I read recently that the further away from the Equator we live, the more likely we are to associate the colour yellow with happiness. Research from the Journal of Educational Psychology found that in Egypt (with almost 3,500 hours of sunshine a year) less than 6% of people considered yellow to represent joy. On the other hand, in Finland, where they experience dark winters, almost 9 out of 10 did.
Then there’s the ubiquitous yellow smiley face, adorning badges and stickers since the 1950s. For many, yellow indicates a sunny disposition, summer and lots of fun.
Yellow is also great for attracting attention – who hasn’t seen for themselves, or in movies, or photos, the yellow taxis in NYC or American school buses. Hi-viz safety wear is usually this colour, for this reason, and yellow, when seen in nature and wildlife, says ‘Here I am – look at ME!’
On the other hand, according to estate agents, yellow isn’t the best colour of your front door, if you’re trying to sell your house. And it’s also the colour of cowardice, and there’s the infamous ‘Yellow Book’ that Oscar Wilde carried in 1895, when arrested (which led him to be found guilty of gross indecency).
Yellow, it’s a divisive colour, with lots of connotations, but it is a widely and much sought after colour for promotional merchandise. It is a colour I personally like, especially if it is a strong hue, and has been a theme of many of my photographs over recent years, including of the famous Lisbon trams.
A note book, or pen in bright yellow will, in my opinion, portray energy and positivity, It will be visually distinctive, and as long as it is also a quality product, it may well go a long way in allowing it to rise above all the other merchandise given to your client, or collected by them at an exhibition.
Imagine giving away some printed umbrellas with all yellow panels, or yellow and white alternate ones. They would be seen from a long way away. How about having your staff wear brightly coloured (but still smart) polo shirts or jackets? In yellow they would stand out from the crowd, ready to help your clients.
Whatever reason for choosing yellow, either for the product colour, or the logo itself, bear in mind how the colour is going to work when printed. Complementary colours include blue and violet – think of the IKEA logo, but then red also makes a bold statement, which is probably why the combination was chosen by DHL, Shell and Lays. But perhaps the classic, and most bold colour combination is yellow with black. Exponents of this coming-together includes household names such as Nikon, Hertz, CAT, and National Geographic. Black on yellow really says ‘I’ve arrived!’.
Whichever colour you choose for the products for your next marketing campaign, I will be able to come up with an exciting range for you to consider. I will appreciate the chance to discuss your plans with you, to see how I may help.
