In Western cultures, black is associated with death, evil, and eternity. In some Eastern cultures, however, it often has the opposite meaning; In China, black is the characteristic color of young children and is used in celebrations and joyful events. Website design By BotEap.comWhite, on the other hand, symbolizes age, death, and misfortune in China and many Hindu cultures. However, in both the East and the West, white typically represents purity, holiness, and peace. Website design By BotEap.comRED
Red is one of the most powerful colors and its meanings in most cultures run deep:
- porcelain – Celebration, courage, loyalty, success and luck, among others. It is often used in ceremonies and, when combined with white, means joy.
- Japan – The traditional color for a heroic figure.
- Russia – Representative of the communist era. For this reason, extreme caution is recommended when using it in Eastern European countries.
- India – Purity, so wedding suits are usually red. Also the color for married women.
- USA – Danger (think “red light!”) and use in combination with other colors for the holidays, such as Christmas (green) and Valentine’s Day (pink).
- Central Africa – Red is a color of life and health. But in other parts of Africa, red is a color of mourning and death. To honor this, the Red Cross changed its colors to green and white in South Africa and other regions of the continent.
Blue is often considered the “safest” global color, as it can represent anything from immortality and freedom (heaven) to cleanliness (in Colombia, blue is equated with soap). In Western countries, blue is often considered the conservative “corporate” color. Website design By BotEap.comHowever, be careful when using blue to address very pious audiences: the color has a meaning in almost every major religion in the world. For Hindus, it is the color of Krishna, and many of the gods are depicted as having blue skin. For Christians, blue evokes images of Catholicism, particularly the Virgin Mary. Jewish religious texts and rabbinic sages have noted that blue is a holy color, while the Islamic Koran refers to evildoers whose eyes are glassy with fear as زرÙ,zurqwhich is the plural of azraqor blue. Website design By BotEap.comGREEN
Until natural food companies began marketing green drinks as healthy and good-tasting, many Westerners thought green foods were poisonous. Today, green is considered a more positive color. American retailers are taking advantage of the environmental movement to sell green products, often using green-themed packaging or advertising campaigns to indicate a product’s compliance with “green” standards. Not so in China and France, where studies have indicated that green is not a good choice for packaging. Website design By BotEap.comORANGE
If the Dutch have anything to say about it, the World Cup will be awash in orange this summer. (Orange is the national color of the Netherlands and the uniform color of the country’s famous soccer team.) Website design By BotEap.comOn the other side of the world, however, orange has a slightly more sober meaning: within Hinduism, orange has religious significance as a color for Hindu swamis. Throughout Southeast Asia, Theravada Buddhist monks also wear orange robes. Website design By BotEap.comSo before your inner child raves about your color preference to foreign friends or colleagues, you may want to learn more about that color and its cultural significance. Also, consider color choices in relation to the text and graphics of your company’s campaign, whether it’s print material, a website, or an advertising campaign. Know your target market and their respective color conventions so you don’t inadvertently send the wrong message.