Color Can Impact

Everyone likes receiving greetings in the post, whether through the traditional mail system or through e-mail. More and more, we are using our own creativity and computers to create our own specialized greetings. Additionally, we are creating flyers, brochures, signs and stationary on a frequent basis.

With the affordability of color printers, color has become one of the most important components of our work. Color can have a tremendous impact on our message. Business has long taken advantage of the significance of color, believing that an extra measure of success is added by considering our reaction to red, blue, or yellow.

• Red, for example, is the color of action and speed. We've all heard about red cars being stopped more frequently than cars of any other color. In our publications and visuals, red will arouse strong feelings. Today's Special or Buy Now is effective in Red. Use it sparingly though, because is does shorten our attention span.

• Yellow captures our attention quickly and keeps us attentive. As with red, we must be careful as too much can trigger agitation. However, for contrast and readability it is the number one choice as a background. Flyers or posters with yellow backgrounds and black lettering can be the easiest to read.

•Blue instills trust and a sense of authority. Business suits and military dress uniforms are often blue. Blue lettering is a good choice for text or figures that can be controversial. It can also have a calming influence that will minimize a strong emotional reaction, as it is often associated with creditability. One downside of blue is its inability to copy well.

• Green, similar to Blue, has a peaceful and harmonic effect. Green instills the feeling of the outdoors. We can almost feel ourselves walking through the park or enjoying the sound of nature when we envision the color. Its powerful tie to nature will instill strong associations with anything outdoors and helps us stay positive and friendly.

Keep in mind, however, interpretations do vary. For instance, in accounting red can often failure (or negative numbers) and green is often associated with money. It also varies with cultures, in the Far East white is associated with death and mourning whereas in the U.S. it is associated with innocence and purity. So always know your audience when selecting colors.

Combining color also increases our understanding by increasing readability. It is easy to separate sections of documents or emphasize an important point with the use of color. Using colored paper is an inexpensive way to add to appeal. Yellow, for instance is one of the most effective colors for flyers and brochures because of its ability to grab our attention. Businesses often color code documents by region to enable quick references in manuals and procedures.

As for myself, I've always been fond of color coded files .. if for no other reason than to brighten my day.