| First, everyone must realize that you do not see color | | | | none of the hues of each. |
| the exact same as any other person. This becomes | | | | Other studies show us that yellow can be a color that |
| most prevalent when groups of people pick a favorite | | | | induces hunger - think McDonalds' Arches - possibly |
| color. That bright orange blouse may appall you, while | | | | because of Americans fondness for starch/satisfying |
| your aunt thinks it makes her look young and vibrant. | | | | foods that are yellow/brown - think burgers and fries. |
| Those choices are general, and easy to understand; | | | | Conversely, blue seldom seems to work with food |
| but what about choosing between 6 different shades | | | | because it suppresses appetites. Besides blueberries, |
| of red, not using saturation - that is pink/burgundy - | | | | really how many blue foods are there? |
| using hue which may be thought of as yellow-red | | | | The basic packaging colors have always been the |
| (warm) to blue-red (cool). If we ask for opinions of | | | | same - gold/silver/purple for regal/royal; white for a |
| preference that choice become more difficult. | | | | crisp, clean look; black for elegance; the pastels - |
| Now, you must realize that, statically one of twelve | | | | melon, sky blue, gray - for soothing/relaxing products; |
| males is significantly color blind as opposed to one in | | | | and red/yellow to evoke emotion and generally best |
| two hundred females. This takes on a bit of irony since | | | | for impulse purchases. Blues/Greens rarely surface in |
| the gene that causes color blindness is passed down | | | | packaging products except in non-descript household |
| by the mother to her son/daughter. By color blind I | | | | products or cereals. Most designers and packaging |
| mean having one of the major afflictions of color | | | | experts try to analyze how people would like to see |
| blindness: | | | | themselves - not how they really appear. The woman |
| - Protanopia - The person does not see red/green - | | | | wanting to inspire her husband's lust would be more |
| red will become brown, orange - dark yellow, green- | | | | likely to buy products in red than a pastel package. |
| dark yellow, and purple - dark blue. | | | | Likewise, the lingerie usually thought to be sexiest is |
| - Deuteranopiat - Here the colors become even flatter | | | | black or red, not blue or green. |
| - green becomes brown, and purple the same as plain | | | | Consumers of today are extremely sophisticated in |
| blue | | | | comparison to only a few years ago. Consumers |
| - Ritanopia - With this the warmth is removed from the | | | | rarely buy any product without having prior knowledge |
| colors - bright reds turn magenta, orange to pink, green | | | | of the ingredients; or taking the time to completely read |
| to blue, and purple/blue to cool shades of blue/maroon | | | | them in the store. Because of this, the current trend to |
| - Monochromacy - Is as it states, lack of color vision - | | | | minimize the type size on the reverse labels is a |
| everything is black and white. | | | | mistake. Print the labels or silk screening in a sufficient |
| While these are the major forms of color blindness it | | | | size and color for easy reading. It is great your product |
| has been variously estimated that up to 4 in 10 males | | | | is 100% natural but when you present the ingredients in |
| is afflicted with some deficiency in color perception | | | | 5 point type, and gray ink, on that clear label, so the |
| and 1 in 50 females are affective similarly. Color | | | | only reading contrast comes from your product in the |
| blindness can be also caused post-birth by "Shaken | | | | background; you're defeating the purpose of the |
| Baby Syndrome", accidents to the retina, and/or brain, | | | | informational label. People with color blindness |
| UV damage - looking at the sun too much, and certain | | | | deficiencies may not be able to see your message at |
| medications. | | | | all. Conversely, with the aging of America you must |
| Now how does this relate to the consumer packaging | | | | remember that many people don't always shop with |
| industry? | | | | their reading glasses handy. It is too easy to put the |
| A recent study at the University of British Columbia | | | | product back on the shelf than try to read what is in it. |
| found that when a series of fictional ads was shown | | | | In conclusion, design your package color using the |
| to a control group of students, red gave them a more | | | | emotion you want to convey. Keep colors |
| favorable evaluation of the products presented - | | | | complementary, stay away from excessive contrasts; |
| regardless of the type of product. Blue evoked | | | | unless you are selling an item that gets lost in the |
| thoughts of an ocean, water, openness, peace, and | | | | shuffle of display shelves. Don't obsess about shades - |
| tranquility. Not the best frame-of-mind for impulse | | | | your perfect red is probably just "red" to most people. |
| purchases. Taken a step further the study found if the | | | | Black is black, and white is white, so playing with too |
| message was eclectic, such as toothpaste that | | | | many shades of gray is only important to the designer |
| whitened teeth - blue works well but to accomplish a | | | | who is trying to impress you with their acumen. Your |
| specific goal - stop tooth decay - red performed much | | | | wife may love that shade of purple but that doesn't |
| better. This study only used the red/blue color and | | | | make it right for your packaging. |