Take five colours: red, black, blue, green and purple. How do they make you feel?

It’s a question of supreme significance to desingers and marketers. British fashion desinger Wayne Hemingway explored this topic in a BBC radio programme about the psychology of colour. You can read a summary of his ideas below. Do you agree with him? Or do you think the meaning of colour depends on the culture you live in?

Red is, of course, considered auspicious in China. But he points out that it’s a powerful colour wherever you go, with some serious scientific credentials. Studies have indicated that red “raises blood pressure”, and claim that it stands out from other colours thanks to its long wavelength. Hemingway says it apears to be “coming towards you”, and so is useful for emergency and alarm signs, and also to for conveying “urgency” in general. That’s why he thinks red sale posters seem to yell at us: “Quick, buy it now!”

Black has a different sense. In the West it’s associated with death, but that hasn’t stopped it becoming a prestigious and mysterious colour. Hemingway says it’s the colour of luxury brands: things like “glossy black limousines” and “designer watches” are often black. He says it’s “very powerful and sophisticated when used as a primary colour in branding.”

Blue, by contrast, is cool and tranquil. The colour is a constant presence in our lives, says Hemingway, being the colour of the sky and the sea. That gives it an air of reliability, which makes it a firm choice with “banks and corporations”. Hemingway says this is also why emergency services often choose the colour. A blue uniform can, for example, indicate “the cool competence of a nurse”.

Green is, unsurprisingly, the colour of nature and the environment. Marketers understand that giving a product green packaging creates the impression it is enviromentally friendly. But savvy customers are also aware of this – and now think twice before blindly swallowing environmental claims. Hemingway also says that green is the colour of growth and movement: it’s used to indicate ‘go’ on traffic lights.

Finally, we have purple, which is associated with valuable things. In the past, purple dye was expensive because it was very difficult to produce, and it became the colour worn by royalty in many Western countries. These days, companies still use purple to make their product seem more exclusive, whether they’re selling chocolate or cigarettes.

词汇表

marketer 市场营销人员
auspicious 吉利的
credentials 凭据，依据
blood pressure 血压
to stand out 显眼
wavelength （光的）波长
urgency 紧迫性
prestigious 尊贵的，庄严的
luxury brand 奢侈品牌
glossy 有光泽的
designer 出自著名设计师的
sophisticated 有品味的，高雅的
tranquil 宁静的
an air of 一种…的氛围
competence 能力，水平
packaging （产品）包装
enviromentally friendly 利于环保的
savvy 有头脑的，机智的
to swallow 全盘接受
exclusive 高档奢华的