Colours & significations

Signification of the10 most used colours

Click on the colour name to know more.

Orange

Red

Green

Yellow

Purple

Blue

Grey

Pink

White

Black

Red

Warm colour

It is the colour with the longest wavelength. Red has the property of appearing closer than it is, so it is said to attract our attention first. It is the best colour for capturing our audience's gaze and attention when sharing information, as well as signalling danger or risk. Its effect is physical; it stimulates us and increases our pulse. That's why it's used to make decisions quickly and to encourage action.

Positive meaningPower, might, energy, conviviality, passion, trust, strength, warmth, passionate love, action. Negative meaning Danger, anger, aggression and aggressiveness, fire, violence.

Orange

Warm colour

This colour is stimulating. Researchers even claim that it increases the oxygen supply to our brains, encouraging and boosting brain activity. Orange instils a warm, friendly feeling and a sense of fun. It is widely used by companies which aims a specific audience: children.

Positives meaningEnthusiasm, youth, ambition, creativity, comfort, courage, desire, energy, benevolence, warmth, hunger. Negative meaning Frustration, ignorance, pride, immaturity.

Yellow

Warm colour

Yellow is widely recognised as the colour of happiness, because subconsciously we link this colour with the sun. The brain is programmed to associate yellow with the positive effects that the sun has on us (source of good humour and health) and to stimulate the nervous system. It has the ability to stand out from other colours and attract the attention of the target audience. That's why it's used during sales. Warning: using too much yellow or using it incorrectly distracts the brain.

Positive meaningJoy, optimism, happiness, creativity, spontaneity, cheerfulness, positivity, warmth, light, lightness. Negative meaning Alert, anxiety, fear, caution.

Green

Cold colour

This colour is spreading and taking up more and more space in society (advertising, brands, messages, etc.). This is due to the interest and appetite for sustainable and ecological solutions, healthy and natural products. Interestingly, it is said that we feel reassured by green at a primitive level, because it reminds us of nature, gardens, forests and plants.

Positive meaning Hope, prosperity, good health, balance, comfort, fertility, renewal, newness, freshness, luck, growth, security. Negative meaning Disease, jealousy, boredom, poison, greed, toxicity.

Bleu

Cold colour

The majority of the world's population lists blue as their favourite colour, making it the most popular one. Banks and other financial institutions, as well as big companies, almost all opt for blue. Some use this colour to tell their customers that they are the best in their field of expertise, but that's not the only reason. Blue has the ability to reassure and reduce stress.

Positive meaningLoyalty, trust, reliability, security, safety, serenity, calm, relaxation, tranquillity, stability, logic, intelligence, expertise, responsibility. Negative meaning Sadness, coldness, distance, insensitivity, impassivity.

Purple

Cold colour

Purple tends to be scarce in nature, so it is considered rare and intriguing. The resources needed to create a natural purple dye were much harder to find and much more expensive than other colours. As a result, only the elite could use purple dye. These associations with extravagance and aristocracy persist to this day. This colour can be tricky to use. You must really understand and know the target group you are targeting.

Positive meaningWisdom, luxury, wealth, magic, spirituality, sophistication, royalty, creativity, mystery, imagination, intuition. Negative meaning Introversion, decadence, moodiness, nostalgia, opulence.

Pink

Cold colour

Pink is a tint of red, meaning a dillusion of red with white. It soothes and nourishes rather than stimulates. It takes us back to the role of mother, which implies a feeling of protection and comfort linked to the survival of the species. However, too much pink is physically exhausting and can be somewhat emasculating.

Positive meaningAffection, maternal love, romance, relationship, wonder, innocence, protection, femininity. Negative meaning Passivity, shyness, reluctance.

White

Neutral colour

From a scientific point of view, white represents the sum of all the wavelengths of light. When we see a white object, we actually see the reflecting rays of all colours. White is not a colour in the strict sense of the word, according to scientists. But it is for artists. White is one of the most present colours in culture and society.

Positive meaningCleanliness, clarity, purity, peace, simplicity, innocence, health service, care, marriage, elegance, renewal, knowledge, perfection. Negative meaning Sterility, coldness, impersonalisation, isolation.

Grey

Neutral colour

Grey is perceived as an intermediate point between the capture of light and its absence. It can also be seen as the blockage of light by an object. The use of this colour in formal environments - such as offices and businesses - is quite common, as it refers to responsibility, formalism and discipline, which are very important characteristics in a company.

Positive meaningNeutrality, professionalism, objectivity, calm, sophistication. Negative meaning Depression, monotony, sadness, uncertainty, indecision, boredom.

Noir

Neutral colour

Black corresponds to a total absence of all wavelengths and colours. An object is considered black when it neither reflects nor emits light. In art, black is created by mixing all the colours. Many people are afraid of the dark, and therefore black. One possible reason is that we associate it with emptiness or the absorption of all the energy that surrounds us.

Positive meaningElegance, sophistication, formality, wealth, authority, power, magic, timelessness. Negative meaning Death, mourning, oppression, coldness, threat, control, occult, misfortune.