How much do you think about the color you use in your work? Or as a consumer, are you affected by the colors used in the products you buy or the ads you view? Do “hot” colors appeal to you more than “cool” colors?
Chances are, unless you’re doing a major branding exercise, color signficance doesn’t play a major part in your designs. Color choices are usually made based on the brand standards, budget concerns or the current combinations that are considered to be “in.” Once again, David Barringer takes a simple topic and thoroughly explores its ramifications; in this case, the use of “danger” colors in advertising. Red and yellow catch your eye, and for that reason they are often used to signify caution or danger. But have you noticed how often they are used for food advertising? Burger King, McDonalds, Sonic, Bojangles, Hardees, Pizza Hut, Wendy’s, and Dominos Pizza, just to name a few, use dominantly red and yellow in their branding.
Subconciously, what is this communicating to the consumer? Obviously all those brands are “fast” food. When these colors are used in advertising or branding, it seems to indicate cheap, easy, fast and greasy. Something to think about next time your client asks for more red in their logo.
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