Blue Is Not Boring

color psychology

Mar 2

Have I mentioned that I love color? I love color not just because it’s fun to noodle around with, but it’s also incredibly powerful. Color is an essential and useful, element of graphic design and branding. Lacking any other imagery (illustrations, photography, graphics, etc.) a business or organization could still make an impact by using color intelligently and strategically.

In a nutshell, color packs a punch. And since it has such power it’s important to know HOW color can impact the perception of your B-corp or non-profit organization. This brings us to Color Psychology, which is something I find immensely interesting.

Color Psychology

Color psychology is the study of colors in relation to human behavior. It looks at how colors affect us, the decisions we make, and the things we buy. We know that the colors used in products, their packaging, and their branding and marketing affect how we think and feel about those products and whether or not we choose to buy them. The same goes for websites and whether or not we click the “Donate Now” button or simply leave.

This is because colors evoke specific emotions and encourage certain actions. A while back I created this chart that gives a general overview of the most common colors and their meanings. But this time around, I wanted to delve a little deeper.

NOTE: This is fun stuff, for sure, but it’s important to remember that reactions to colors can be very personal AND cultural. Not only do our past experiences influence how we feel about colors, but also different cultures perceive colors differently sometimes. If your audience is international, keep this in mind before making color choices.

Blue Is Not Boring

I have to confess that I used to think blue was pretty boring, but I now know that all colors are fascinating. Ok, ok. Some blues are still kind of boring, but it all depends on the shade you choose.

Blue is just about everywhere we look. It is the most favored color by many people, men in particular. In general, blue is seen as non-threatening, conservative and traditional. It can be calming and is perceived to be peaceful, tranquil, secure and orderly. It often suggests stability and reliability, and businesses and organizations that are security related often use blue in their branding. It’s also associated with sadness and aloofness. It’s rarely used in food-related situations, as it is the least appetizing colors. Given that blue is often a sign of spoilage (think mold), this makes sense, right?

Keep in mind, though, that different shades of blue communicate different things. Some of my favorites are below:

Electric Blue

Electric blue is a bright, vivid blue. It’s lighter than royal blue but darker than baby or pastel blue. It’s similar to cyan, aqua or turquoise. Originally named after the color of the ionized air glow produced during electrical discharges, it’s now also considered a representation of the color of lightning, electric sparks or any vibrant blue that’s considered “electric.”

Because of its association with electricity, electric blue is said to communicate energy, action and excitement. It’s often used in innovative brands or applications (think Twitter). Because it’s a blue, electric blue still feels reliable and sensible, but it’s got a lively edge to it that makes it much more fun than the more subdued blues. It pairs well with other shades of blue and various brights.

Eequal is a youth-run nonprofit that supports students experiencing homelessness. The Electric Blue they’re using here is pure energy and innovation, but that bit of darker, more subdued blue at the top of their website adds a serious, trustworthy element that makes this the kind of nonprofit you want to support. To me, this color combination says they’re doing exciting and innovative work, but they’re still well managed, and I can trust that my donation will be well spent.

Prussian (Midnight) Blue

It’s difficult to find much information about the symbolism behind Prussian Blue, but it’s history is celebrated. In 1704, a Berlin chemist mixed some cochineal (a natural red dye) with iron sulfate and a cyanide mixture, and discovered Prussian Blue, the first synthetic color. It was an instant sensation because it was non toxic, affordable, and stable, and its cool intensity made it perfect for conveying deeper emotions.

Prussian Blue is a strong, dark blue-greenish color. Since Crayola changed the name of their Prussian Blue to Midnight Blue in 1958 (because they realized no one knew what Prussia was), I’ll stick with what’s out there about midnight blue.

Midnight blue, in particular, communicates importance, confidence, power, and authority. Dark blue, more generally, is associated with intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism. Because its so dark, midnight blue can act as a neutral like black, which is also often seen as a conservative and authoritarian color.

Civic Nation empowers and educates people to take action that can create real and lasting change, and their home page practically stopped me in my tracks. The combination of a dark, midnight blue with a neutral cream color carries throughout the site and is their primary palette. They also use this gorgeous teal color for It’s On Us, the nation's leading youth sexual violence prevention program. It’s On Us is a high impact program targeted at a young audience, so it makes sense to use what I see as a more exciting version of blue. Interestingly, though, teal is said to encourage objective, analytical thinking while discouraging erratic, spontaneous behaviors, so perhaps the designer was tapping into that side of the color.

Regardless, the combination of all three colors on their home page is arresting and, for me. it arouses a feeling of energy, strength, and spirit. It makes me feel like we can do the hard work of changing our nation.

Royal Blue

Royal blue is considered the color of empathy and dependability. It’s also associated with reassurance, acceptance, and a kind heart. Britain’s Queen Charlotte was very fond of this color and is credited with bringing it into fashion. This is also why it’s associated with the crown and is even featured in the British flag. It’s quite formal and can even be considered uptight and overbearing, but you can depend on royal blue through thick and thin. Sounds a bit like what we know of England, doesn’t it?

Mind is a British nonprofit focussed on mental health resources and advocacy. Given its association with depression and sadness, blue might seem like an odd choice for an organization focussed on mental health, but they’re clearly leaning on royal blue’s associations with kindness and empathy here. They’ve also balanced the blue with a sunny, optimistic yellow, which is smart. A bright purple, which also has royal connections, is in the mix as well. I’m not entirely sure what the goal was there. Perhaps they wanted to reinforce the royal link? Or perhaps they’re looking for the balance and harmony purple can represent (since, you know, it’s a mix of blue and red).