Use colors to your marketing advantage - but be sure to research the color associations of culture you're among! June Campbell offers tips and a guide to American responses to colors.

By June Campbell

Market researchers have had a field day identifying colors and the likely effect they have upon us. However, the effects of color differ among different cultures, so the attitudes and preferences of your target audience should be a consideration when you plan your design of any promotional materials. For example, white is the color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signifies sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors, while people from northern climates prefer the cooler colors.

Basically, in North American mainstream culture, the following qualities are associated with color:

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