GENERAL ARCHIVES
February 3, 2009
Can Blue-Colored Light Prevent Suicide?
© 2008, The Yomiuri Shimbun.
An intriguing, anecdotal finding was recently reported by some news outlets that the implementation of blue-colored streetlights has reduced both crime and suicides:
Glasgow, Scotland, introduced blue street lighting to improve the city’s landscape in 2000. Afterward, the number of crimes in areas illuminated in blue noticeably decreased.
The Nara, Japan, prefectural police set up blue streetlights in the prefecture in 2005, and found the number of crimes decreased by about 9 percent in blue-illuminated neighborhoods. Many other areas nationwide have followed suit.
Keihin Electric Express Railway Co. changed the color of eight lights on the ends of platforms at Gumyoji Station in Yokohama, Japan, in February.
Since the railway company introduced the new blue lights, they’ve had no new suicide attempts.
This effect may be attributed to a few possible reasons (some of which are mentioned in the comments section of the article):
• The light color is new and unusual, causing people to act more cautiously in the area (as a person is unsure what to expect in the unusually-lit area).
• Blue is a light color almost universally associated with a police presence, suggesting it is an area of stricter law enforcement.
In fact, the article quotes from a professor at the end, noting it may just be an “unusualness effect:”
Prof. Tsuneo Suzuki at Keio University said: “There are a number of pieces of data to prove blue has a calming effect upon people. However, it’s an unusual color for lighting, so people may just feel like avoiding standing out by committing crimes or suicide under such unusual illumination. It’s a little risky to believe that the color of lighting can prevent anything.”
There is a lot of research into the psychology of color, but not as much has looked into the color of blue illumination itself (as opposed to the color of an object or wall). But some research looking into short wavelength light (blue) has demonstrated that it is a potentially effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder (a seasonal type of depression; see for instance, Glickman, et al., 2006), and helps to reduce the stress response in fish (it hasn’t been yet tested on humans).
If this finding is robust and the behavior change associated with it is still prevalent a few years from now (when everyone has become accustomed to the new light color), it would be an interesting finding. A simple, inexpensive change might be effective in helping reduce at least one method of suicide (and reduce crime to boot).
February 2, 2009
Blue Packaging
Lees recent reply to a blog about untrue urban legends that appeared on a blog -
"In a recent blog I read that blue should never be used for food products or
packaging or advertising that involved food. That is an outmoded concept
and here is part of my response to the well-meaning but misinformed person
who was using old, outdated information":
Thank you for spreading the word about color. One area of disagreement
though is that the comment about blue and food is no longer true, for
example, in packaging for a product that you would want to imply is very
cold and fresh out of the ocean, blue would be an excellent choice. Blue is
connected with frigid temperature (as in icy blues). There are also blue
potatoes now, blue corn chips, blue M&Ms as well as berry flavored yogurts
that appear to be blue in the container as the yogurt is tinged with the
flavor. I have done considerable research on color word associations and
have inserted them in many of my books, two of the most recent being
The Pantone Guide to Communicating and Color and Color Messages and Meanings.
NEWS.com.au
TRAVEL NEWS
By staff writers
Pink dolphin draws in tourists to Lake Calcasieu in Louisiana
NO, you’re not seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses: This albino dolphin is pink.
The unique bottlenose - first spotted in Lake Calcasieu, an inland saltwater estuary in Louisiana, by boat captain Erik Rue, 42, in 2007 - has surfaced again.
And comments from heavy-hitters including the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society suggest it’s real.
Tourists are flocking to the lake in hopes of seeing the rare mammal.
Mr. Rue said “Pinky” “looks like it just came out of a paint booth”.
"I just happened to see a little pod of dolphins, and I noticed one that was a little lighter,” he told London’s Telegraph newspaper.
"It was absolutely stunningly pink.
"I had never seen anything like it. It's the same color throughout the whole body.”
“Pinky” is believed to be the only pink dolphin in the world, and has “reddish” eyes. It is usually spotted with its dark grey mother.
There are only 14 other known albino dolphins in the world, all of them white.
"The dolphin appears to be healthy and normal other than its colouration, which is quite beautiful and stunningly pink,” said Mr. Rue, who estimates he has spotted Pinky more than 40 times.
"The mammal is entirely pink from tip to tail and has reddish eyes indicating its albinism. The skin appears smooth, glossy pink and without flaws.
"As time has passed the young mammal has grown and sometimes ventures away from its mother to feed and play but always remains in the vicinity of the pod.
"Surprisingly, it does not appear to be drastically affected by the environment or sunlight as might be expected considering its condition, although it tends to remain below the surface a little more than the others in the pod."
Albinism is a genetic condition caused by a lack of melanin. It is seen in many species, including humans.
The international attention focused on the dolphin has led to warning from conservationists.
Senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Regina Asmutis-Silvia said people should not get too close to the dolphin.
"It is a truly beautiful dolphin but people should be careful, as with any dolphins, to respect it - observe from a distance, limit their time watching, don't chase or harass it,” she said.
There have only been two other documented sightings of albino bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, both of all-white mammals and both in 1994.
Pink Dolphins?-Truth!
truthorfiction.com
The Truth:
The pictures and the story are true. As indicated in the eRumor, the original pictures were taken on June 17, 2007 by Captain Erik Rue of Calcasieu Charter Service, a company that does hunting and fishing charter trips in Louisiana.
The pictures were taken on Lake Calcesieu, an estuary north of the Gulf of Mexico in Southwestern Louisiana.
There is a species of what is called "pink dolphin" that lives in South America in the Amazon river. This sighting in Louisiana, however, is considered rare because it appears to be a bottlenose dolphin but pink ones are virtually never seen.
Marine Biologist Dagmar Ferti told ESPN that it was an albino calf and that bottlenose calves don't have much blubber so the the blood circulating under the skin is more visible, especially if the calf had been working hard to swim. He said this sighting was only the third that he knows of in the Gulf of Mexico. There have been 13 total sightings dating back to 1962.
There is also a species of Humpback dolphin called the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin found mostly in Southeast Asia. Some of them have pink-colored skin because of blood vessels used for keeping the body temperature cool during exertion. One of them became a celebrity in Thailand and also a focus of controversy. The dolphin got caught in fishing nets during the summer of 2007 and ended up in a resort on the island of Samui in Southern Thailand. When reports surfaced that the dolphin was being trained to entertain tourists an outcry rose among animal rights activists. The government says the dolphin is scheduled to be rehabilitated and released back into the the gulf of Thailand by early 2008.
March 9, 2009
A note about my upcoming
Annual Color/Design Training Program held this summer
on verdant green beautiful Bainbridge Island in Washington State.
July 16-19, 2009
Thursday - Sunday
• Do you want to spread your creative wings, discover new markets and expand your horizons?
• Would you like to give your business opportunity to grow in the coming years?
• Are you going to gain in recognition?
• Are you interested in developing more color expertise for your own consulting business or
advancement within your company?
If you have a background in color and a passion for color, you could have potential in the color consulting field.
send an email to leiseman@nwlink.com to request a Color/Design information packet
Lucrative and creative color opportunities do exist in many industries. You could be the one to guide companies through the myriad of color choices. They often need professional advice on how to use color effectively. But you need more than a love of color to get you there. You need to know the way. You need credible, verifiable information based primarily on the emotional aspect of color taught by the leading expert in this field.
In my 25 years of color consulting to many leading industries I have constantly broadened my areas of expertise. What has taken years of painstaking research, energy, time and effort is now condensed into a four day "how to" program that will enable you to enhance your career development as well as your income potential for you or your employer.
If you are employed in a company where increased color knowledge would be to its benefit, this is a program to consider. Some companies have found this program to be so valuable that they have covered the tuition cost in addition, with the current economy many companies opt to outsource color work to independent consultants.
If you own your own company or see yourself owning your own consulting company, how diversified is it or will it be? If your services include color it would be a logical expansion to consult for many other applications in industry and it would help you broaden your client base as well as increase your earning potential.
send an email to leiseman@nwlink.com to request a Color/Design information packet
Read some of what my former students have to say about the program…
I so enjoyed your classes. You are an excellent teacher and I appreciated the pace ad the dedication on your part to impart as much of your wisdom as you could within the timeframe. I also appreciated the kind of knowledge you graciously imparted.
Ann King
Thank you so much for an amazing seminar. I went home Sunday night feeling inspired and excited about the future. The information that you provided answered all of the questions that were hindering me from moving forward.
Melissa Moss
I had a wonderful experience there with you this past week, and am feeling very empowered, much as I expect I would have felt had I jumped though the last burning hoop of Ph.D.
Constance De Witt
send an email to leiseman@nwlink.com to request a Color/Design information packet
Colorfully yours,
Leatrice Eiseman
March 2, 2009
Colby Unique Gems
Contemporary Designs in Dynamic Color
By Barbara Colby
GEMSTONES
Some gemstones (like pearls, coral, and amber are classified as organic), meaning that they are produced by living organisms. Others are inorganic, meaning that they are generally composed of and arise from minerals. Stones that are identified as “synthetic” are created in a laboratory (as opposed to natural gemstones, which are created by natural processes without human help). Below is a glossary of some of the gemstones featured in Colby Unique Gems line.
AMBER
Amber is an ancient organic gemstone, and is composed of tree resin that has hardened over time. According to the GIA, the stone must be at least 1 million years old to be classified as amber; some amber can be up to 120 million years old. Amber can come in a number of different colors, ranging from yellow to a golden orange to red. Most of the world’s amber comes from the shores of the Baltic Sea in Eastern Europe.
AMETHYST
Amethyst has historically been the most prized gemstone in the quartz family. It is treasured for its purple hue, which can range in tone from light to dark. The finest amethyst will have strong color saturation and a medium to dark reddish purple or purple color. Its attractive color, along with its affordable price compared to other precious gemstones, make amethyst consistently one of the most popular gems.
BLACK ONYX
Black Onyx, a member of the Chalcedony family, is a gemstone made up of tiny microscopic crystals. It is a very popular gemstone in both women’s and men’s jewelry because its black color acts as a great complement to white metals like sterling silver, as well as clear crystals and CZ’s. Most black onyx on the market today is treated to give it its dark black color. Black Onyx is sometimes fashioned into faceted beads.
CHALCEDONY
Chalcedony is a type of quartz. It is classified separately because, unlike other forms of quartz, it is composed of very small microscopic crystals. It can come in a variety of looks and colors. Several types of semi-precious stones discussed separately - including Black Onyx, and Jasper - are varieties of Chalcedony.
CITRINE
Citrine is known for its stylish yellow to brownish color, and is generally considered the top selling gemstone of this color in the United States. It is a member of the quartz family, and has a crystalline structure.
CORAL
Coral is an organic gem that comes from skeletal remains of sea creatures (which are themselves called Coral). The most common colors associated with coral jewelry are pink and red. Coral requires pristine environmental conditions to grow, meaning that producers must maintain calm waters free of pollution. According to GIA, coral is believed to have been used in jewelry for about 30,000 years.
EMERALD
Emeralds are one of the three main precious gemstones (along with rubies and sapphires) and are known for their fine green to bluish green color. They have been treasured throughout history, and some historians report that the Egyptians mined emerald as early as 3500 BC. Today, emeralds are increasingly being used in faceted rough-cut designs that provide a bold look at an affordable price.
GARNET
Garnet is most commonly a deep red to purplish red gemstone with a cubic crystal structure. Garnet is considered an affordable alternative to more expensive red gemstones like rubies or tourmaline, and goes particularly well with sterling silver.
JADE
Jade is most commonly associated with the color green, but can come in a number of colors as well. Jade is closely linked to the Asian culture, history, and tradition, and is sometimes referred to as the “stone of heaven.”
JASPER
Jasper is a semi-translucent to opaque gemstone, of the chalcedony family, that comes in a variety of colors. Oftentimes, jasper will feature unique and interesting patterns within colored stone. Picture jasper is a type of jasper known for colors (often beiges and browns and swirls in the stone’s pattern).
LAPIS
Lapis is an opaque gemstone often featuring a deep midnight blue to violetblue color. It frequently contains gold colored pyrite flecks sprinkled through the gem, making each piece of lapis beautiful and unique. Lapis is a versatile gemstone that is used both in classic and contemporary jewelry styles.
OPAL
Opal is a gemstone that comes in a kaleidoscope array of colors. It is typically formed in desert areas over long periods of time from layers of silica deposits deep underground rock. It is known for its “fascinating play of color” that occurs when light interacts with the opal’s silica layers. Much of the opal on the market today is synthetic.
PERIDOT
Peridot is a bright green gemstone that provides the style and look of an emerald at a more affordable price. According to the GIA, some historians believe that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection was virtually Peridot. Peridot is one of the softer gemstones on the market, with a hardness of 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale. Peridot most commonly originates in volcanic areas that are rich in iron and magnesium.
QUARTZ
Quartz refers to a family of crystalline gemstones of various colors and sizes. Among the well-known types of quartz are rose quartz (which has a delicate pink color), and smoky quartz (which comes in a variety of shades of translucent brown). A number of other gemstones like Amethyst and Citrine are also part of the quartz family. Rutilated quartz is a popular type of quartz containing needle-like inclusions.
RUBY
Rubies are known for their intense red color, and are among the most highly valued precious gemstones. Rubies have been treasured for millennia. In Sanskrit, the word for ruby is “ratnaraj,” meaning “king of precious stones.” Although rubies can command one of the highest price per-carat prices of all precious stones, they are increasingly being used in “rough-cut” faceted designs at much more affordable prices.
SAPPHIRE
The most popular form of sapphire is blue sapphire, which is known for its medium to deep blue color and strong saturation. Fancy colored sapphires in various colors are also available. In the United States, blue sapphire is the most popular and most affordable of the three major precious gemstones (emerald, ruby, and sapphire). Like emeralds and rubies, sapphire is increasingly being used in rough-cut faceted designs that provide a strong, bold look at an affordable price.
TIGER'S EYE
Tiger’s Eye is a gemstone known for its unique and rich striped brown color, which, as its name suggests, can resemble the patterns on a tiger’s coat. It is a member of the quartz group of gemstones. It has a microcrystalline structure, meaning it is made up of crystals that are smaller than those of quartzes like rose quartz and smoky quartz, but larger than the crystals of chalcedony group of gemstones.
TOPAZ
Topaz is a bright clear gemstone which is often used to create bold, eye-catching designs. The most popular variety of topaz in the market today is blue topaz, which is a bright light blue color and is relatively inexpensive. This color is produced with irradiation and heat treatment (in nature, topaz is most often colorless). Pink topaz is another popular variety of the gemstone.
TURQUOISE
Turquoise is found in only a few places on earth, and the world’s largest turquoise producing region is in the southwest United States. Turquoise is prized for its attractive color most often intense medium blue or greenish blue and its ancient heritage. Turquoise is used in a great variety of jewelry styles. It is perhaps most closely associated with southwest Native American jewelry, but it is also used in many sleek, modern jewelry styles. Some turquoise contains a matrix of dark brown markings, which provides an interesting contrast to the gemstone’s bright blue color.
September 5, 2008
Why does proper color matter?
Monica S. Castelhano (Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst) and John M. Henderson (Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland) published some interesting research demonstrating the power of proper color. They tested various scenes to see how quickly people processed the "gist" of it and then whether that processing was enhanced purely by the use of color or if it was the use of "proper color." They tested abnormally colored blurry scenes, normally colored scenes and monochrome blurry scenes. The results? Proper color matters.
Our brains register the colors in the pictures and link the colors to our expectations of how it should be. Colors supplement and strengthen the structural information we absorb. In 42 milliseconds, our eyes can receive an image and send it to our brains. Our brains can then manipulate this information, and activate schemas that rely on a network of stereotypes that help us make sense of it all. Color, in effect, allows our brains to be more efficient and allows us to function better and react faster in any environments we may find ourselves. Hooray for color --- and for psychology.
by MELANIE SCHMIDT
Melanie Schmidt has a passion for improving organizations and people. Melanie founded Timpano Group to grow organizations beyond business as usual with an engaging approach to strategic thinking, practical planning and stakeholder communication.
So why not color the cold clouds blue?
WWAY NewsChannel 3
by Jerry Jackson, Wilmington, NC
A viewer recently inquired about those colorful satellite pictures of hurricanes that are commonly shown on TV this time of year. Specifically, the viewer wanted to know what the colors represent. Like many things in meteorology, the answer may not be exactly what you think.
"False colorized infrared satellite images" (the technical term) have been a staple of weathercasts for many years. These images come from satellite data that measure the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation being emitted by an object. Essentially, infrared satellite imagery measures cloud temperatures.
Strong hurricanes are usually represented by colors such as red or orange. However, the actual colors that appear on an infrared satellite picture are completely arbitrary. After all, a hurricane doesn't not appear as a mass of red clouds in real life- clouds are actually white or grey in appearance. But hurricanes are often assigned red or orange colors on television. These red and orange colors indicated clouds that are cold, not hot.
Remember, strong hurricanes contain clouds that reach great height. The higher you go, the cooler the clouds. So why not color the cold clouds blue instead of red on a satellite image? The answer is simple- red looks "meaner" than blue. Even in meteorology, there is a touch of psychology...
September 30, 2008
Thunder's colors are working already
From Linda Miller
Fashion Editor for The Oklahoman
Style probably isn't a word that's tossed around too much when discussing NBA uniforms.
Strip away all the details and most uniforms would look the same. Knee-length shorts. Sleeveless jerseys, tucked in of course. Loose but not sloppy. Roomy enough for players to run, jump, dive and dunk.
So, what sets one NBA uniform apart from another?
The colors. For the Thunder's new uniforms, it's white for home and sky blue for the road.
White is a high visibility color, said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. White will make the players and uniforms stand out on the court against their opponents.
"White is an attention-getter,” she said.
The road color, sky blue or Thunder blue as it will be called, is the most universally understood, Eiseman said.
"Most people associate it with dependability, loyalty, the trueness of a sky that never falls. ... People just associate blue with an optimist viewpoint.”
There's a positive feeling attached to it, she said. "More people have positive feelings to blue than any other color.”
Accent colors red-orange and yellow offer a good balance to the coolness of blue and the starkness of white. Energy is associated with red-orange, and yellow conjures images of sunlight and evokes cheer and friendliness. Those colors are very approachable, Eiseman said.
The Thunder's Nick Collison, who modeled the white home uniform for the media, said at first he wasn't sure he would like so many colors. But he does, he said.
Looks like the power of blue and attention-getting white are already working.
A tidbit on Color Trends
Excerpted from an article in the
Atlanta Constitution
written by Nedra Rhone
BLACK HISTORY
In Western culture, the color black has commonly been associated with power and death, but it has also been linked to various cultural movements over the years.
“Every decade since the 1920s, there has been some blip where black has gotten attention primarily … because of its austerity,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute.
In recent decades, she says, the color has moved beyond those cultural associations to become ultimately aligned with high tech and high style.
Here’s a black timeline, according to Eiseman:
1920s-1940s: Black colors the bohemian culture in America.
Late 1950s-1960s: Black is co-opted by the Beat Generation.
1960s-1970s: Black is Beautiful movement attempts to take back black.
1980s: Black and Goth become common bedfellows.
1980s-present: Black enters new era of sophistication, elegance, and association with all things high tech.
A bit more from Color News and Views
Excerpt from Business Week
By Scott Kirsner is the author of the new book Inventing the Movies, and a
journalist who has written about innovation for Variety, the Boston Globe,
Wired, and BusinessWeek. He also edits the blog CinemaTech, which covers the
intersection of new technologies and the entertainment industry.
Persistence is a virtue
Even the smartest people tend to underestimate the amount of time it will
take to hone a new idea and persuade the world to give it a try. Without the
tenacity—and the resources—to keep plugging away over years (or decades),
innovators inevitably fail. Herb Kalmus, founder of Technicolor, realized in
1915 that it would require a series of "progressive steps" to develop the
technology for capturing color on film and playing it back in a theater.
Over the years, he had to continually hunt for new investors and cajole his
board to bankroll more experiments. In 1939, two pivotal Technicolor movies
came out: The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind. Their success helped
persuade Hollywood—after almost 25 years—to move toward all-color
movie-making. (And Technicolor is still a key part of the movie industry
today.)
Psych 101
A fixation on product development, design, funding, and business plans often
causes innovators to overlook something that's crucial: developing a nuanced
understanding of the psychology of the people they hope will use their
product or service. How do they work today, and what tools do they use? What
are their business models, and their worries? In Hollywood, the adoption of
digital cameras has been slow not because of flawed technology, but because
the manufacturers didn't spend enough time understanding the psychology of
the artists who would use those cameras.
September 22, 2008
Current Health 1 magazine
by Betsy Tecco
1. Considering that teenagers are probably not consciously aware that colors can affect how they feel, please explain in simple terms why colors influence us so much. I realize you could write forever on this topic, but I'm just looking for a basic explanation that young readers can understand.
Teenagers can remember how, from very early ages on they were given their first box of Crayolas, how they have been fascinated by color. And as they grown older that fascination translates into the color of their toys, bikes, clothing or nail polish! The human mind (and eye) is adapted to “reading’ and interpreting color. Red for danger as in stop signs, yellow for the approaching school bus and so on. So color is not just a question of most or least favorite, but also about color as signals color and associations to nature as well as color and emotions. (See below)
2. How is it that each color has become associated with different emotions? I would think it's partly due to their appearance in nature. For example, fire and blood are red, therefore red means burning love or anger or passion. Are there other reasons for these associations?
You are correct. Much of color feeling comes from color in context of nature. Humans are very attuned to the most general reactions as from the time they are babies, the presence of color in nature is very apparent in our everyday lives. For example: from the first time they were taken outside for a walk in their strollers, they were aware of the green that is so all-present in nature. Then as they grow older, they go to the park, play in the backyard, take a walk in the woods and do all of the other things that invariably attach the color green to nature. Green is the #1 association that people have to nature. So it continues to evoke that feeling as time goes on— into adulthood.
3. In your book you list adjectives and personality traits under specific shades of colors. Does that mean those colors make us feel that way? For example, sky blue is calming. Why is that?
The example you chose is good one. Blue is considered calming and dependable primarily because of its connection to sky. The sky is a ‘constant’ in our lives. It never goes away or falls to the ground. Even on those gray or cloudy days, we know that the blue sky is still there and when the clouds disperse, there is the beautiful blue sky again!! So there is also a hopeful quality to it. Likewise, yellow is so connected to sunlight that it is invariably thought of as cheering and warm. We are drawn by yellow, just as the sun draws us. It is also the most visible color in the spectrum.- reaching out and grabbing our attention.
4. What if I prefer a certain color? Does my favorite color say anything about my personality or does it just make me feel a certain way when I see that color? For example, your book describes deep blue as reliable, traditional, and introspective. I love that color and would describe myself in those terms. Is that coincidence or not?
Of course, there are always personal associations to color. Perhaps pink is a favorite because every time you wear it, someone gives you a complement. Or perhaps, it was the color of the cotton candy that you ate too much at a carnival that made you very sick on the way home. More than likely, pink is not going to be a pleasant association after that! As to your describing yourself in the same terms as the color, there is often a strong connection between your personality traits and the colors you choose. Many people are innately drawn to the colors that reflect their personality. But remember, thy can also express who you would like to be or have others think of you that way. Barack Obama wears a lot of blue. Is that because it is a favorite color or that he want people to believe he is reliable and dependable? I can’t speak to that, as I don’t know him personally, but politicians have often used the power of persuasion in their clothing.
5. Along the same lines as #4, the Luscher Color Test is well known but also controversial in its ability to provide insight about people. What do you think of color quizzes like this?
I think there is a great deal of truth in Luscher’s findings. I think it can get a bit confusing with the color in first place, second place and so on, but there is definitely credibility. We can speak in general terms, but every person is an individual and can fit many of the general descriptions, but personal experience can “color’ their feelings.
6. If you were advising a school on what color(s) to paint the classrooms to help the students perform better on tests, what would you recommend?
That is a ‘magic bullet” question that I cannot answer. There is no one magic color. The amount of light that comes into the room, the direction it faces and so on. And I suspect, in the long run, there is no color that can substitute for good study habits!!
September 3, 2008
A plum tidbit that is still juicy
Plum, the Color, Is Having Its Star Turn
by Stuart Elliott, New York Times, Media & Advertising
Plum is the hue of choice among several marketers.
Examples of how plum may become the new black for advertisers and media companies include a new Plum Card from American Express, coupon inserts in Sunday newspapers under the RedPlum name and plum-colored labels for products like Penta water.
There is also Plum TV, a channel available in resort communities; PlumChoice Online, a PC services company; and even books by Janet Evanovich featuring a character called Stephanie Plum. The titles include “Plum Lovin’ ” and “Plum Lucky” and, coming in January, according to Dori Weintraub of St. Martin’s Press, which publishes Ms. Evanovich, “Plum Spooky.”
Trend watchers suggest several reasons so many marketers seem to be going plum loco. One recurring thought is that the success of technology brands like Apple and BlackBerry is giving fruit a good name, hence the proliferation of plums as well as brands like Pinkberry and Red Mango, which are both frozen yogurts.
Plum TV was introduced a year earlier, in Nantucket, Mass., by Chris Glowacki and Tom Scott, and has since been expanded to upscale communities including Aspen, Colo., and the Hamptons.
In fact, Mr. Scotti of American Express said, the introduction of the Plum Card was successful: an initial release of 10,000 cards was all gone, he said, “and we’re already in our second release.”
•
excerpt from Lee's book Messages & Meanings
But purple does have its very own distinctive personality. It's an excellent substitue for blue or red when either seems to be the obvious coice. For example, a corporate logo for a business that wants to be thought of as dependable and forthright, yet at the same time capable of creative innovation, might well consider a blue purple in a business arena where so many logos are blue. Tweaking the purple to the blue side (yet still maintaining the undertone of red that is inherent in purple) would give the company image the added boost it is seeking.
July 21, 2008
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL CYBERSPACE COLOR(S)?
An excerpt from an article found in the New York Time Magazine describing a digital personalization - a trend in culture today.
The Medium
Personalize This
By VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN
Recently I joined a small, anonymous online community and found myself confronted by a deeply pleasurable array of choices. What color, on a spectrum (or what passes for a spectrum in digital media), did I want for the background of my personal page? How considerate. “Dusty blue,” I thought, with the high-handed decisiveness of Diane von Furstenberg or Dolce, “but more blue than dust.” I skidded around on the color wheel — too dark, too light, too purple, too black — settling on a shade that made me think of a dark blue Mexican sky.
Oh, but I was just getting started. For the lettering, I selected a pale green, like a mint Nicorette. I made the menu bars dark rainy blue-black. I also had the choice to upload a photo for about half an inch around the central page. I skimmed through my photo archive, reminiscing. This took 45 minutes. Finally a snapshot dominated by a large exercise ball stood out. The ball was dark green, and I cropped the photo till all you saw was the green rubber sphere, which had the texture and dimension of a blown-up balloon, stretched thin in some parts. The picture, plugged into the page-design software, worked perfectly as a border; you would have no idea it was a ball. Brilliant design. I messed around with more borders and then with the fonts, settling on two that (I believed) were fresh and unexpected but didn’t sacrifice legibility.
In four hours, this corner of cyberspace was thoroughly personalized.
Do you know your Personal Signature Colors?
Click on Lee’s book More Alive With Color to learn more.
June 29, 2008
Does intense pink really make men (and boys) weak?
"I can't tell you how many times I have been asked this question, especially from mothers of teenage sons! Actually there have been studies done that both prove and disprove this theory. The first study, and the most famous as it received a great deal of media attention, was conducted by Dr. Alexander Schauss of Tacoma, Washington. He observed that after a period of "hyper-excitement" his blood pressure, pulse, and heart beat lowered more rapidly when he viewed a specific shade of instense pink."
Lee talks more about pink in her book, The Color Answer Book
DDI retail design magazine
May Issue 2008
Pink in retail design
An Excerpt from New retail formats take flight at London Heathrow
Technology is also apparent at Thomas Pink, where a “Pink Business Bar” shows the latest stock results and news on a pink LED display. Customers can listen to music on a pink iPod, drink Pink-branded water and write on postcards with iconic London images.
June 18, 2008
An Event Design Magazine excerpt, September 2007
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF EXPERIENCES
SENSE AND MARKETABILITY
T A S T E
Taste Bud Trickery Nothing against taste buds, but about 90 percent of what we call taste is really smell. The scientific term for it is synesthesia. Designers can capitalize on this phenomenon by using scent to inspire food-based buying decisions. Hirsch suggests putting scratch-and-sniff stickers on marketing elements. “When they smell the scent, the customer will perceive the flavor and will be more inclined to buy the product,” he says.
To go for a pure taste bud assault, Hirsch suggests appealing to fat receptors in the mouth by serving sugary drinks and spicy foods. “If you want to make people more placid and compliant, go for a sugar and fat taste,” he says. You can get the opposite effect by stimulating the system with tastes like horseradish and bitter herbs. The powerful spiciness registers as pain in the mouth and nose, creating a state of alertness.
DO: Want to make a tiny footprint seem larger? Leverage the synesthesia. Hirsch says hints of green apple and cucumber scents can do the trick. Want to make a huge space feel more intimate? Think ribs. “Barbecue roasted meat makes people perceive a room as smaller,” says Hirsch.
DON’T: Exhibit near highly polluted areas. The air makes people aggressive. “Studies show that the more air pollution in an area, the more auto accidents there are because drivers drive more aggressively,” says Hirsch.
S M E L L
Subliminal Scent In his research, Hirsch found that introducing certain scents got people to buy more in a retail setting and gamble more in a casino. Scent also increases learning potential and attentiveness. A mixed floral smell, for example, increases the speed of learning by 17 percent. But pumping scent bombs into crowded convention centers or at outdoor venues is about as effective as tossing money into the wind. If you’re going to pump in fragrance (see “Aromatherapy” on eventmarketer.com), try pumping in a scent at a barely-there level, just above what the fragrance industry calls detection threshold.
“It doesn’t knock your socks off,” says Craig Warren of the Sense and Smell Institute. “But if someone cued you, you’d say, “ oh, I do smell something.’” Companies like ScentAir Technologies and Aromasys formulate and sell scents for branded environments.
Do: Pick stimulating notes like citrus and mint. “peppermint is a good performance booster,” says Warren. Most Floral scents make people happy. Vanilla takes the cake for most universally liked scent.
Don’t: Go for a rose scent, Warren says. “It reminds people of funerals.”
S E E
Color Currents Every color has inherent psychological and emotional meanings, says color specialist Leatrice Eiseman. Her “rich” palette, for example, combines brown, claret red, and olive green to convey quality and taste. Old school rich tones like purple an black have given way to hues of espresso, red wine, and martini olives. One way marketers can make the see-then-feel connection is to let go of the connotations and embrace new color trends. When a new color combination comes on the scene, about 10 percent of people will immediately adopt it, says Eiseman. For the other 90 percent, “what happens is, over time, the eye becomes more accustomed to seeing that color and even the person who is resistant to it when it first comes out ultimately starts to absorb it out of peripheral vision.” Being first on the scene to effectively combine current colors is an opportunity for designers to make a brand statement. “A lot of attendees are people who will say, ‘this is interesting,’ says Eiseman. “They will look at what you have to offer as something intriguing because they think you are very aware.”
Remember that no one uses each of the senses without the others. You can get the benefits of scent-induced environment without the odor by using color. Want the hypnotic, happy-making effects of a punchy lemon or lime scent? Try creating a vibrant yellow or green environment. “People can match colors and odors, and match both with moods almost spontaneously,” says Warren.
Do: Get three for the price of one. Bright tones like this season’s greens and yellows not only “smell” fresh, they get you greater visibility plus tap you into one of the hottest color trends. “You would be perceived as having the latest approach,” says Eiseman.
Don’t: Use your logo as the sole inspiration for your exhibit design. “You don’t have to remove the equity you have in that color,” says Eiseman. “But surround it with other [current] colors to give it a fresh new perspective.”
H E A R
Sounds Personal Sights and smells can remind us of happy childhood memories, but sounds can be stimulating, too.
Matthew Suttor, a composer and lecturer in sound design, says, “Visual memory can be faulty, so sound is very potent way to localize someone physically in a space, but also [a good way to create] a certain kind of environment.” Delivering sound to one person at a time can be especially helpful for making an emotional connection in an otherwise overcrowded, over stimulated environment. “We live in this iPod culture not where everyone can control not only the volume at which they listen, but what they’re listening to as well, “says Suttor.
Museums and galleries, for example, use interactivity to personalize the experience. (See the bird in the diorama and push the button to hear it chirp.)
“It’s the difference between a individualized auditory tour and a one-size-fits-all sound experience,” Suttor says. “ We’re a society of individuals and we want to be in control.”
Do: Remember that sound is more than music. Auto brands often experiment with unique sounds in their TV ads, a practice called conceptual sound design. The audience makes an association between the known object, the car, and an unknown or playful sonic effect. “We’re able to make an association between sounds and images that we read as being innovative,” Suttor says.
Don’t: Turn up the volume. Says Suttor: “People use volume as a way of selling things but it can also be a repellent.”
May 30, 2008
How does color thinking evolve?
An Update on Consumer Responses, Part ll
Editor's note: The following is excerpted in part from Color Messages and Meanings, A Pantone Resource Book. Part 1 of this article appeared in the Winter 2007 issue of Innovation.
EVOLVING COLOR CONCEPTS
From INNOVATION MAGAZINE • A QUARTERLY OF THE INDUSTRIAL DEIGNERS SOCIETY OF AMERICA
SPRING 2008 • By Leatrice Eiseman, Affiliate IDSA
Many color concepts remain stedfast in consumers' minds, rarely changing. Still, color thinking can, and does, evolve over time. In the previous issue of Innovation, I wrote about some of the color word-association responses collected during my 22-year stint as color consultant to Pantone. Last time I discussed the warm colors. Here I address the cool tones.
Defying Cool
Long associated with the serenity of a clear blue sky, the human mind easily wraps itself around the concept of blue as serene, tranquil and constant. It is the light, mid- and deep blue shades that bring a feeling of respite and introspection - quiet, cool permanence. Such association translates blue into a symbolic image of dependability and loyalty. Obviously, this works well in brand image and signage as it inspires a remarkable dedication from the consumer.
Blue is the first choice for corporate branding and identification. The constant challenge of such a pervasive use of a specific color is to keep it looking fresh and not hackneyed . If the essential message begs for a true blue image that speaks of integrity, look to a dominant blue used in innovative combinations.
But beware the oft-repeated messages that place all members of a color family under one umbrella. All blues are not calming. For example, for the Greek electos, meaning "gleaming, shy and brilliant," come the electric blues.
These are the glowing hues that defy the typically cool message of the blue family, demonstrating the spark that can emanate from this glittering shade. Vivid blue are now used as familiar signal colors - especially in high-tech applications such as the control panel on a slick new appliance.
An Avocado Comeback
With a multitude of greens so plentiful in the surrounding world, the human eye literally sees more green than any other color. As a result, green can convey many moods.
An abundance of green also indicates the availability of water - so necessary for human survival. A majority of people see green as symbolic of nature and new beginnings, as green refreshes, restores and reaffirms that the seasons repeat in exactly the same sequence every year, always heralded by the emergence of the tender green shoots in spring.
Leafy greens also connect with newness, youth and growth. Various other greens, especially yellow greens, identify vegetables and fruits - fresh, healthy and so important in today's organic world. Even the formerly reviled avocado green has taken on a new cache. Green continues as the symbolic color family representing sustainability and eco-consciousness. This goes far beyond trend and embraces a cause that resonates with many of todays' consumers. But be aware that there is also a growing skepticism of manufacturers and products that use green symbolically but are not actually green.
In children's markets, the dedication to yellow green is more about the continuing saga of Shrek. And even thought that does no seem like a new influence, the shelf life of a color can continue as a legend grows. In fact it is continuing, with a new Shrek stage musical slated to open later this year and another film in 2010.
Studies show that greens with an undertone of blue are among the most popular in that family. For example, teal is a thoughtful color that excludes confidence and is considered more elegant than an ordinary green or blue embracing the symbolic qualities of both. It is a tasteful color, often preferred by those who appreciate sophisticated styling, a rather upscale shade that could not be described as ordinary.
Back to Black
Purple is also not considered ordinary, defining many moods. Depending on the undertones of the shade and its positioning with other colors, purple can be exciting and energizing, even sensual (thanks to mother red), or mysterious and somewhat mystical. The blue purples have been used to express certain heavenly, transcendental or spiritual properties, taking awareness to a higher level of awareness to a higher level of thought in relaxation to the cosmos. With new-age philosophies proliferating, these shades have become more mainstream.
Purple flowers and foods are more distinctive in appearance and taste than most, supporting the uniqueness of the hue. Think aubergine, the elegant French word for eggplant. It's definitely an acquired taste. Think berries, grapes and purple plums - as sweet as they might be, a burst of tang often accompanies the first bite.
The exclusivity concept attached to purple came about because of affordability and availability. In ancient times, only the wealthy could buy purple garments as the dye was extracted from tiny mollusks - approximately 336,000 snails yields one ounce of dye. So purple became the provenance of kings, queens, nobles and wealthy, powerful patrons. That concept is completely lost in todays more democratic approach to color usage, where people of any background can embrace a color simply because it appeals to them and is affordable.
In my recent book Color Messages and Meanings, I could not resist a quote from Alice Walker's The Color Purple, so I included it on the page showing the various purple tones and meanings. She wrote, "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."
Strange as it may seem, white is perceived as a color. Pure white is highly visible to the human eye and, because of its clarify and reflectance value, is viewed as brilliant. Pure white always has been and will remain the ultimate color of purity and cleansing . Temperature-wise, it always says cool.
Black is not only the quintessential color of power and empowerment but also of staying power. In consumers' minds, black invariably adds elegance, sophistication and greater perceived value. And regardless of media's inevitable question to me regarding the 'new black,' my response is: Black is the new black!
May 13, 2008
We were fascinated by writer Peter Schjeldahl descriptive color terms in the
CRITIC’S NOTEBOOK
MEDIUM COOL
“A show of small, tidy canvases at the punctiliously hip New Museum designates Tomma Abts, the Turner Prize-winning German-English painter, who is forty years old, as the doyenne of a sudden fashion for good old abstract painting in newfangled guises. She’s pretty cool. Her one-of-a kind (though all of a type) compositions deploy serpentines, polygons, rays, and other generic forms in schemes of stringent color: worried red, disgruntled gray-green, caffeinated peach.”
Excerpt from Peter Schjeldahl Critic's Notebook in the New Yorker Magazine.
April 25, 2008
What indigenous colors would fit your city?
Here are a few mentions found in Marylou Luther’s column in The Plain Dealer
Dear Marylou: You once wrote that a famous color expert believes that cities have indigenous colors. What is Cleveland’s shade? - U.W., Cleveland.
Dear U.W.: According to color expert Leatrice Eiseman, Cleveland is charcoal gray. In her geographic chromatics, New York is black and Los Angeles is white. And the color comes in between. “Chicago,” says Eiseman, is “similar to New York, but more dark, rich brown than black. Houston is take-no-prisoners red. Miami is a cha-cha-cha mix of bright color. And Denver is tan, rawhide and all shades thereof.”
April 24, 2008
What are the benefits of pink?
As far as a comment about pink from our color expert: in general, pink is the color most associated with good health, as to have a rosy ‘glow’ is seen as the optimum of good health. Even people with very dark skin get a rosy quality to their skin when they exercise or are in good health. Think of the expression ‘in the pink’, meaning healthy. It also connotes an optimistic viewpoint, as in ‘looking at the world through rose-colored glasses”.
