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Color Your Way to Successful Promotional Marketing

Posted by Chris Higgins on Wed, Mar 28, 2012 @ 10:24 AM

If you want to launch a successful marketing campaign or come up with a successful package for your product, start with color. Extensive marketing research has shown that of the senses, vision plays the greatest role in influencing purchasing decisions. For instance, a study by the secretariat of the Seoul International Color Expo 2004 found that 92.6 percent of respondents cited vision as the greatest influencer, compared to 5.6 percent for touch; and 0.9 percent each for hearing and smell.

When it comes to printed marketing and promotional marketing, color enhances the visual impact and generates far better results. A study of phone directory ads found that ads printed in color enjoyed 42 percent better readership than the same ads printed in black and white.

               Deskpad Calendar                              Deskpad Calendar

Other studies have shown that color improves memory and comprehension by 73 percent.2 In addition, a study at the University of Loyala, Maryland, found that color increases brand recognition by up to 80 percent.

Color also has great emotional appeal. Certain colors inspire specific feelings. For instance, blue is typically associated with trust and reliability and is a common choice for banks in their promotional marketing and printing. Red elicits feelings of excitement. Yellow is a color of warmth and cheer. Green speaks of growth, abundance and freshness. Black ushers feelings of sophistication, elegance and mystery.

               Accordion Folders                         Accordion Folder

And marketing research has gone so far as to define specific effects of specific colors on consumers’ behavior and shopping habits. Successful retailers have heeded these findings. For instance, businesses that market to impulse buyers use red, orange, black and royal blue. On the other hand, more thoughtful shoppers who go with a plan and budget in mind are drawn by less flamboyant colors – pink, teal, light blue and navy.

Clearly color matters and the research proves it so you want to make sure to use this data when choosing and designing all of your print and promotional products. Whether it's accordion folders, presentation folders, brochures and booklets, or promotional calendars use the available research about color and how it impacts your target market to ensure you come up with a design that will generate results.

               Custom Mouse Pad                         Tri Fold Brochure

Think about using flood coats of ink to highlight certain colors on your document holders, and presentation folders. Utilize screens and phantoms on your booklets and deskpad calendars to take advantage of various density's of important colors. use knockouts on promotional items like pens and tote bags to highlight your logo against a deep background color. Think about a step and repeat pattern for your logo against a dark background for items like lanyards or trade show banners.

Color and how you use it can make a difference for your brand and the marketing that goes with it. Take advantage of the available data to make sure you are using color effectively when designing your printed material, packaging, and promotional merchandise to increase you chances of success.

 

1 White, Jan V., Color for Impact, Strathmoor Press, April, 1997

2 Johnson, Virginia, "The Power of Color," Successful Meetings, June 1992, Vol 41, No. 7, pp. 87, 90.

Topics: Advertising, Custom folder, Marketing, Promotional advertising, marketing campaign