Cores

1. THE MEANING OF COLOURS
For most of us, a rainbow of colours envelopes our lives. Over 80% of visual information is
related to colour.¹ What colours and combinations of colours stimulate people to be
interested in different things? What colours make us feel pleasure or disapproval, hot or cold,
to be attracted or repelled, our appetite stimulated or suppressed?
Many reactions to colour are instinctual, universal and cross cultural boundaries. "Colors
also convey messages that go beyond ethnic, racial, or gender boundaries. According to a
1997 survey by Cooper Marketing Group, Oak Park, IL, power is represented by the color
scarlet red for 25% of respondents, black for 17% and bright violet blue for 13%. More than
55% of those surveyed chose one of these three colors out of 100 colors. Fragility was most
represented by pale pink (27%), white (9%), and pale lavender (9%)."²
Other associations with colours are specific to a culture or regions. Mixing appropriate
amounts of different colours however can neutralise inherent negative cultural connotations.
Web design which achieves successful marketing results is sensitive to the cultural,
instinctual and iconic meanings of colour in relation to the product being promoted and
considers the cultural backgrounds and gender of the targeted clientele. Avoiding the
extremes of sheer garishness and boredom, effective design displays symphonic colour
arrangements of shades, tints, tones and complementarities to tantalise and maintain
interest. Adding textures too can alter colours - a roughly textured surface makes a colour
seem darker, while a smooth surface lightens the same colour.
Colour trends may defy instinctual, cultural and iconic constraints - for example, the recent
craze for vivid lime green. As Jill Morton says: "Psychologically, the 'anti-aesthetic' colors
may well capture more attention than those on the aesthetically-correct list. History clearly
demonstrates that this has been a prevalent trend in art since the turn of the 20th century,
when Dada's urinals and snow shovels put an end to the era of Matisse and French
Impressionism."³

2. European : Danger (stop signs), love (hearts), excitement (for sale signs)
China : Traditional bridal colour, good luck, celebration, happiness, joy, vitality, long life,
summoning, the direction South. Chinese saying goes "when something is so red, it is
purple" - red purple brings luck and fame.
Japan : life
India : Purity
Eastern : Joy (with white)
Hebrew : sacrifice, sin
Christian : sacrifice, passion, love
USA : Christmas (with green), Valentine's day (with white)
South Africa : Mourning
Australian aboriginals : the land, earth, ceremonial ochre
Cherokees : success
Hopi : the direction South
Romans : Red flag signified the onset of battle
Celtic : Death, afterlife
Feng Shui : Yang, Fire, good luck, money, respect, recognition, protection, vitality
Red
Red : Energy, strength, passion, eroticism, cheerfulness, courage, element of fire, career
goals, fast action, lust, desire, blood, vibrancy, driving forces, risk, fame, love, survival, war,
revolution, danger, aggression, strength, power, determination, emotional intensity, sex,
provoking, dynamic, stimulating, courage, bravery, good-tasting, force, leadership, drama,
excitement, speed, heat, warmth, violence, attention, generosity, romance
Red stimulates metabolism, increases respiration rate, perspiration, appetite and raises blood
pressure. Red is a strong masculine colour.
Red tends to promote images and text, making objects appear larger and closer, though less
than yellow coloured objects. Bright red can be annoying if used over large areas and is
useful as a iconic colour to encourage people to act quickly eg. on buy or click here buttons.
An apetite stimulant, red is useful for promoting products associated with energy ... drinks,
cars, sports and games.
Care is need using red in proximity with green ... as the old adage goes: 'Red and green
should not be seen without something in between'.
Mixing bright blue and bright red is also not recommended ... the combination is very tiring
on the eye.
Light red : joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, love, indecision

3. Dark red : willpower, rage, wrath, tenseness, vigour, anger, leadership, courage, yearning,
malice, wrath
Maroon : Yang, indecisiveness
Pink
European : Feminine colour, baby girls
East India : Feminine colour
Japan : Popular with both sexes
Korea : trust
Feng Shui : Yin, love
Pink : Romance, love, friendship, femininity, truth, passivity, good will, emotional healing,
peace, calming, affection, emotional maturity, caring, nurturing, sweet tasting, sweet
smelling, ethereal, delicacy.
Pale pink : sweetness of youth, fragility
Vibrant pinks : high spirits, energy, youth
Orange
European : Autumn, creativity, harvest
Netherlands : Favourite colour (House of Orange)
Ireland : Protestants

4. USA : Halloween, cheap goods
Hinduism : Saffron (peachy orange) is a sacred color
Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, strengthens concentration, purpose, organization
Orange : warmth, energy, balance, enthusiasm, vibrancy, vitality, expansiveness,
flamboyance, excitement, business goals, property deals, ambition, career, goals, general
success, justice, legal matters, selling, action, attention-grabbing, the sun, friendly, inviting,
intense, joy, strength, endurance, steadfastness, tropics, quick movement, wealth of the
mind and knowledge, charity, growing things, fascination, friendliness, happiness,
beginnings, heat, creativity, autumn, determination, attraction, success, encouragement,
courage, earth, mental and appetite stimulatant, emotional lift, assurance, social force,
health, warmth, attractiveness, cheerfulness, mood-lightening, uninhibited, independence,
amiability, constructiveness, self-assuredness, cheap, low-budget, fun kids colour, youth
In restaurants, as orange is an appetite stimulant, orange decor encourages sales. Less
passionate than red, orange still increases oxygen supply to the brain, stimulating mental
activity. Popular amongst youth.
Orange backgrounds help images seem closer and larger, but avoid over-use. Useful for
highlighting important elements, promoting food products and toys.
"As we turned our sights to orange, substantial research (including the data gathered at The
Global Color Survey at www.colormatters.com and the Pantone Consumer Color Preference
Study® dated June 1996) documented that orange is one of Americans' least favorite colors.
... In 1991, Forbes called attention to orange's mundane associations in its December 23
article, 'Does orange mean cheap?' Yes, it does."4
Dark orange : autumn, deceit, distrust
Red orange : desire, sexuality, pleasure, domination, aggression, thirst for action
Bright orange : tangy citrus, health
Pale orange : apricot, coral, peach and melon are sophisticated

5. Brown
Colombia : discourages sales
Australian Aboriginals : colour of the land, ceremonial ochre
Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, industry, grounded
Brown : friendships, special events, earth, materialistic thoughts, hearth, home, outdoors,
inexpensive, reliability, credibility, comfort, endurance, stability, simplicity, comfort,
longevity, intimacy, tranquility, masculine, nurturing, contentment, strength, sensuality,
productivity, passivity, fertility, generosity, dirt, substance, practicality, hard work
Brown is too low key if used broadly without texture or another color to enhance it. Useful
for promoting food and outdoor products for work and play.
Reddish-brown : harvest, autumn
Beiges and tans : Yang, sophistication, neatness, conceals emotion
Copper : passion, money goals, professional growth, business productivity, career moves
Coffee browns : sophistication, richness, robustness, panache
Gold
World-wide : Success, high quality, money
Feng Shui : Yang, Metal, God consciousness
Gold : wealth, god, winning, safety, masculine power, happiness, playful humour, prestige,
wisdom, love of spirit, meaning, purpose, awe, spiritual love, quests of the heart, desire for
power, mystic powers, higher mathematics, sciences, attainment, concentration.
Gold and navy (credibility) are the best combination for selling to men and the second best
for selling to women.

6. Yellow
European : Hope, joy, happiness, hazards, cowardice, weakness, taxis
Asia : sacred, imperial
China : Nourishing, royalty
Egypt : Mourning
Japan : Courage
India : Merchants
Buddhism : wisdom
Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, auspicious, sunbeams, warmth, motion
Yellow : sun, intelligence, light, accelerated learning, memory, logical imagination, social
energy, cooperation, organisation, breaking mental blocks, sunshine, joy, happiness,
intellect, energy, cheerfulness, optimism, purity, enthusiasm, warmth, honour, loyalty,
mental force, clarity, perception, understanding, wisdom, dishonesty, betrayal, jealousy,
covetousness, deceit, disease, weakness, caution, cowardice, follower, curiosity, mellowness,
confidence, humour, dreams, creativity, desire to improve, action, idealism, optimism,
imagination, hope, summer, philosophy, uncertainty, restlessness, glory, enlightenment
Yellow stimulates mental activity, generates muscle energy and attracts attention - it is the
colour most visible to the human eye. Thus yellow objects move to the forefront. Students
who study in yellow rooms do better in exams. Cheerful yellow can be used to promote food
especially in combination with other fruit and vegetable tones, children's and leisure products
and is best used as a highlight. With overuse, yellow can be disturbing and promote anxiety.
Babies cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow against black denotes a warning ... the sting of the
bee.
Yellow is not a practical colour to use when selling expensive items to men ... they perceive
it as an untrustworthy and childish ... and avoid yellow if you wish to evoke safety and
stability. Care is needed with shades of yellow as they can lose their warmth and appear
dirty.
Dull yellow : caution, decay, sickness, jealousym aging

7. Light yellow : intellect, freshness, and joy
Ivory/cream : quiet, pleasantness, calm, understated elegance, purity, softness, more rich
and warm than white
Green
China : Exorcism, green hats indicate a man's wife is cheating on him.
Japan : Life.
Islam : Hope - the cloak of the prophet was thought to be green, virtue - only those of
perfect faith can wear green.
Ireland: Symbol of the entire country, Catholics
European/USA : Spring, new birth, go, safe, environmental awareness, Saint Patrick's Day,
Christmas (with red)
USA : Money
Feng Shui : Yin, Wood, growing energy, refreshing, nurturing, balancing, harmony
normalising, healing, health, peaceful, calming
Green : earth mother, physical healing, monetary success, abundance, fertility, tree & plant
magic, growth, food, hope, personal goals, resurrection, renewal, youth, stability,
endurance, freshness, nature, environment, tranquil, refreshing, quiet, hope, immortality,
health, healing, good luck, renewal, youth, jealousy, inexperience, trees, grass, vigour,
growth, harmony, responsiveness, generosity, safety, envy, misfortune, quietude,
compassion, renewal, moderation, nurturing, diplomacy, calm, contemplation, joy, love,
abundance, balance, self-control, inexperience, hope, good omens, soothing, sharing,
dependability, friendliness
Green lowers blood pressure, relaxes the nervous system, calms and soothes the mind,
stimulates creativity, and is an appetite suppressant. Green is easy on the eye and can
improve vision. Images set in green backgrounds seem farther away. Green is popular in
most cultures.

8. Useful as a marketing colour for organic, healthy and natural 'green' products.
Dark green : money, ambition, greed, jealousy, heaviness, prestige, promotes
concentration
Yellow-green/lime green : sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy, nausea - don't use
this colour for promoting food products as it's an appetite depressant.
Olive green : peace
Avocado : 60s and 70s refridgerators
Blue greens : most accepted colour group across gender lines
Turquoise
Ancient Persians : warding off evil eye
Turquoise : calming, emotional healing, protection, refreshing, sophisticated
Turquoise is equally popular with men and women. Mixes well with pale pinks and lavenders
for a feminine look. Create a retro scenario with turquoise and pink or art deco by combining
it with white and black. Combined with grey, silver, terra cotta and tans, it produces a
southwestern USA look. With orange or yellow, it creates an innovative, fresh image suitable
for sports-oriented sites.5
Light Turquoise : feminine
Teal : sophisticated
Blue
European : soothing, "something blue" bridal tradition
Cherokees : defeat, trouble

9. Iran : mourning
China : immortality
Colombia : soap
Hinduism : the colour of Krishna
Judaism : holiness
Christianity : Christ's colour
Catholicism : colour of Mary's robe
Middle East : protection
Worldwide : 'safe' colour
Feng Shui : Yin, Water, calm, love, healing, relaxation, peace, trust, adventure, exploration
Blue : good fortune, communication, wisdom, protection, spiritual inspiration, calmness,
reassurance, gentleness, fluidity, water, sea, creativity, peace, calming, higher thoughts,
mystery, sky, formality, travel, devotion, progress, quiet wisdom, freedom. betterment of
humanity, love, trust, loyalty, intelligence, reassurance, artistry, compassion, inner strength,
devotion, depression, sadness, tranquility, stability, unity, truth, understanding, confidence,
acceptance, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, comfort, cold, technology, devotion,
harmony, depth, faith, heaven, piety, sincerity, precision, intellect, sadness, consciousness,
speech, messages, ideas, sharing, cooperation, idealism, sincerity, empathy, relaxation,
affection, inspiration, friendship, patience, contemplation, infinity, harmony, non-threatening,
dependability
Some believe blue slows the metabolism and suppresses the appetite. As it does not require
the eye to focus, images and objects recede in blue backgrounds. With overuse, can create
feelings of cold. Although also popular with women, blue is the predominant favourite colour
of males and is suited to web sites involving and promoting technology, medical products,
cleanliness, air, sky, water, sea and automotives. Blue is the favourite colour of more than
half of the world's people - it is the colour least disliked by most cultures.
High impact designs can be created with combinations of blue, red and yellow. Combinations

10. of light and dark blues can create feelings of trust. Pale Blue : ethereal, delicate, calming,
health, healing, tranquility, understanding, softness
In combination with pinks and pale yellows, creates the image of spring. Aqua : freshness,
pristine, vigour, movement, dramatic, confidence, strength, individualism, eccentricity,
humour, fearlessness, festivity
Royal Blue : richness, superiority, cold Dark blue : depth, expertise, stability, credibility
(especially with gold), intellect, wisdom, corporate colour, warmth, knowledge, power,
integrity, seriousness, knowledge, health, decisiveness, law, order, logic, dependability,
serenity
Combining dark and lighter shades of blue creates a conservative and sophisticated look.
White
European : Marriage, angels, hospitals, doctors, peace, milk Japan : Mourning, white
carnation means death
China : Death, mourning
India : Unhappiness
Eastern : Funerals
Feng Shui : Yang, Metal, death, mourning, ancestal spirits, ghosts, poise, confidence
White : spirituality, goddess, peace, higher self, purity, virginity, reverence, simplicity,
cleanliness, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility, cold,
clinical, sterility, clarity, perfection, innocence, virginity, goodness, light, fairness, safety,
positivity, faith, coolness, charity, successful innovations, union, self-sacrifice, holiness,
feminine divinity, pristine, chastity, positivity
All white rooms can be uncomfortable with a stark atmosphere. White is useful for a
background or accent colour as it highlights other colours. White is perceived by the eye as a
brilliant colour.
White can indicate simplicity with high-tech products and safety and cleanliness with medical
products.

11. Silver
Feng Shui : Yin, Metal, trustworthiness, romance .
Silver : glamous, distinguishment, high tech, industrial, graceful aging, telepathy,
clairvoyance, clairaudience, psychometry, intuition, dreams, astral energies, female power,
communication, goddess, ornate riches, sleekness, modernity
To create a high-tech look, use silver with other colours. Silver works well combined with
gold and white to promote a feeling of control and power.
Silver and other reflectors are strong eye attractors and are associated with life-giving water.
Grey
Feng Shui : Yin, Metal, dead, dull, indefinite
Grey : security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative,
practical, old age, sadness, boring, practicality, professional, sophisticated, durability,
quality, quiet, conservativeness, gloominess, sadness
Black
European : Funerals, death, mourning, rebellion, cool, restfulness
China : Colour for young boys
Thailand : Bad luck, unhappiness, evil
Judaism : Unhappiness, bad luck, evil
Australian Aboriginals : colour of the people, ceremonial ochre

12. Feng Shui : Yin, Water, money, income, career success, emotional protection, power,
stability, bruises, evil
Black : protection, repelling negativity, binding, shapeshifting, power, sexuality,
sophistication, formality, elegance, classy, wealth, power, mystery, fear, evil, anonymity,
unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, underground, modern music,
space, high quality, bad luck, formality, reservedness, dignity, elegance, secretiveness, fear
of the unknown, night, emptiness, dirtiness, sophistication, strength of character, dramatic,
authority, prestige, grief, anger, reliability, strong, classic, strength, anti-establishment,
modernism, serious
. Black is an excellent technical colour and it assist targetting a sophisticated high-end
market or a youth market to add mystery. Over a large area, black can be depressing.
Though black backgrounds can enhance perspective and depth, they diminish readibility of
text. Useful for web sites for art and photography to help other colours to vibrate.