Using Colors To Impact Tweens And Teens Life

The unspoken communication of colors is key. Companies are aware of it. This “science” is applied to position a product and advertise it. It is also used inside the walls of some companies to motivate and increase the productivity and the happiness of the employees. The colors used with companies logos as well as products are carefully chosen for the emotional response they elicit.

A study was done called “Exciting Red and Competent Blue.”  The results clearly demonstrated how purchasing was directly impacted by colors and how a company’s brand was recognized.  The study demonstrates how individuals see the personality of a company’s brand.  Girls like playing with Barbie dolls because the colors of the toy make it feel like the makers were other girls.

This is also true when targeting tweens and teens. A store’s colors, advertisements, and product packaging are chosen for their ability to affect moods.  A teen will react to a color within 90 seconds after experiencing it. When shopping at a website most teens will form an opinion under 30 seconds.

Color psychology can also provide health benefits to growing tweens and teens.

According to an article on the website Good, using colors to influence people can have positive and negative impacts, “Sometimes it’s used to manipulate us for our own good—getting patients to take their medicine with soothing purple shades for instance. But those same colors are also used to push anti-aging cremes that might be totally useless. With knowledge is power, or awareness of our retail urges anyway.”

Warm Colors
When it comes to the colors inside a store, warm colors seem to work best.  They create an atmosphere that is comfortable. These colors will make the wide open spaces of a retail location feel more welcoming. If it’s a store that sells items requiring active interaction then bold shades of red, yellow and orange have been known to have an energy-producing effect on teens.

Pink
This color is synonymous with femininity.  It is also a color closely associated with innocence.  It is a powerful color used to market a variety of items to teen and tween girls.

Black
This color is often associated with power and boldness.  It can create a feeling of drama and is often used as powerful background color.  Some even associate it with evil.

Purple
Closely associated with royalty and luxury.  It is often used when trying market upscale items.  Many people associate it with a feeling of romance.

Brown
Provides people with a sense of solidity and reliability. It is associated with the color of the earth and implies authenticity.

Green
Gives people a sense of freshness and health.  It can be used to communicate a feeling of financial success.  Many people find this color very soothing.

Blue
Blue tends to have the opposite effect on teens than red.  Blue is known to create a relaxing atmosphere as it causes lower blood pressure and calming to the mind and body. This color is used in places where teens need to be relaxed and focus. Areas of book stores and certain types of clothing stores that dedicated to teens use this color.

Red
Demands attention. It has been designated as the most emotionally intense color. It creates a feeling of boldness and accelerated breathing.

Orange
Evokes a pleasure and cheer.  This color is also associated with ambitiousness.

White
Many people associate it with purity and freshness.

Yellow
Causes people to feel happiness as well as cowardice.

Psychologists can only make general assumptions regarding teen’s reactions to colors. It is not an exact science. A teen’s response to colors will be strongly influenced by their cultural and personal experiences. Everyone’s brain had been made to know what it needs and likes, but I wonder, as a parent, shouldn’t we and educators use this “science” more often?

Young kids have a tendency to want strong colors in their rooms. Is it a good idea? That might excite them when we want them to feel calm and comfortable in their space. When they become teenagers, they have much pressure and stress: managing their self-image and puberty, dealing with peers and family, and hard work for school. The colors in the room should definitely be considered carefully.

And what about schools and extra-curricular activities? This knowledge definitely should be applied when thinking of the classrooms. Depending on the subject being taught, they should play with colors for the walls, tables, chairs, etc. This would be much more fun and attractive to youth (from kindergarten through college) than those blank, boring white walls!