Orange is a dynamic and vibrant color – not a subtle choice when it comes to marketing. The effects that the color orange can have mainly fall into two categories. Overall however, orange is a product of its parts – it combines the urgency of red with the cheerfulness of yellow.
Muted, darker, or pastel versions of orange can be used more widely in applications such as seasonal materials and in combination with subtler and calmer colors, whereas brighter oranges will draw your attention immediately and may ‘steal the show’ when attempting to accent other hues.
Choosing orange is a bold statement, a statement that gives one of two rather distinct impressions:
Energy
The first impression that orange typically has is that of vitality. It is the most energizing of the color wheel and will bring a strong sense of excitement and adventure. Orange promotes optimism and cheer, similar to one of its components – yellow.
This energy can also be felt in the form of stimulating creativity. Other words that describe this energizing effect of orange include fun, youthful, and upbeat.
In marketing applications, orange can be used to stir up a feeling of mild anxiety or encourage impulse buyers to act. The red component of orange is responsible for this sense of urgency. This aspect of orange finds its way into a number of retail uses.
Caution
Most of us are probably familiar with the orange construction signs, road cones, and other signaling devices used to inform us of hazards. Orange, due to its arousing, anxiety-inducing nature, triggers a caution response and is therefore effective in such an application. This, of course, needs to be considered as well when orange is used in advertising, as the purpose is likely not to cause prospective buyers to feel more cautious!
Examples
- Adventure / Vitality – Harley Davidson, Timberland, Fanta, Firefox, OFF!, SoundCloud
- Energy / Creativity – Nickelodeon, Home Depot, Etsy, Penguin Books, The Ramen Phase 🙂
- Caution – construction signs, reflective vests
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