The colors you use in your event invitations and décor can help shape how attendees respond to your event’s message.
Have you seen it? It’s starting to peek out of the ground and along tree branches. It’s the color green, of course! After the harsh Minnesota winter we’ve endured, the vibrant colors of spring and summer are coming out of hibernation.
The good feelings we get from seeing spring’s colors for the first time may not be a coincidence. Color expert Kate Smith from Sensational Color in Virginia says that colors evoke different feelings and moods in people, whether they perceive it or not. Minneapolis event planners can use color in their events to help shape attendees’ emotional responses.
How Color Affects Buy-In
Color has been used in advertising to influence purchasing decisions for years. In surveys, more than 85 percent of consumers have identified visual appearance and color as the most important factors when making a purchase. The advertising industry has even pinpointed colors that evoke certain emotions and appeal to different types of consumers. For example:
- blue evokes trust and security and may attract shoppers on a budget
- red creates energy and a sense of urgency and may attract both impulse and traditional shoppers
- green brings up feelings of wealth and may attract shoppers on a budget
It’s not surprising, then, that blue and green are used often at banks and businesses, while red is used for clearance sales at retailers.
Using Color at Your Event
Event planners can use color psychology to help increase buy-in from event attendees. Do some research before selecting your event’s colors. Find advertising or other images of similar themes and see if you can find a pattern in what colors are used. For example, luxury ads may be full of muted colors and metallic, good inspiration for a high-class soiree. For a children’s party, your research may uncover bright, bold hues.
Once you have your colors narrowed down, it is time to consider contrast and intensity. High-contrast colors, such as bright orange and royal blue, create energy, while low-contrast, soft colors can be calming. Consider whether you want your event to be low-key (pastels) or high-energy (jewel tones).
If you are hosting a corporate event or if your event has a sponsor, incorporate their colors into your event. Though the colors may compete with the mood you are trying to produce, they are essential for brand-recognition. However, avoid iconic color combinations associated with well-known businesses (like the golden arches of McDonald’s) that aren’t your sponsor’s.
Whether you choose spring green, red, blue, or orange, the colors you pick for your next event will shape your attendees’ experience. To learn more about how to incorporate color into your next event, contact Kalsey at Do Good Events today.