The Psychology of Colour in Events

The psychology of colour in events is an important aspect to any event design!

Eventologists’ stylists are often asked the question about what colour to use for an event. Whilst colour is about preference or may represent a brand, we believe there is a lot more meaning to colour than being pleasing to the eye. Did you know that there is psychology of colour in event planning? What’s the thinking behind colour? What feelings do changes in colour evoke?  What dynamic colours should be used at events to make those senses open? As an event planner, we don’t just need to understand what colour is on trend, but also the psychology behind the use of different colours. What’s equally important is what colours not to use at different events or to what extent colours should be used.

Different colours can dramatically affect moods and emotions as well as affect that initial impact when we see a room in a colour.  As an event theming company, we are very aware of colour psychology and work with our clients on ensuring the correct mix of colours are selected.

Generally, people will choose their favourite colours for their private party; but, when it comes to corporate event, event managers often don’t have a colour theme in mind if they don’t want to follow the brand colours. This is where we can advise! Let’s take a look at the psychology of colour in events.

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The Meaning behind Various Colours

White: signifies pure, clean, innocent in the West; mourning in the East. White creates a sense of space so works well in dark and small rooms. White can also represent new starts, giving a fresh new idea. White is a great colour for its simplicity, cleanliness and idea creation; White is therefore often used in the summer works well as it helps to create a cool and contemporary atmosphere and used for new launches! However, using too much white can mean isolation, loneliness and emptiness.

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Black: signifies glamour, sophistication, power, elegance. seriousness, control and independence. However, in sharp contrast it can also mean death, darkness and frightening. For that reason, it’s a great colour for black tie gala dinners as well as a colour for Halloween or haunted themed events.

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Red: represents heat, passion, intensity, it’s a racy colour which creates strongest emotions such as love, lust, anger, evil – some of the most extreme emotions are represented by red which can make the heart beat that much faster! It is not surprising that red is a popular colour for lighting and theming for a variety of exciting themes such as moulin rouge, burlesque, Vegas themed events, Fire and Ice themed events or even masquerade themes!

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Yellow: is a happy, optimistic, warm, zingy colour that draws attention to the eye which is why it’s a great day-time event colour. But when used in excess yellow can also be too overpowering and stir up emotions of annoyance and frustration. This is why many people team yellow with whites and blacks or multi-colours to become an accent colour rather than the dominant colour.

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Pink: Pink is a softer version of red that creates a sense of compassion, hope and unconditional love. It’s a colour that soothes and represents care, understanding and nurturing. It’s often linked with romance as it shows empathy and sensitivity. Excessive pink at corporate events can mean reduced power and or even immaturity. For that reason, pink is often used as an accent colour with other colours at corporate events.

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Green: always has many positive connections with nature, earthliness, growth, health, tranquillity. It’s a powerful colour as it creates a calming atmosphere, feels fresh so its colour that relieves stress and helps heal. It’s often used for chill-out spaces and networking events to create an ambience of relaxation.

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Orange: is connected with motivation, vibrancy, energy, excitement; as such it creates a positive attitude and enthusiasm for life. As such orange is great colour for bringing comfort in turbulent times and creating a sense of fun or freedom for your guests; for the very fact that it is an attention-drawing colour, it is often used at charity events or launches.

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Purple: Purple is most commonly known for its imagination and spirituality, royalty, wisdom, wealth. People see purple as colour linked with luxury, extravagance, courage, mystery and magic. However, avoid using it too often as it can also cause distraction. Purple is often used lighting for events especially chill out areas and bars for its very powerful emotions that it stirs up!

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Blue: is known for its trust, peace, loyalty and dependability. It’s reliable, responsible and mentally soothing as it lowers pulse rate and body temperature and creates productivity. It’s one of the best-liked colours, especially by males. It’s a perfect colour to use for corporate functions however it can be perceived as distant, cold or unfriendly if used in excessively. Often it is purposefully used to create ice themed events, underwater themed events or sometimes used to create an eerie atmosphere.

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We hope this guide provides a guide for your next corporate event. Whilst colours have positive and negative meanings, we always say to clients to be daring with colour which will set apart and leave a lasting impression on your clients.

Contact our Event Management Team today and they will support your corporate event planning and design every step of the way!