- What colours appeal to different audiences and what are the connotations?
Women...
Like men, women like blue and green but women are also strongly drawn to the blue-green mix of turquoise. Among their least favorite colors are the neutral brown and gray. And a color that men strongly dislike (not pink) is another feminine favorite.
Colors that are traditionally considered feminine colors or that appeal most strongly to or are more closely associated with women can be good choices for marketing messages, Web sites, and interior designs targeting women. Color studies done over the years indicate that the favorite colors of women and men do differ. Some of these differences in favorite colors may be attributed to cultural use of color and conditioning.
Answer: There are no hard and fast rules about what colors are feminine or masculine or gender-neutral. Because colors come in many tints and shades, someone may love a light powder blue but strongly dislike a deep navy blue so a preference for the color blue doesn't mean that every shade of blue is universally appropriate. However, some generalizations are possible based on various color studies.
Women Like the Color Blue
Blue is a favorite color of both men and women of all ages. While men have a stronger preference for blue than women, it's still a top choice. It may be the calming effect of the color blue that makes it a popular color for both men and women.
These words are synonymous with blue or represent various shades of the color blue: azure, baby blue,beryl, cerulean, cobalt, cornflower blue, corporate blue, cyan, indigo, midnight blue,navy, Prussian blue, robin's egg blue, royal, sapphire, sky blue, slate, steel blue. And these swatches show off the variety found in dark blue colors and light blue colors.
Women Like the Color Green
Mother Nature is green and she's a female. A favored color of both men and women, the color green is cool, restful, and signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment.
These words are synonymous with green or represent various shades of the color green: apple, aquamarine, beryl, chartreuse, emerald, fir, forest, grass green, jade, kelly green, lawn green, leaf green, lime, mint, moss, olive, olive drab, pea green, pine, sage, sap, sea green, seafoam, spring green, viridian.
Women Like the Color Turquoise
According to a 1964 Color and Gender study, women favored blue-green (aka turquoise) more than men. This same study found that "76% of women preferredcool colors" and turquoise is a mix of the two cool colors of blue and green.
These words are synonymous with turquoise or represent various shades of the color turquoise: aqua, aquamarine, beryl, blue-green, cerulean, teal, ultramarine. And these swatches show off some of the many different hues we call turquoise colors.
Women Like the Color Purple
Purple stands out as a feminine color because it is chosen almost exclusively by women as a favorite color and is strongly disliked by men. Traditionally associated with royalty,the color purple is also spirtual, romantic, and mysterious.
These words are synonymous with purple or represent various shades of the color purple: amethyst, eggplant, indigo, lavender, lilac, magenta, mauve, mulberry, orchid, plum, pomegranate, puce, royal, thistle, violet, wine.
Men May Like Women in Pink
Most people still think of pink as a feminine, delicate color, the color for little girls. Does that mean women prefer pink? Not necessarily. The color pink and women is likely more of a cultural association than a strong preference. However, this cultural association could mean that pink is not the ideal color for targeting men.
"...when it comes to attracting the opposite sex, women will find that the color pink is a safe bet. While flattering, it also makes them appear vulnerable to men, and brings out a mans protective nature. Women who don’t want to attract a man who sees them as needing to be looked after, may decide to wear the statement color red." — Secrets of Attraction Two: ColorThese words are synonymous with pink or represent various shades of the color pink: blush, coral, flesh, flush, fuchsia, hot pink, rose, salmon.
Women Like the Color Lavender
A more grown-up and cooler version of the pink of baby girls and the lighter side of purple, the color lavender is associated with genteel ladies and can evoke feelings of nostalgia or romance for women. A 1990 study found that between bright and soft colors, women prefer soft colors which could include soft shades of pink, lavender, and other pastels.
These words are synonymous with lavender or represent various shades of the color lavender: lilac, mauve, orchid, plum, purple, thistle.
Choosing Colors for Women
Should any and everything aimed at women be colored in soft, cool pastels, or royal purple? No, of course not. There are many more factors involved in choosing colors. Gender is simply one consideration. To delve deeper into the issue of color and gender, start with The Meaning of Color for Gender by Natalia Khouw. Also see the references at the end of the Color Matters Research article for specific color studies and further research options.
Men...
Question: What are Men's Favorite Colors?
As you might guess, pink isn't a favorite of most men but it's not their least favorite color. Blue, green, and black are generally the colors that men do like most. However, the colors men like for themselves and the colors they find attractive on women aren't necessarily the same.
Colors that are traditionally considered masculine colors or that appeal most strongly to or are more closely associated with men can be good choices for marketing messages, Web sites, and interior designs targeting men. Color studies done over the years indicate that the favorite colors of men and women do differ. Some of these differences in favorite colors may be attributed to cultural use of color and conditioning.
Answer: There are no hard and fast rules about what colors are masculine or feminine or gender-neutral. Because colors come in many tints and shades, someone may love a rich, royal blue but strongly dislike a pale, sky blue so a preference for the color blue doesn't mean that every shade of blue is universally appropriate. However, some generalizations are possible based on various color studies.
Men Like the Color Blue
Blue is a favorite color of both men and women of all ages. However, men have a much stronger preference for blue than women. It may be the calming effect of the color blue that makes it a popular color for both men and women or it could be the association of some shades of blue with authority figures, intelligence, and stability. It's possible that men tend toward blue because they've noticed that women find men in blue attractive whether it's a blue uniform or a blue business suit.
"Women... like their men to wear blue. They associate blue with reliability and dependability... Women often desire to find a man who is going to be faithful and honest, and the color blue reflects these qualities subconsciously." — Secrets of Attraction Two: ColorThese words are synonymous with blue or represent various shades of the color blue: azure, baby blue, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, cornflower blue, corporate blue, cyan, indigo, midnight blue,navy, Prussian blue, robin's egg blue, royal, sapphire, sky blue, slate, steel blue. And these swatches show off the variety found in dark blue colors and light blue colors.
Men Like the Color Green
A distant second to blue as a favorite color of men, the color green is cool, restful, and signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment as well as balance and stability. While women favor cool, soft colors, men prefer brighter shades although they still show a preference for cool colors such as blue and green.
These words are synonymous with green or represent various shades of the color green: apple, aquamarine,beryl, chartreuse, emerald, fir, forest, grass green, jade, kelly green, lawn green, leaf green, lime, mint, moss, olive, olive drab, pea green, pine, sage, sap, sea green, seafoam, spring green, viridian.
Men Like the Color Black
Men favor the color black only slightly more than women. A strong preference for conservative colors such as blue and black may also reflect social and cultural norms where women wear the brighter, more varied colors while men's attire is traditionally less colorful.
These words are synonymous with black or represent various shades of the color black: coal, charcoal, ebony, ink, jet, lampblack, midnight, obsidian, onyx, raven, sable, soot.
Colors Men Don't Like
Most people still think of pink as a feminine, delicate color, the color for little girls. Even though it is acceptable as a clothing color for men, the color pink has such strong negative associations for men that some uses of the color may be considered insulting to men.
One prominent example of the furor over pink is the locker rooms at the University of Iowa. Up for debate is whether or not the color pink was chosen for the opposing teams locker room because it was a "calming, soothing color" or because of the cultural association of pink with the weaker sex and gay men - a sissy color.
But, pink on a woman can bring out a man's protective instincts so pink isn't all bad. Red spells danger and desire. While the lady in red may attract some men who see her as sexy, other men may find that color red overpowering or threatening.
"Researcher Daniela Niesta and professor of psychology Andrew Elliot discovered that although the color red makes men find women more attractive in an amorous way, it doesn’t make them imagine a woman is kind or great relationship material. So red clothing may be good for attracting a man, or to liven up a long term relationship, but isn’t necessarily conducive to attracting a relationship which is more than physical, at least in the initial stages." — Secrets of Attraction Two: ColorChoosing Colors for Men
Should any and everything aimed at men be blue? Probably not although blue is probably a safechoice. There are many more factors involved in choosing colors. Gender is simply one consideration. To delve deeper into the issue of color and gender, start with The Meaning of Color for Gender by Natalia Khouw. Also see the references at the end of the Color Matters Research article for specific color studies and further research options.
The results of Joe Hallock's polls on color preferences by gender and age yield some interesting results. Those results include:
- Male Top 3 Favorite Colors: Blue, Green, Black (2 cool and one neutral color)
- Male Top 3 Least Favorite Colors: Brown, Orange, Purple (neutral, warm, mixed colors)
- Among favorite colors, preferences for green decrease with age (all genders).
- Among least favorite colors (all genders), dislike of brown and purple decreases with age while dislike of orange increases with age.
In Colour as a tool for e-branding (PDF), Na Ree Lee looks at the use of color in e-commerce. Among other findings, the research also acknowledges that color on the Web and color in print differ in appearance which can affect the symbolism, preference, and psycological effect of certain colors and color combinations.C.O.P.E. investigated How Does Gender Color our Preferences and Decisions on the WWW? and found that blue was favored overwhelmingly by men and women. Limited in the number of colors studied and the number of study participants, the four colors were, in order of preference, blue, yellow, red, green. Personal preference was the main criteria in choosing a color from the choices offered, but context (background colors, adjacent colors, symbolism) and to a lesser extent readability also played a role in choosing colors.
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