Ever wondered why McDonald’s burger chain chose red and yellow as its corporate colours? Because the colour red can mean ‘fast’ and the colour yellow ‘hunger’. The inference: ‘fast food’.
Red is also the colour of lust. Yellow can mean attention-seeking. Red and yellow are seen in the flames of a fire. The colours together can mean warmth, a welcome. Another link with McDonald’s.
The colour orange, say the reference books, is named after the fruit. It appeared via Sanskrit and Spanish in old English as “geoluread”, or “yellow-red” in modern English. The first recorded use of orange as the name of a colour in English was in the 16th century.
Black has been around for ages. It is the colour of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission.
White shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean. But doctors and nurses wear white to imply cleanliness. In some Asian countries white means sadness.
Besides being the colour of love, red can invoke anger. It is the worst colour to wear in boardrooms. Red clothing makes the wearer appear heavier. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. Red goes hand-in-hand with ‘fast’.
Green symbolises nature. It is a calming, refreshing colour. People waiting to appear on TV sit in “green rooms” to relax. In some cultures it means immortality.
Yellow is the most difficult colour for the eye to take in. People lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms. Babies cry more. In Greece it means ‘sadness’; in France ‘jealousy’.
Purple points to luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. It can appear artificial. It is used in labels on anti-aging products.
Brown is the colour of earth and can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favourite colours. It can mean solid, reliable, dependable.
Blue is an old colour. Public servants wore blue in ancient Rome. The expression “true blue” was used by mariners, who associated a blue sky with freedom from storms. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolises loyalty. Banks use blue to imply trust. Blue can also mean boredom.
But what about colours and cars? Does one colour have a better resale value than another? Is one colour safer than another? There is anecdotal evidence that a white car typically holds about 5 per cent more online casino of its value than the market average. Silver has always been seen as a ‘safe’ colour.
In the early 2000s, a study in New Zealand suggested that silver was indeed the safest. The finding was printed in the British Medical Journal. How influential it was has never been quantified. But silver has always been popular and carmakers have offered many variations on it to ensure its continued popularity.
Over the past few years ‘classless’ white has overtaken silver, helped by what has been called the ‘Apple effect’, the computer company’s preference for white as a hip colour of status. The white iBooks, iMacs, iPhones, iPods … This, says American paintmaker DuPont, inadvertently helped propel white to prominence in the car industry.
But it’s not just electronics that have an impact on car colours. DuPont says the use of browns and beiges in home décor is having an effect. The earthy colours now account for 5 per cent of the global car market. Green makes up 1 per cent.
Still, white edges out black in the latest DuPont finding. Silver and gray are third and fourth. Collectively, the four colours account for 76 per cent of the global automotive market.
DuPont colour chart for cars
White …………………………………….. 23%
Black …………………………………….. 21%
Silver …………………………………….. 18%
Gray ……………………………………… 14%
Red ………………………………………. 8%
Blue ……………………………………… 6%
Brown ……………………………………. 6%
Green ……………………………………. 1%
Others …………………………………… 3%
Certain makes of car look best in a certain colour, and picking the wrong one could make the car harder to sell. A new model will look smarter in certain colours than others.
Metallic paint has been popular for many years. Not only does it look good, it can benefit your pocket in the long run, too.