Color. It seems trivial, but don’t diminish the subtle power Color adds to your marketing.

Have you ever noticed how many restaurants have red in their logo, marketing, or decor? It’s not by accident. Red is the color of passion and instinct. Literally speeding up the metabolism, red makes you feel hungry.

Did you know that babies cry more when placed in yellow rooms, and prisoners are calmer in pink rooms? How is this phenomenon possible and why should you care?

Color has an unconscious effect on human behavior—it’s a fact.

What does this mean for your business marketing? This means you better be paying close attention to the colors you’re using on your logo and promotional items.

Take a look at the following list to see what each color symbolizes, and the emotion each color evokes in most people:

• Red: Physical, energy, stimulation; red literally raises the pulse and grabs our attention.

• Blue: Intellectual, communication, logic, trust; blue aids in logic and concentration—it is best used to induce serenity and calm.

• Yellow: Emotional, optimism, friendliness; yellow stimulates our emotions and lifts spirits (unless you use a pale shade which can make people cranky).

• Green: Balance, health, refreshment; green is a very natural color that implies safety and abundance.

• Violet: Spiritual, luxury, truth; purple has been the color of royalty for thousands of years. It makes people feel contemplative and introverted.

• Orange: Warmth, passion, fun; orange is a stimulating color that focuses the mind on physical comfort and sensuality.

• Pink: Nurture, warmth, love; pink resonates with a soft comfort everyone appreciates (even if it is a bit feminine). Pink is physically soothing, but is also known for physically draining one’s energy.

• Grey: Neutrality; grey is a neutral color that doesn’t instinctively evoke much emotion. Grey, however, is a bit suppressive and is best used to highlight or accent more vibrant colors.

• Black: Glamour, sophistication, security; the color black creates barriers, absorbing energy and light from all other colors. Black creates a sense of weight, seriousness and heaviness.

• White: Purity, clarity, efficiency; white creates the illusion of cleanliness and sophistication. While white creates a sleek and hygienic appearance, be careful too much white doesn’t make your other colors seem too intense or dirty.

• Brown: Warmth, earthiness, support; brown is the color of earth and evokes a warm sense of support and reliablility in most people. Brown is a great color to use to bring a warm neutral into your design without having to use suppressive black.

This list is just a short interpretation of each color, its symbolism and the feelings it evokes. Find more colors and meanings to use in your advertising.

Now that you know what colors means, it’s time to put your knowledge into practice. For example, if you want to create an advertising piece for your pizzeria, you wouldn’t want your predominant color to be blue—because blue stifles the appetite. Instead use bright shades of red or yellow.

However, don’t be afraid to experiment or go out on a limb a little: if your pizzeria focuses on staying “green” or using local ingredients, it would be fine to use bright and fresh shades of green, too.

The most important factor is to be aware that the colors you use to promote your business have an effect on your customers’ emotions—whether they know it or not.

What color combinations do you use to reach your customers?