You Only Get 90 Seconds to Make an Impression - Are You Sending the Right Message?

Can the Color of Your Promotional Items and Web Site Affect Your Fan Base? You Bet!

The colors you use in your marketing weapons -- flyers, e-flyers, signs, CD/DVD covers, press kits, business cards -- play an important role in motivating people to take interest in your music.

Colors speak loudly and clearly about your band or music

But they can also give forth mixed messages. Guerrilla marketers know quite well the hidden language of color -- and know that colors speak much louder than words.

Colors stimulate emotions, excite, impress, entertain, and persuade. They are fully capable of generating negative reactions by otherwise potential fans if you don't understand them.

Lasting impressions are made within 90 seconds

And color accounts for 60 percent of the acceptance or rejection to receive. So don't select the colors you like personally. Instead consider their meaning to your prospective fan base. Here is what colors mean to people in their emotions, subconscious, and in a music business context:

Red evokes aggressiveness, passion, strength, vitality. In web design, it is great for accents and boldness, stimulates appetites, is associated with debt.

Pink evokes femininity, innocence, softness, health. If you choose to use pink, be sure you're aware of its feminine implications and associations.


Orange evokes fun, cheeriness, warm exuberance. In business, it's great to highlight information in graphs and on charts evokes positivity, sunshine and cowardice. It appeals to intellectuals and is excellent for accenting things. although too much orange can be subconciously unnerving.

Green evokes tranquility, health, freshness. Its deep tones convey status and wealth; its pale tones are soothing.

Blue is a prety safe color to use in many areas of marketing. It generally evokes authority, dignity, security, and faithfulness. In business, it implies fiscal responsibility and security, in music it relays trust in the artist. Plus it is just universally a popular color.

Yellow is an optimistic color that almost always evokes a positive response. Yellow gets you motivated; it stimulates creative and intellectual energy; it's cheerful and easygoing.

Purple evokes sophistication, spirituality, costliness, royalty and mystery. In most lines of business, music included, it is very appealing to upscale and artistic audiences.

Brown evokes utility, earthiness, woodsiness and subtle richness. It tends to signify less important issues and natural relaxation.

White evokes purity, truthfulness, being contemporary and refined. In web design, it enlivens dark colors and can be refreshing or sterile. If you are looking to have a clean and sparkling image, white can be your friend. But do not discount it's ability to be boring.

Gray evokes somberness, authority, practicality and a corporate mentality. In business, it is always right for conservative audiences. In music marketing, you may be inclined to minimize the use of this color.

Black evokes seriousness, distinctiveness, boldness and being classic. In the music business, it creates mystery and drama and is most often a fine background color.

Now That You Are Armed With This Useful Psychological Color Information...

Spend some time looking at your own web site and/or marketing materials and see if there are any changes you want to make to your color scheme. It's amazing what a little bit of color knowledge can to do subconsciously drive more potential fans nearer to your campaign and ultimately your music or event.