The Influence of Color

Higher Response Rates with Direct Mail

Direct mail pieces receive a higher response rate when printed on eye-catching colors instead of white, and creating a meaningful direct mail piece begins with the envelope.

Start with a colored paper that commands attention and expresses the feeling that you want to project. For example, yellow is bright and lively, whereas blue is calming. Pick secondary colors that complement the paper and work well when combined. Remember that the color of the ink will be affected by the color of the paper underneath. Below is a list of some of the most common colors and what type of psychological emotion they invoke in people:

BLACK is sophisticated, elegant, seductive, and mysterious.

BLUE is the color the majority of the world population calls its favorite color. It represents Trust and is associated with professionalism.

BROWN is associated with earth, nature, tribal, primitive, and simplicity.

GOLD is the color of wealth. Associated with prestige, expensive.

GREEN is the color of nature, fresh, cool, growth, and abundance. It is associated with money, animals, health, healing, life, and harmony.

WHITE is associated with innocence, purity, cleanliness, simplicity, the color of pure innocence.

Market researchers have also determined that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels like pink, rose, and sky blue. So how can you put this information to use? It all depends on what kind of psychological message you want to convey with your color selection. Of course you shouldn’t count on your colors to pull all the weight. It’s your artwork, logos and product photos that should stand out. And paper choice can play a part in influencing people, too.