Labels are not simply thrown together, slapped with a product name, put on a shelf and popular with consumers.  Graphic designers work together with marketing teams to create labels that sell products.  It is important that both the designer and marketing team consider how the colors used within the label work alone and together.  To better understand color psychology and how it can be used to influence buying decisions let’s look deeper into the influence color has on our human emotions.

Your company’s label is arguably the most important marketing tool used to encourage consumers to purchase your product over the competition.  The colors you choose to represent your product and incorporate within your label will help to make or break your sales.

Colors used on their own evoke different emotions than when used together.  It is important to have a solid understanding of this concept when designing any label.  Consider how you want consumers to feel before, during and after they purchase and use your product.  Analyze what colors or combination of colors work to evoke these emotions and incorporate them within your label design as well as promotional marketing materials.

Colors and Emotions That They Evoke

Black: Black is a color that can be interpreted to mean several things.  It is a different than many colors in that it evokes two very different meanings.   Black is a color that people associate with virility, firmness, strength and permanency.  It can also trigger emotions such as despair, hopelessness and sorrow.  Be careful when using black in labeling noting that it can evoke different feelings for consumers.  Black is often used to highlight text making it pop and stand out from the design surrounding it.

Blue:  Creativity, pleasure and well being come from the color blue.  Consumers relate blue to ideals such as freedom and happiness.  The color is great for label designs looking to create a feeling of free will.  Consumers will subconsciously choose your product over the competition because they feel free in making the decision.

Green: If you are looking to bring a sense of peace, happiness and relaxation to consumers then green is your color of choice.  The color green should be used when looking to calm and reassure clients.  This color will make them unequivocally purchase your product; consumers will not question the integrity of your product when you use green as a main color within your label.

White:  White is used to create a feeling of lightness.  It is a color that offers security, tranquility and relaxation.  White is used to accomplish a feeling of complacency as well.  Marketers should use white in label design to make consumers feel good about choosing their product.  White makes us feel clean, new and renewed.

Brown:  Brown is great for stability.  If you want to have a label that gives off a feeling of being natural, down to earth and organic brown is a great color to chose.  Using the color brown in product labeling gives the sense of trustworthiness.

Orange: If you are looking to make consumers hungry use the color orange when designing your product label.  Orange offers a sense of clarity, strength and vigor.

Purple: Purple is a color that shows prestige.  When used in a label it evokes sensitivity and security.  The color purple sends signals of compassion.  Purple used in labeling makes your product something that is needed and motivates consumers to purchase.

Red:  Label designs using red will literally cause consumers heart rates to pick up.  It is a color that offers a sense of warmth, love and sexuality.  It entices consumers; although the color red can give off a sense of mystery and danger it intrigues customers into making a purchase; perhaps as more of an impulse than a regular purchase.

Color is a powerful element when used in design and labeling.  Make sure that your product label emits the emotions you are looking to provoke an immediate purchase.

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.