red and displays delicacy. As a result, it represents youth and childhood, thus baby items and ice cream manufacturers employ color psychology to promote their brand image. Pink is often associated with optimism, innocence, and hope. It also conveys femininity due to its softness and delicacy. It is now a powerful marketing tool for wooing ladies and girls.

3.10. Gray:

Grey is the consequence of combining black and white colors, therefore it combines the attributes and characteristics of both. It is also a natural color that represents emotions such as hibernation. It also represents a down moral stance or a lack of vigor, comparable to a lazy foggy day. When paired with other advanced branding aspects, it can also convey maturity. As a result, this color is favored for the secondary brand color rather than the primary. Grey colors give us a sense of equilibrium or tranquillity.

Aside from emotional and psychological effects, color schemes have the ability to influence your brand image and create an impression on target audiences. Let us now explore how choosing a color scheme for a brand is a phenomenon or a planned approach. 

3.11. Tone:

Color has a visual language of its own, and it communicates loudly. As a result, companies make use of this visual language known as color psychology. Pinks, oranges, purples, greens, and yellows are likely to be preferred by a playful brand. Some serious businesses may use traditional colors like blue, black, white, and red. blue color palettes are used by some brands to demonstrate brand loyalty and trust.

3.12. Values:

If we consider the white color white is connected with youthfulness and a good choice for young individuals or those who believe they are young at heart, different age groups react differently according to their color psychology. Infants are initially characterized as yellow in color, which is why the most popular brands are considered. Yellow is commonly used in baby things, and brighter colors are utilized in children's products to attract children. Teens and young people like high-contrast color schemes, but seniors prefer blues and low-contrast, analogous color palettes. Neutral greys, browns, blacks, and other dark colors could be used in a muted brand.

Conclusion

We are surrounded by a plethora of colors that not only increase the aesthetic elements of our lives but also make the planet attractive. As a result, color is inextricably linked to us, and the impact of color theory on our psychology can be seen on a daily basis. As a result, some people may be unaware of the influence of colors while going about their regular activities. For example, none of us choose clothes at random; rather, we are all aware of our body's color scheme and which colors suit us. As a result, we dressed appropriately. We will now buy things based on color schemes that are related to our emotions during peak purchasing.

Thus, colors are not the only criteria for choosing anything, but they do play a crucial role in making a purchasing decision. Numerous investigations and brain mapping have revealed that when it comes to marketing, customers have specific colors in mind. So, there is no doubt that colors are directly or indirectly related to consumer purchasing habits. For example, red conveys love, passion, and aggression, thus someone going on a date should wear red rather than any other color. Color is also related to us not only emotionally, but also psychologically and religiously. In summary, color affects us in a variety of ways.

Color theory has a huge impact on visual communication, which has a direct impact on marketing and advertising. It enables brands to communicate their message more effectively, convey emotions, and raise brand awareness and recognition. As a result, color theory is now routinely used, with a defined guideline for marketers. They are more conscious of their product design, and color selection is an important component that has an impact on the target audience.

This study helps to find out the co-relationships between the color theory and consumer behavior which opens up new perspectives of future quantitative as well as qualitative research. Which can help to understand the purchase intent. That’s why nowadays marketers emphasize color theory from many perspectives. They are aware of how colors can help them in the art of persuasion and help the companies create a “Brand Image” across the globe.

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