Using Color in Ad Design

We have written before about the importance of design in marketing, and color is one of the most important elements of design. Designers have always used color to convey different moods and underline the messages. Let's take a look at some colors and what emotions or attributes they often convey.

Blue

Blue is a very commonly used in B2B messaging, because it is a calm color that indicates respectability. Because blue conveys reliability, it is commonly used by brands in financial services, healthcare and other industries where trust is paramount.

But blue is also used to evoke tranquility or serenity: think of staring at a blue sky or a blue sea. It's often used in ads for travel, adventure or hospitality. Blue is also used as code for masculinity, especially in packaging of baby items.

Red

Apparently, red has been proven to raise blood pressure and it makes you hungry, which is why many food brands use it liberally. Another very common significance of red is love, passion or desire, due to its association with the heart. Red is very commonly used in Valentine's Day ads for candy, flowers, cards and jewelry at this time of the year.

 

 

Red is associated with another popular holiday: Christmas, of course! In Christmas messaging, it is commonly used with green, even in industries that don't typically rely on these colors.

Red also has some negative connotations: lust, adultery or anger. It is used to convey danger or a roadblock. It grabs attention, so is often used to catch the eye by highlighting a word such as "sale" or "discount".

Pink

Pink has many of the same connotations as red: it is used to indicate love or romance and is heavily used in Valentine's Day messaging. But pink is considered a softer, more feminine color. Pink is often used as a shortcut to convey femininity: toys and clothes for girls are often packaged in pink. Because of this, it is rarely used for products targeted to men or boys.