Fundamental Study Guide: Building Your Own Approach to Color Psychology and Branding
Objective:
Create your own approach to understanding and testing color schemes for branding by drawing from foundational works in psychology, communication, and influence.
1. Propaganda and Mass Influence
Book: Propaganda by Edward Bernays
Key Sections:
- Chapter 1: The New Propaganda
- Chapter 4: The Psychology of Public Relations
Objective: Understand how Bernays describes the mechanisms of emotional manipulation, including how color can be used to influence audiences in branding.
Key Questions:
- How does the visual design (including color) influence mass opinion, according to Bernays?
- How can these principles be adapted for Sovoli’s brand?
2. Symbolism and the Collective Unconscious
Book: Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung
Key Sections:
- Introduction: Approaching the Unconscious
- The Role of Symbols in the Individual and Collective Psyche
Objective: Explore how color functions as a symbol in the collective unconscious and how Sovoli’s brand can communicate through these symbols.
Key Questions:
- How do colors reflect archetypes in the collective unconscious?
- How can Sovoli’s branding tap into these symbolic meanings?
3. Emotional Influence and Psychological Triggers
Book: Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Key Sections:
- Part 1: Emotional Hijacking
- Part 3: The Master Aptitude
Objective: Understand how emotions are triggered by visual stimuli such as color and how Sovoli’s brand can use colors to resonate emotionally.
Key Questions:
- How do colors stimulate emotional reactions?
- How can you use emotional intelligence to shape how users feel when interacting with Sovoli’s brand?
4. Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics
Book: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Key Sections:
- Part 1: Two Systems
- Part 3: Overconfidence
Objective: Explore how different colors influence fast, instinctive decisions versus slow, deliberate decisions and apply this to Sovoli’s brand design.
Key Questions:
- Which colors trigger fast decisions, and which ones foster slow thinking?
- How can you balance these two systems in Sovoli’s color scheme?
5. Power, Authority, and Influence in Branding
Book: The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
Key Sections:
- Law 6: Court Attention at All Costs
- Law 31: Control the Options, Get Others to Play with the Cards You Deal
Objective: Investigate how power and authority are conveyed through branding and how colors can enhance this perception in Sovoli’s brand identity.
Key Questions:
- How can colors reflect power dynamics?
- How can Sovoli use color to stand out and “court attention” while maintaining its brand values?
6. Semiotics and Visual Communication
Book: Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
Key Sections:
- Chapter 2: The Vocabulary of Comics
- Chapter 6: Show and Tell
Objective: Learn how color functions as part of the visual language in branding, telling the story of Sovoli’s brand and values.
Key Questions:
- How can color act as a visual narrative tool in your branding?
- How can you use color to communicate complex ideas simply?
7. Behavioral Influence and Human Nature
Book: Influencing Human Behavior by H.A. Overstreet
Key Sections:
- Chapter 3: The Urge to Conform
- Chapter 6: The Control of Ideas
Objective: Understand how behavior is influenced by visual cues like color and apply these principles to Sovoli’s website and social media designs.
Key Questions:
- How do visual cues influence behavior?
- How can Sovoli apply behavior-influencing tactics through color choices?
Synthesis and Application
After studying these seminal works, synthesize your findings:
- Develop Your Testing Framework:
- Based on Bernays' and Overstreet’s work, create hypotheses about how specific colors will influence your audience's behavior.
- Use Kahneman’s ideas to develop A/B tests focusing on fast vs. slow decision-making in relation to color.
- Design Experiments and Refine the Brand:
- Develop tests using different colors for CTA buttons, headers, and key visuals on your website and social media.
- Track engagement rates, click-throughs, and user feedback to measure effectiveness.
- Iterate Based on Emotional and Symbolic Insights:
- Refine your color choices based on the emotional resonance (Goleman) and symbolic meaning (Jung).
- Continue testing and tweaking until your color scheme aligns with Sovoli’s brand identity.