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� Physical response: stimulant effect; can increase blood pressure, respiration, heartbeat, and pulse rate � Positive associations: excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat � Negative associations: aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence � In the financial arena, red symbolizes a negative direction � Red is the color most associated with the Soviet Union during communist reign � Companies/Brands: Coke, American Red Cross, American Heart Association
� There is usually strong positive or negative association to orange and true orange generally elicits a
stronger “love it” or “hate it” response than other colors do � Physical response: stimulates appetite � Positive associations: energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrancy, expansion, flamboyancy,
demanding of attention � Negative associations: representative of gluttony in Christianity � Companies/Brands: Orange Crush, Tropicana, Home Depot, Jamba Juice
� Positive associations: joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold,
philosophy, friendship � Negative associations: betrayal, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard � Representative of greed in Christianity; in medical terms, a yellow flag indicates a quarantine � Companies/Brands: Midas, Stanley Tools, McDonald’s
� Green occupies more space in the spectrum visible to the human eye than most colors, and is second
only to blue as a favorite color � Green is the pervasive color in the natural world � The natural greens, from forest to lime, are seen as tranquil and refreshing, with a natural balance of
cool and warm (blue and yellow) undertones � Physical response: soothes, relaxes mentally/physically; helps alleviate depression, nervousness,
anxiety; offers a sense of renewal, self-‐control, harmony � Positive associations: peace, ecology, nature, environment, health, good luck (St. Patrick), renewal,
youth, spring, generosity, fertility, vigor � Negative associations: jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune � In several religions, green is the color associated with resurrection and regeneration
� Green was the favorite color of George Washington � Green is the color used for night-‐vision goggles because the human eye is most sensitive to and able to
discern the most shades of that color � Companies/Brands: H&R Block, BP
� Blue is the overwhelming favorite color � The color of ocean and sky, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives � Physical response: as the collective color of the spirit, it invokes rest and can cause the body to
produce chemicals that are calming; it also suppresses appetite. Over the past decade, scientists have reported the successful use of blue light in the treatment of a wide variety of psychological problems, including addictions, eating disorders, and depression.
� Positive associations: trustworthiness, dependability, commitment, peace, tranquility, cool, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology
� Negative associations: depression � Blue is the favored color choice for toothbrushes � Owls are the only birds that can see the color blue � People are often more productive in blue rooms � Companies/Brands: Blue Man Group, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Ford, The Gap, IBM, Intel, Pepsi
� Purple embodies the balance of red’s stimulation and blue’s calm � Positive associations: royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom,
enlightenment � Negative associations: cruelty, arrogance, mourning; purple is representative of pride in Christianity. � Violet has the shortest wavelength of the spectrum; behind it, the invisible ultraviolet. � A man with the rank of Roman Emperor was referred to as “The Purple”—a name that came from the
color of the robe he wore. Julius and Augustus Caesar, Emperors of Rome, both decreed that only the Emperor could wear purple. When Nero became Emperor, the wearing of purple and even the sale of purple was punishable by death.
� Companies/Brands: Crown Royal, Nexium, Yahoo!
� Physical response: bright pinks foster energy and can increase the blood pressure, respiration,
heartbeat, and pulse rate. � Pink makes us crave sugar, which is why pastries taste better when they come out of pink boxes or
served on pink plates (it only works with sweets). � Positive associations: confidence, love/romance, caring, tenderness, acceptance, calm � Negative associations: um . . . � Pink has been used in prison holding cells to effectively reduce erratic behavior � In Japan, the color pink has a masculine association. The annual spring blooming of the pink-‐
blossomed cherry trees (the Sakura) is said to represent the young Japanese warriors who fell in battle in the prime of life (the Samurai).
� Companies/Brands: Pepto-‐Bismol, Mary Kay, T-‐Mobile, Thomas Pink (based in London, international reputation for the finest luxury shirts and accessories), Owens Corning Insulation
� It’s the color of earth and is associated with all things natural or organic � Physical response: provides a feeling of wholesomeness � Positive associations: earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance,
simplicity, and comfort � Negative associations: filth � In India, brown is the color of mourning because it resembles dying leaves � Companies use brown paper to denote a natural product � Companies/Brands: UPS, Hershey’s
� Gray is controlled and inconspicuous and is considered a color of conservatism and compromise,
perhaps because it sits between the extremes of black and white � Positive associations: security, reliability, classicism, refinement, intelligence, knowledge, wisdom,
modesty, dignity, maturity, authority, solidity, practicality � Negative associations: old age, sadness, boredom, pessimism � Gray is representative of mourning and repentance in Christianity � Gray is associated with the intellect; the brain is composed of “gray matter” � The human eye can distinguish about 500 shades of gray
� Positive associations: sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, authority, power (tuxedos,
limousines, judge’s robes, priests’ attire) � Negative associations: mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity,
mourning, death (Western cultures), void, emptiness
� Doctors don white coats, brides traditionally wear white gowns—both represent purity. (Not sure
what a bride in a white lab coat symbolizes.) � Positive associations: reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision,
innocence, neutrality, youth, winter, snow, good, marriage � Negative associations: sterility, cold, clinical � A white flag is universally recognized as a symbol of truce � In the Bible, white represents the color of light and is an emblem of the divine � More shades of white are available commercially than any other color