Signs: choosing a color. What should a store sign look like? Signboard dark brown color how to make letters

Color has great potential to attract the attention of potential buyers. There are several researchers who have compiled a list of perfectly combined colors.

Goethe's so-called circle of natural colors states that the following contrasting color combinations harmoniously complement each other:

purple and yellow,

blue and orange,

red and green,

red and yellow.

Less harmonious combinations:

blue and yellow

red and blue,

green and orange,

orange with purple

purple with green.

According to T. Koenig, the following color combinations are most preferable:

red with dark blue and green,

orange with sky blue, purple,

yellow with purple and blue,

green with purple,

purple with orange.

We must not forget that the individual colors on the sign must be contrasting enough so that a person can easily read the name of the store.

red with yellow,

orange with red,

yellow with purple

green with purple and yellow.


The following combinations are not accepted:

red with violet and purple,

orange with yellow and blue-green,

yellow with green,

green with blue and orange,

violet with purple and blue.

“Chromatic color tones with achromatic ones are most harmonious in the following combinations:

red, orange and yellow (warm) with black;

blue, blue, violet (cold) with white.”

Among the features of color contrast are the following:

a light color, being next to a dark one, seems even lighter, and a dark color next to a light one seems darker;

red, in contact with green, seems richer;

On a red background, a gray square will appear greenish, on a yellow background it will appear bluish, on a green background it will appear slightly pinkish, and on a blue background it will appear yellowish (chromatic contrast).

Colors carry well-established symbolic meanings; the perception of color is the same for all groups of people, regardless of where they live.

Here are the main ones:

Red color is considered the most powerful; it is associated with danger, but also with love, power, fire, and war. Causes anxiety, dignity, passion.

Orange also has a strong effect, excites, creates a feeling of well-being. It is a symbol of celebration and nobility. Orange color is noticeable from afar and remains in memory longer than other colors.

Yellow – life, movement, work of thought. Cheerful, lively, a little alarming.

Green – this color calms and neutralizes contradictions between other colors. Green is a symbol of peace and tranquility. Gentle, soothing.

Blue – associated with serious, strict behavior. Distant, mysterious.

Purple is an expressive and solemn color, it emphasizes maturity. Important, mysterious, ceremonial.

As the old saying goes: “You meet people by their clothes.” The store is also greeted by its clothes, or, more precisely, by its sign. Its main task is to attract as many clients as possible and interest buyers. The sign should be conceptually and stylistically suitable for the store: for example, signs at grocery stores will be effective if they evoke the desire to hunger and buy food, and signs for clothing stores should match the store in style, it is better when a logo is used that will immediately signal about the company.

A sign for a store is a second advertisement, and a very profitable one at that, because you pay for such advertising once, and then it will work for you for several years, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, holidays and breaks. for lunch.

Some statistics

The significance of the sign is also emphasized by statistics: according to the latest data, approximately 50% of the customers surveyed enter the store precisely because they were attracted by the sign. The figure is not so small, so it would be completely irrational to neglect the advertising sign. Customers surveyed also talked about which signs attracted or did not attract them. Based on the answers, statisticians prepared a report showing how the company’s sales level will increase in percentage terms when using a good sign. For example, an ordinary familiar flat sign located on the facade of a building will increase sales by only 3%, while a sign that is made in the form of a free-standing structure will attract more customers and increase sales by 15%.

Effective store sign

The effectiveness of a sign is influenced by many factors: the font, color, style, size of letters, and lighting effects are important here, thanks to which the store name will be visible in the dark or in poor visibility conditions. Illuminated letters for signs are a very profitable option, which is preferred by many companies today. If any of these factors are not met, then the sign may be ineffective and may not bring the desired effect in the form large quantity clients.

Let's figure out which signs really work and bring a tangible effect to the store, and which ones do the opposite.

1. Font is one of the most important parameters that can make an advertising sign effective or ineffective. Try to choose fonts that are simple, easy to read, with harmonious line spacing and letter spacing (that is, not too large or too small).

   Be sure to coordinate the font type with the concept of your company:

   • for example, for a grocery store, simple sans-serif options are suitable;
   • for law firms and law firms, classic options will be appropriate (you can use a serif font, but in this case it is extremely important to maintain the distance between letters to avoid the “sticking” effect);
   • But for creative organizations (event planning studios, dance salons, barbershops, etc.) you can give preference to artistic fonts, but be careful with decorative elements - remember, the name must be clear and readable.

   If the text on your sign consists of one sentence, then use the same font size, and if you have several lines, then the spacing between them should not be more than twice the size of the letters. Interesting options will be when the first line is made larger than the rest or in capital letters. When choosing the same font size for all lines, use the same letter spacing.

2. Sign size and proportions are another important parameter that affects the perception of your sign as a whole. The most optimal sizes are 1/3, ½, 3/5. By the way, the windows of houses in Western Europe are made in exactly these proportions - it looks very attractive and at the same time natural.
3. The color of the sign - this parameter must fully comply with the style and concept of the company: for example, for salons organizing holidays you should not choose gloomy, gray tones, and for administrative organizations bright, flashy shades would not be appropriate. Choose a color according to your company's theme. You should know that the color red is best perceived by the human eye, but it can also be irritating, so it should be used with caution.

   It is worth mentioning the color compatibility. In order for the sign to look harmonious and cohesive, it is worth choosing a single color scheme for it - colors that will look attractive together. Here are some working effective “color sets” (bright base shades):

   • white, red, green;
   • white, green, yellow;
   • white, red, purple;
   • red, yellow, purple;
   • yellow, white, red.
4. Features of volumetric letters are an interesting and profitable option that can be used as an advertising sign for a store. You need to know that if you choose volumetric letters made of metal for a sign, you should not make both the front and side sides of the letters the same color - this will lead to them merging, and at a long distance the sign will be difficult to read, especially for those who will look at her from the side. If you want to stay within the same color scheme and stick to one color in the sign, make the sides of the letters darker than the front ones. This will allow you to kill two birds with one stone: the color scheme will be uniform, and the letters will be clearly visible even from a great distance. To solve this problem (readability of letters of the same color), you can also use backlighting. Glowing letters for signs are a profitable option for both a clothing, cosmetics, appliances store and a food store.
5. You should definitely take into account the surroundings of the store - what signs are located nearby, how they work, and with what parameters they attract customers. If there are several signs around, made in bright red colors with backlighting, then it is hardly worth choosing this option, even if red is the most attention-grabbing color. In this case, you will get the completely opposite effect.

Several options for a bad sign, or what you shouldn’t choose

Legislative regulation

It is also worth remembering that any sign will need to be regulated by law, namely, registered with the relevant authorities. This process is long and labor-intensive, so it would be beneficial to immediately agree on everything with the advertising agency where you order the sign. You can register your sign yourself, but it may take you longer.

You can order effective signs for stores from our company “Green Light”. We can offer you volumetric letters made of metal and other options. Find out all the details by phone or on the official website.

In order for advertising to bring results in the form of increased profits and the number of customers, it must be the right color. Psychologists say that the right color calls a person to action and challenges him. As for the shades of lighting, they affect the mood and should emphasize all the advantages of the product offered and hide the shortcomings.

Thanks to psychological research, it was possible to find out that too little lighting does not arouse interest in a potential visitor and tires his vision. Based on this, when ordering a sign, you need to pay due attention to the lighting and choose bright light sources.

Color affects the perception of the weight of the product offered, the temperature of the room and the assessment of the distance of the object. For example, orange, yellow and red colors visually increase the volume of an object and bring it closer. Black, purple, blue and cyan - visually make the object smaller and move it away. If you need to make a choice, it is better to take these parameters into account.

The perception of color is also influenced by a person’s emotional state. Only in this way can one explain the fact that a person reacts violently to some colors, while becoming indifferent to others. Such patterns of perception were discovered by Max Luscher in the mid-20th century. As a result of the tests, he was able to find out that colors shape human emotions.

How to choose a background for a store sign?

In order not to make mistakes, you need to thoroughly study the semantics of color.

Red motivates a person to be decisive and can cause a strong desire to perform a certain act. It quickly attracts attention and is able to fix the gaze of passers-by on the sign. This color has a certain sexual connotation and this must be taken into account, especially if you are going to advertise products aimed at men. The main thing is not to overdo it with red, because its excessive use can cause aggression and irritation towards advertising.

Orange represents optimism and causes a surge of strength. In ancient times it was considered the color of health and creativity. It is best used to decorate the background of a store sign with children's goods or medicines.

Yellow encourages communication and openness. It allows you to balance emotions and calm emotional unrest. Advertising and PR agencies, as well as travel companies, constantly use yellow color in their signs.

Green removes all the severity of feelings and has a relaxing effect on others. It is used for advertising and signage for pharmacies, stores with water purification systems, health and environmental protection centers.

Pink enhances feelings and makes a person more attentive to others. The range of applications of this color is quite wide: from perfume advertising to the services of marriage agencies and family centers.

Blue tunes in to more sublime feelings, friendly affection and platonic love. This color represents harmony and emphasizes man's connection with the universe. The scope of application is not limited, the main thing is to choose the right colors and shades.

Blue helps to concentrate on the most important and several elements blue will attract attention no less effectively than the color red. In addition, it is worth noting that blue does not cause aggression or negative emotions.

Violet is the color of internal concentration, it helps to abstract from external bustle. It has been scientifically proven that violet stimulates the brain and helps solve creative problems. Therefore, if your store or company offers a unique product, then this is the ideal color for the background.

Black helps you concentrate on solving an important task. This color is associated with loneliness and isolation from the outside world. It is used extremely rarely in printed advertising materials. When it comes to signage, this is a one-stop solution for a modern and stylish backdrop.

White represents openness and willingness to accept everyone as they are. It does not carry any negative emotions, but if there is too much of it, it creates a feeling of neutrality. In combination with white, it is necessary to use bright accents that will highlight the advantages of the product.

Have you ever thought about the fact that each color means something and causes certain reactions in people? You may not even notice it, but when you see yellow, red, blue, or any other color, different areas in the brain are activated that make you react in a certain way to what you see.

Very often the “right” colors are used in advertising to achieve the desired effect. If you want to attract the attention of a potential buyer, then use bright red; if you want to relax, then use blue or green. There is even a whole science - color psychology, which determines the influence of certain colors and their shades on a person’s perception of reality.

In this article we will talk about how to use colors in advertising, and how to make it as effective as possible using puns, sounds and various color schemes.

The right color in advertising can increase your sales significantly

Red color in advertising motivates the buyer to take decisive action. We are sure that you have noticed that red colors are used during the season of discounts and sales, as well as in order to convey some urgent and very important information to the buyer. As psychologists note, the color red evokes a strong desire to perform some action. This color attracts attention better than all others and fixes it on the desired object.

Color psychology claims that the semantics of red seems to say: “Don’t pass by, pay attention. Act for the sake of acting: thoughtlessly, quickly, decisively, boldly.”

The color red also has certain sexual vibes, and is often used in advertising with an erotic nature. It is also worth using the color red in advertising whose target audience is men. For them it has always been iconic. Apparently, the male brain especially clearly perceives and concentrates on this spectrum of colors.

But don’t overestimate the capabilities of red: it will be effective if used in moderation. Highlight a small inscription or part of an ad, and this will be enough to attract attention. At the same time, if there is a lot of red, it can cause some kind of disgust, irritation, or even aggression.

Orange color in advertising helps the buyer get a surge of vitality, sets him up for optimism and joy. Our ancestors believed that the color orange gives health and develops creativity. Experts note that this color is best used in advertising of medicines, products for children, as well as various services that are related to the healthcare sector.

Color psychology notes that orange gives vigor and activity, but at the same time leaves a person in a calm state. This is its characteristic distinguishing feature from the red color, which also gives strength, but at the same time excites and excites.

Yellow color in advertising encourages communication and sociability. Psychologists note that yellow is very sociable and open, therefore, it is best used in advertising products of a similar type. It also brings calm and balance to violent emotions, calms anxiety, and makes a person feel calm and comfortable. The color yellow is associated with warmth and joy, conveying the same emotions to those who look at it. An amazing fact: this color can “endow” many objects with intelligence. Therefore, advertising of modern gadgets is done in yellow colors, or all its possible shades.

This color goes well with red, creating an interesting fusion that attracts a person’s gaze for a long time. A good example is the Shell logo, and all of their advertising products are designed in these colors.

But do not forget that yellow is also used in a completely different interpretation. This is the color of risky and dangerous situations. It is on the cars of gas services and rescuers, on radiation signs and all kinds of warnings about threats. Tractors, bulldozers, heavy work equipment are also marked yellow flowers. If your advertising is related to something like this, then feel free to use this particular color as a basis.

Green color in advertising relaxes and softens, relieves severity and calms a person. Green is associated with nature. He is very good at advertising various natural food products, medicines, skin care products. Green is often used in advertising of hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, health centers, etc.

What else green do we have besides nature? That's right, dollars. Therefore, this color can be used in advertising of various financial institutions, affiliate programs, methods of sales and earnings. In addition to being non-intrusive and relaxing, green also provokes the desire to try something new, to experience something that was previously unknown. It’s not for nothing that dark green colors are used by banking companies - Privat Bank (Ukraine), Sberbank (Russia), Rosselkhozbank (Russia), etc.

Goes great with blue and white. It is the palette of these colors that is used in advertisements for various products of natural origin.

Pink color in advertising associated with romance and relationships. It is the advertising of products in this direction that should be accompanied by pink flowers and its shades. Color psychology notes that pink enhances feelings, making us more tender and affectionate. The advertising spectrum where this color can be used is very wide: from beauty salons, advertising of perfumes and cosmetics, to marriage agencies and family centers.

Blue color in advertising also tunes in to feelings. Of course, it acts differently than pink, and is aimed more at platonic, spiritual relationships. This color is associated with sky and water, with purity, tranquility, smooth movement and development. A very good and neat color, the correct use of which can bring a lot of benefits.

Blue color is also associated with spiritual development. Therefore, it would be appropriate to use it in advertising of various centers of spiritual development, yoga courses, some esoteric lectures and meetings.

Blue– the best option in advertising. First of all, he is not irritable. It's the color of water and you can stare at it for hours. The most visited sites on the Internet (the same social media), use blue as the base color. It attracts attention like red, but unlike the second one it will never cause irritation and anger. Very loyal color. It's even hard to outline specific areas where you can use blue colors. They are ideal for advertising products that should be associated with reliability and authority. Many companies use blue in their logos and corporate colors. It is best to use blue color and its shades for companies involved in air transportation, airports, manufacturers of air conditioners and fans, breath fresheners, mineral water, seaports and travel companies.

Blue goes well with white, and this is perhaps a win-win option. If you want to combine blue and some other color in your advertising, then you need to be very careful so as not to create a repulsive effect. A good option for combining blue and red is the US flag. But this, it seems to us, is an exception to the rule rather than a pattern. Blue is good in itself, and its skillful use will bring many benefits.

Purple color in advertising It is not used often, but it should be given due attention. Color psychology tells us that purple brings inner harmony and concentration. It helps you go deeper into yourself, abstracting from everything unnecessary and disturbing for you in at the moment. Another important detail is that violet stimulates those areas of the brain that are responsible for creativity and development. And it is absolutely no coincidence that creative people choose purple as their basis. Experienced marketers advise using this color in advertising products where novelty and creativity need to be emphasized, or in cases where advertising is aimed at creative people. A few purple elements are enough, and your message will be perceived in the right way.

Black color in advertising you don’t see it very often, and there is a completely logical explanation for this. All people with a normal psyche associate black with something dark, gloomy, and sad. It makes you plunge into yourself and experience not entirely joyful feelings. Therefore, try not to make your advertising dark, do not overload it with black colors. Of course, there are world-famous brands that use this color in their logos and commercials, but this is most likely the exception to the rule. And if a brand is known throughout the world, then it can afford non-standard solutions.

White is the exact opposite of black. It carries openness, light, purity. But don't forget that this is a completely neutral color. Although it will never cause irritation or negative emotions, it will be very difficult to convey the desired message with the help of white. As a rule, inscriptions and drawings are depicted on a white background, which are intended for general familiarization, without further active actions. Using white color in advertising, you will not be able to focus attention on something specific, or set the right priorities. Although in combination with red, white gives an excellent effect and incredible results. Many inscriptions about discounts, promotions and sales are made on a white background in red letters, or vice versa.

That's probably all we wanted to tell you. Now you know more about the psychology of color, and you can correctly use the right shades in your advertising. Always experiment, combine colors, look for optimal solutions, and watch people's reactions. Good luck!

Or, conversely, cause negative emotions in them? We will talk about this in our article.

When a sign customer fills out a brief offered to him by the manager of an advertising and production company, he is required to indicate his color preferences. At the same time, we should not forget that colors appeal directly to human feelings, and not to logic. As you know, each tone or shade of a certain color evokes a number of associations in the subconscious of people. Let's try to analyze how ideas for choosing the color of a sign are born and how the chosen color scheme can affect the overall effectiveness of the advertising design.

Free choice

There are cases when the client gives complete freedom of choice to the designer, but they are quite rare. Such situations, as a rule, occur when we are talking about the design of large complex objects, or when the client completely trusts the professionalism of the contractor and relies on the experience of the manufacturing company or design bureau.

Compliance with corporate style

Choosing the color scheme of a sign according to the customer’s existing corporate standards is one of the most common solutions. At the same time, you should always approach design ideas implemented in a corporate style with caution, since what is good on a business card may look extremely unattractive on a sign or may not be approved at all. For example, not long ago at one of the exhibitions I had the opportunity to talk with the owner of a flower shop located on the Garden Ring. In accordance with the new corporate style of this salon, black and white colors have become its signature colors. But the Moskomarkhitektura did not approve their draft of a black and white sign, pointing out the excessive “mourning” nature of such colors.

The power of red

The next option is to simply choose red. As we know from psychology, red is the most visible color to the human eye. I'd guess about 30% of the signs are this color. Another reason for its popularity is the fact that red neon is cheaper to produce than gas-light tubes of any other shades of light. It is commendable that business owners want their sign to be visible from long distances, but we must not forget that for some types of businesses this color is simply unacceptable. Red is the color of anxiety and danger, which symbolizes aggression and struggle. It is not suitable for pharmacies, restaurants, dry cleaners, post offices and other service establishments. But meanwhile, it goes well with the image of entertainment venues, nightclubs, cinemas, shopping centers, car dealerships. Wherever fun and pleasure awaits a person, this color is perfect. In some cases, to avoid the negative impact of red on the audience, derivatives of pure red, such as cherry or red-orange, can be used.

Competitive environment

When designing a new sign, one of the most significant points is to analyze the situation in the place where the advertising structure is supposed to be installed. The sign must stand out clearly from the surrounding objects. This can be achieved in several ways, for example, making the advertisement brighter than the signs adjacent to it, making it in a different color from others, or using original manufacturing technology or creative design.

Fashion Factor

An important aspect that must be taken into account when designing the advertising and information design of an object is the fashion for signs. When several blue signs appear in a city at the same time, other customers gradually begin to use this color. Such observations were made by me during many trips to cities.

Feelings generated by color

Now let's look at the influence of different colors on a person's psychological state. Moreover, this influence is cultivated in us by the cultural environment in which we were raised and in which we live. As noted, colors appeal to people's feelings rather than their logic. It has been reliably established that each color stimulates the birth of certain associations in the human subconscious. Each of the colors in different countries the world personifies the following feelings and concepts:

• red: in America - love, in China - kindness, celebration and good luck, in Russia - high activity, aggression and struggle, in India - life;
• yellow: in America - prosperity, in Russia - sunshine and separation; in Syria - mourning and death, in India - splendor, in Brazil - despair;
• green: in America - hope, in China - a luxurious life, in India - peace and hope;
• blue: in America - faith, in India - truthfulness, in China - mourning (along with white);
• blue: in Russia - night peace;
• violet: in India - sadness and consolation, in Brazil - sadness;
• white: in America - purity and peace, in China - meanness, danger, mourning; in Europe - youth;
• black: in America - danger, test, in China - honesty.

Psychologists have found that all colors have additional properties that are inherent to them by nature or attributed to the way in which they are used. Some medical, physiological and psychological characteristics of color are given in the table.

According to the degree of perception deterioration, color combinations are arranged in the following order: blue on white; black on yellow; green on white; black on white; yellow on black; white on black; green on red; red on yellow; white on blue; red on white; blue on yellow; orange on black; yellow on blue; orange on white; white on green; red on green; brown on white; white on brown; brown on yellow; yellow on brown; yellow on red.

It is usually recommended to use no more than two different colors for a sign, which, however, can be diversified by using related shades. This relationship creates a sense of color consistency and does not irritate the eyes. If the efficiency of perception of a black and white image is taken as 100%, then the efficiency of a two-color image increases by 20%, and a multicolor image by 40%.

Another technique that works great is attracting people's attention due to the shape given to the object of perception. In particular, in an efficient way attracting attention is highlighting any one element among others. Such an element, regardless of its spatial position, becomes a place of concentration, automatically drawing attention to information located in its immediate vicinity. In signage, this can be a separate letter, highlighted in color, or simply upside down. This could be a character, a three-dimensional element or an image.

Having an idea of ​​the wide possibilities of different colors, the question remains, how to implement all these color solutions? The main assistants are neon and colored light-scattering films. These technologies make it possible to implement color solutions of a wide variety of complexity and originality and at the same time provide reliable and effective work signs for years to come.