GROUP DYNAMICS

ROLE OF COLOR & WORDS IN ADVERTISING

Ranjan Kumar | B.Tech(4th year, EE, 09115072)

Advertisements or in short ads

Institute of Practitioners in Advertising defines advertising as - "it presents the most persuasive possible selling message to the right prospects for the product or service at the lowest possible cost." It is a combination of creativity, marketing research & economic media buying. In words of an economist The role of advertisement is to shift the demand curve upward. In a simple language, advertising is the communication relayed from companies to persuade an audience to purchase their products. This communication is usually through various forms of paid media -- TV and radio commercials, print ads, billboards and more recently, product placement. Ads are placed where advertisers believe they will reach the largest, most relevant audience. Commercial businesses use advertising to drive the consumption of their product, while non-profit organizations may place ads to raise awareness or encourage a change in behavior or perception. It involves informing, persuading & motivating, maintaining established reputation or image of brand once it has developed position in market. What do ads do? It is assumed that ads can do one of the following: Create awareness of the brand Inform people about it Encourage - or even persuade - them to try it Create some sort of emotional or attitudinal bond between consumers and the brand that will lead to regular purchase (brand loyalty) So, for a successful advertisement it is very necessary built a positive image that sticks to the memory. Now question arises how does it work? As advertisement is a kind of language that companies use to communicate with customers. So, it is a creative act to use language in way that fulfills the means of communication. That is why; ads are designed by guided and stimulated creative team. So that ads should bring target audience to life and show how audience is expected to relate to brand & respond to them. Creativity defines proposition or we can say essence of an advertisement. It is based on positioning whether rational or emotional. It also provides support evidence. To target a

group or a section people (we say audience), it is very necessary to combine rational and emotional aspects, i.e., demographic characteristics / relationship with brand / usage. For example, let the product be chocolate.

Women, aged 25-40, who love chocolate but may feel guilty about it. They are able to afford little bit luxuries but will enjoy pampering. They are aware of brand but buy in frequently not seen as a day-to-day casual eat. So, we have to think of a brand as special and they are reluctant to buy it for themselves but like bring given it. So, we can see the brand as distant, aloof, stuck-up and probably foreign. Language of Advertising Language has a powerful influence over people and their behavior. This is especially true in the fields of advertising. The choice of language to convey specific messages with the intention of influencing people is vitally important. Visual content and design in advertising have a very great impact on the consumer, but it is language that helps people to identify a product and remember it.
Parts of an advertisement:

An advertisement layout has following parts: Heading Visual Image Company s logo Body Copy Slogan

This is only a crude classification. The factors that make a normal advertisement a successful and meaningful one are: Color Words & Phrases used Jingles & Music

People & Culture Media Time frame Positioning of post or text Demography and many others.

Slogan . This sticks to memory and tells main idea. The headline is usually the second content the reader sees to understand what it is the ad is conveying to its reader. Headlines are usually clever, smart, funny and to the point. Sometimes a headline isnt needed if the visual strongly communicates the message. A central visual is used to tie in the headline. We need to know what it is the company is communicating. In this ad the client prefers a product shot. The companys logo. We need to know who is selling the product or service. Support body copy. In many cases this varies. Some ads have it and some have very little. One line usually required, is the payoff to allow the reader to make action.

These plays an inevitable role to fulfill the purpose, i.e., to communicate the information to targeted audience and pursue them the required activity wh ether to use or buy the product or to participate in the targeted activity.

Role of Color
Colors can be very important in advertising, as a matter of fact color is the earliest form of advertising. Flowers and fruits have used colors to advertise to insects and animals in their efforts to pollinate and reproduce since the beginning of time. Why give emphasis on colors? Experts believe that colors have an effect on our physical and psychological states. Colors reach out to our subconscious and create a positive or negative reaction within 90 seconds. On the ads we have less than 30 seconds to make a good first impression. Improper use of colors forth ads can convey the wrong messages or mislead customers. So, Advertisers use the silent language of color to impress, motivate, divert and persuade targeted audience s prospects to buy. Color perceptions vary depending on an individual's culture, ethnicity, gender, and age. For example, if one is selling wedding gowns worldwide, it is wise to have a different ad for each location. A model wearing a red gown would appeal to Indian/Chinese customers, while a model garbed in white would suit the tastes of most of Western customers. If one has a vague understanding of the cultural aspects of color psychology, one can make huge mistakes in marketing strategies.

Red color: Wedding dress of Bride in India and China

White color: Wedding dress of Bride in Western countries.

Researchers have also found out that colors have an effect on our shopping habits. Impulsive buyers tend to respond to black, red-orange, and royal blue. Spendthrifts respond best to sky blue, navy, teal, and pink. Conservative ones react to pastels like baby blue, pink, and rose.

Pink color: Appeals Girls and babies

Blue/ Black/Brown: Appeals Boys & Gents

White Symbolizes cleanliness, purity, and youthfulness. It is the best background color for websites. It is being used for clinics and hospitals to represent sterility. Fat-free dairy products, additive-free foods, and skin care lines are best suited for this color.

Black Symbolizes authority, elegance, seduction, and mystery. It is suitable as a background color for an ad since it goes well with most colors. If you want your ads to exude drama, luxury, and class, picks this color. Masculine cosmetics, designer goods, and five-star hotels are best suited for this color.

Brown Symbolizes dependability, efficiency, humility, and solidity. It does not attract attention like primary colors but it gives a vibe of trustworthiness. Males respond well to this ad especially with tinges of red, orange, and yellow. Furniture, lumber, and, hunting and sporting gear are best suited for this color.

Purple Symbolizes dignity, mystery, regency, and spirituality. In ancient times it was regarded as a rarity because it is uncommon in nature. It exudes creativity, femininity, and romanticism, making it an ideal choice for ads that are targeted for the female market. It also gives a touch of class to cheap and simple products.

Red Symbolizes excitement, passion, speed, and strength. It is the most powerful and striking of colors. It should be a prominent color for ads that suggest fast-paced action like comic books, computer games, and fast-food restaurants.

Pink Symbolizes comfort, femininity, gentleness, and well-being. Besides, ladylikeness, it induces temporary calmness and relaxation. It is a favorite color of choice for products like toilet paper, hypoallergenic toiletries, and baby products .

Blue Symbolizes authority, dignity, faithfulness, and dignity. It suggests sanctuary and fiscal responsibility. Unlike warm colors, blue is associated with clear thinking and productivity. From electronics to grooming products to educational materials, it is a flexible choice of color for their advertising.

Yellow Symbolizes alertness, cheerfulness, happiness, and warmth. It enhances concentration and appeals to intellectuals. Products associated with vitality and stimulus, such as food supplements and sports equipments choose this as their main color. It is also suitable for promoting feel-good social activities and events sponsored by a company.

Orange Symbolizes ambition, endurance, pleasure, and strength. Products associated with energy and vigor such as energy drinks, adventure trip packages, and theme parks are well-defined by this color. Businesses that are made for mass marketing like fast food outlets and motels can use this color to tell customers that they are getting the most value for their money.

Orange/Y ellow: For tour package/ Fast Food ads

Green Symbolizes freedom, freshness, nature, and tranquility. It relaxes the eye and has soothing effects. It is usually associated with finance and growth, making it fit for insurance plans and saving schemes. It suits energy-boosting tonics, health spas, and eco-friendly products well.

Green: For growth, natural and eco-friendly ads There is a lot of thought put into color when marketing and packaging material is made, and its not by accident that most companies stick to the same design and color formula with their products. If one notices children's cereals are always bright colors - flashy design while more healthy adult choices usually have white or cream color schemes - more dialed down in design? Not an accident... but an advertising formula!!

Role of Words
Have you ever seen an ad without any text? Be it a radio, TV, cinema, press, Internet or outdoor advertisement, text is always an element of the ultimate importance. The awareness of choice of a word in a statement is essential. Even if we choose a simpler word, it might be because it seems more strongly marked to us. Our final goal is to persuade a person to buy the product, but an intermediate goal might be the association of a problem awaiting a solution with our product. Both the mass media, when reporting news items and marketing and advertising personnel have to consider the emotive power of the words they use. First, they make a decision about what to communicate and what to withhold.

It is important to understand the connotation of a word. Connotation is the feeling or ideas that are suggested by a word, rather than the actual meaning of the word. Armchair, for example, suggests comfort, whereas chair arouses no particular feelings.

Dark Fantasy: Lovely things that can be shared with loved ones onl y.

In the process of creating an advertising message we make such choices in the case of every single word. They are not random or intuitive; at least they should not be such. The target audience, of course, also puts its own meaning into certain words. Different people sometimes interpret language in different ways. One way in which advertisers adapt language to their own use is to take compound words and use them as adjectives. These compounds often later become widely used in normal situations. Examples of these compounds which have become part of the English language are: top-quality, economy-size, chocolate-flavored, feather-light and longer-lasting. Colgate :Colgate prevents cavity

An expressive, precise and clear text can ensure that it will be perceived in the way we want it to. Nevertheless, it might prove dangerous at times. When we say "Colgate

toothpaste prevents cavity," we are in trouble if a person who uses this product hears that they have cavity after all. The case will be different if we say "Colgate toothpaste helps in preventing cavity." The former implies that all products of Colgate are helpful to prevent cavity while latter implies only toothpaste does so. Range Rover: Work Hard. Be Successful

Work hard. And if you do, you will Be successful. And if you are successful you can buy a Range Rover. And then you can Go in it to someplace where none of that matters.

Maggie: Fast to cook Good to eat, Taste bhi, Health Bhi & 2-Minute Noodles

Maggie is known for ready to eat or instant cook able products. Initially Indian people were not ready to accept new products with new tastes and from different culture. Although it was focused on working women later initially but research showed kids are the largest consumers. So, it was repositioned.

Anything that can be cooked instantly and has good taste has to be good for health too. So, it came up with taglines as Fast to cook Good to eat, Taste bhi, Health Bhi & 2Minute Noodles and jingle as Mummy bhook lagi, Bas do minute, Maggi Maggi Maggi. Buzzwords New - customers like changes, they want to be modern, and thus calling something "new" is usually very effective. Cheap - the price of the product is often the most important criterion of choice on an impoverished market. Perfect, attractive, advantageous - who does not like such products? Moreover, these words are better than for example "the best", because assurances that we are "no. 1" will be treated with reserve. Guarantee, proof - these words often replace proof or guarantee themselves. Thanks to them we feel safer and more peaceful. Secure, sure - these words remind us of danger, but in a covert way. They do not evoke strong feelings of fear - that is why they are useful in selling products that are to keep one safe.

Conclusion
Color and words along with culture, people and other factors form an inevitable role in advertising. Along with these, media for communication like radio, TV, posters, online ads, etc. ; positioning of text in the advertisement, appropriate time weekdays, weekends, day, night, morning etc. , targeted audience and many other factors also play a key role.