There was an outstanding response to my blog entry from last week about. So I thought I would follow up with some information that I didn’t include last week. Pretty interesting stuff. It certainly makes you think twice about the color choices you make.
Can color improve performance?
A 2009 University of British Columbia study compared the effect of red and blue on peoples’ ability to do detail-oriented tasks. Participants were assigned a computer monitor with a red or blue background and then given a variety of tasks to complete.
Red improved outcomes for tasks that required focus and vigilance. Blue improved performance for creative tasks.
How might this affect your choice of apparel for a work environment or promotional campaign? Consider whether the job requires creativity or accuracy.
A team of quality-control personnel might be best attired in red garments, creating an environment of red around the work area. Blue garments and work environment might be best for a small marketing or ad agency.
Warm and Cool Effects
When evaluating how a color will alter the effectiveness of your apparel selection, first consider whether the color is warm (red, yellow, and orange) or cool (blue, green and violet). Here are some common associations and effects attributed to each side of the color spectrum.
WARM: advance, vibrant, stimulate, passion, aggression
COOL: recede, subdued, soothe, purpose, stability
So what does that mean? If you are working in industries where you want to project a sense of stability and purpose, such as insurance, education, financial, government and health care, you might choose cool colors to help support your business and brand.
If you work in an industry that seeks to ignite passion and stimulate the senses in people, you might choose warm colors. Those industries might include technology, personal care products, entertainment, sports or media.
Got the Munchies? Wear Blue
Blue suppresses appetite. Weight-loss plans even suggest dining in a blue room or placing food on a blue plate.
Restaurants, therefore may want to avoid blue uniforms for their wait staff or interior design. Instead, they might consider uniforms in a warm stimulating color. Orange, for example, is believed to boost an appetite. Perhaps that is why the Wheaties box is so bright!
Clearly, I don’t wear enough blue!