In summary: The "color psychology" popularized online and based on context-free generalizations has no scientific foundation. Peer-reviewed research demonstrates that measurable effects depend on saturation, brightness, and visual composition, not on color itself. Saturated colors increase willingness to pay by up to +18.5%; white space generates up to 3 times more clicks; rounded buttons produce +17-55% CTR; right-slanted fonts (italic) triple CTR in promotional emails. The match between brand type (utilitarian/hedonic) and layout visual structure produces a +39% increase in clicks.
Color psychology is every marketing guru's favorite playground. It is the perfect terrain: sufficiently "scientific" to seem credible, sufficiently vague to allow anyone to invent theories. "Red stimulates hunger!", "Blue conveys trust!", "Green is for ecology!". How many times have you heard these platitudes recycled from one blog post to another, without a single academic citation?
At Deep Marketing, we don't work that way. We are not interested in hearsay, cute infographics shared on LinkedIn, or color wheels spinning on Pinterest. We care about what peer-reviewed research says. The real kind. The kind that costs years of work, robust statistical samples, and review by ruthless colleagues.
And the truth is that the science of visual design in marketing is much richer, more nuanced, and more useful than the gurus want you to believe. It is not just about "choosing the right color." It is about saturation, brightness, space, shapes, textures, typography, visual composition. All measurable. All with quantified effects.
Brace yourselves: this article will forever ruin your relationship with color infographics.
What the research actually says (not recycled blog posts)
Most online content about "color psychology in marketing" is based on a single 2006 study by Satyendra Singh, often cited out of context, and on a handful of generalizations lacking any context. The result? A body of "rules" with no solid experimental foundation.
Academic research in recent years has taken a completely different direction. Instead of asking "which color works best?", researchers have focused on much more specific and useful questions:
- How does a color's saturation influence the perception of a product's size and weight?
- How does brightness modify the perception of softness and comfort?
- How does white space around a product change its perceived value?
- How does a button's shape influence the click-through rate?
- How does visual distance from the viewer modify brand perception?
These are concrete questions with measurable answers. And the answers are often surprising.
Two meta-studies in particular deserve attention: Yu (2023), published in the Journal of Advertising, which systematically analyzed the effect of white space in ad design, and Afonso and Janiszewski (2022), published in the Journal of Marketing, who synthesized decades of research on visual design into operational rules. To these we add the foundational work of Mead, Richerson, and Li (2020) in the Journal of Retailing on typography and its effect on purchase behavior.
Let's start with the data.
B2B vs. B2C: different rules for different worlds
The first major lesson from research is that there is no universally "better" color. Context is everything. And the most important context to consider is the distinction between B2B and B2C markets.
Research demonstrates that Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer markets respond to structurally different color palettes:
- B2B: cool and dark colors perform better. Blue, dark green, purple. They communicate competence, reliability, solidity. It is no coincidence that 75% of fintech and SaaS brands use variations of blue. But this is not a "blue rule" — it is a rule about color temperature and saturation in relation to the type of purchase decision (rational, collegial, high-risk).
- B2C: warm and bright colors dominate. Yellow, bright green, red, orange. They communicate energy, emotion, immediacy. They stimulate impulsive decisions and rapid emotional responses — exactly what you need when the consumer has 3 seconds to decide whether to stop on your ad.
This does not mean a B2B company cannot use red, or that a B2C brand must avoid blue. It means that the dominant palette must be consistent with the type of decision-making process your customer goes through. And this is an enormously more useful concept than "red stimulates hunger."
Saturation and brightness: the measured effects
Here we enter the territory where the marketing gurus get lost, because it requires understanding the difference between hue, saturation, and brightness. Three dimensions of color, three completely different effects on purchase behavior.
Saturation: strength, size, value
Saturation is the intensity of a color — how "vivid" it is compared to a gray version of the same color. And the effects on product perception are extraordinary.
Controlled studies have shown that more saturated colors communicate:
- Strength and durability — a product presented with saturated colors is perceived as more robust and resistant
- Larger size — the same product appears physically bigger
- Higher value — and here the data is impressive: research has measured a +18.5% increase in willingness to pay for a suitcase presented with saturated colors versus the same suitcase with desaturated colors
Conversely, desaturated colors communicate delicacy, lightness, compactness. If you sell small and lightweight products — minimalist jewelry, perfumes, slim accessories — desaturation is your ally.
Brightness: softness and comfort
Brightness (lightness) is how close a color is to white. And its effect is specific and measurable: lighter colors communicate softness and comfort.
This has direct implications for specific product categories. If you sell sofas, fabrics, towels, linens, casual clothing — the brightness of your color palette directly influences the tactile perception of the product, even when the customer hasn't touched it yet. It is a form of synesthesia induced by design: the light color "tells" the fingers that the product will be soft.
Think about it: how many luxury linen brands use light, pastel, luminous palettes? It is no coincidence. It is applied neuroscience — even though many of those brands probably arrived there through intuition rather than study.
Beyond colors: space, shape, texture
And this is where the article takes a turn that most "color gurus" don't expect. Because research shows that color is just one of the variables — and not always the most important one — in visual design for marketing.
White space: the power of empty space
Yu (2023), in his systematic study published in the Journal of Advertising, quantified what designers had intuited for decades: empty space sells.
But the numbers are staggering:
- Products with more space between them in advertising compositions generate sales up to +98% compared to cluttered layouts
- White space around products increases the perception of prestige and value
- In digital ads, white space generates up to 3 times more clicks
Let us repeat: up to 3 times more clicks. Simply by giving the product more space. No color change, no different copy, no special offer. Just space.
This single data point should make countless companies rethink their entire approach to digital advertising. Yet what do most Italian SMEs do? They cram their ads with 47 products, 12 prices, 3 logos, 2 certifications, and a QR code. The exact opposite of what research recommends.
CTA buttons: roundness pays off
Another discovery with immediate implications: the shape of call-to-action buttons significantly influences the click-through rate. Buttons with rounded corners generate +17% to +55% higher CTR compared to buttons with square corners.
The mechanism is elegant: rounded corners communicate friendliness, accessibility, safety. Sharp corners, on the other hand, activate (at a pre-conscious level) alert circuits — the human brain is programmed to pay attention to edges, which in nature signal potential danger.
This does not mean square buttons are always wrong. It means that if your goal is to maximize the click-through rate, roundness is a statistically significant advantage.
Glossy products with reflections
Want to make your products more attractive in photos? Add reflections and glossiness. Research has measured a +23% increase in perceived attractiveness and a +32% increase in purchase intent for products presented with glossy finishes and luminous reflections.
There is an important caveat: this effect works better for simple designs. If the product already has a complex design, adding glossiness risks creating visual noise. But for products with clean, minimal design — smartphones, cosmetics, electronics — reflections are a free sales multiplier.
Evidence-based fonts and typography
And now let's talk about something that almost no "color expert" ever mentions: fonts. Because typography is a fundamental component of visual design and its effects on purchase behavior are measurable and significant.
Serif vs. Sans-Serif: tradition versus modernity
Serif fonts (with "serifs" — those small decorative strokes at the ends of letters) communicate tradition, stability, reliability. Sans-serif fonts communicate modernity, cleanliness, simplicity.
Nothing new so far. But research has added a much more interesting dimension.
The power of italic: triples CTR
The study by Mead, Richerson, and Li (2020), published in the Journal of Retailing, produced results that should change the way you write every single promotional email.
Right-slanted fonts (italic, dynamic right-slanted) in promotional communications produce:
- Tripled CTR compared to standard upright fonts
- +30.7% increase in purchase intent
The mechanism? The rightward slant communicates speed and urgency at a perceptual level. The brain interprets the slant as forward movement — and therefore as dynamism, rapidity, an opportunity that is passing by. An unconscious visual metaphor that translates into action.
Note: this does not mean putting everything in italics. It means that in promotional emails, in limited-time offer banners, in sale countdowns, the strategic use of italic can triple your conversions. For free. Without spending a single extra cent on media buying.
Structured vs. unstructured design: the brand match
Afonso and Janiszewski (2022), in their monumental study "Marketing by Design" published in the Journal of Marketing, discovered a rule with profound implications for creative strategy.
There are two large families of brands based on the primary benefit they offer:
- Utilitarian brands: they solve a practical problem (software, tools, insurance, financial services)
- Hedonic brands: they offer pleasure, experience, emotion (fashion, food & beverage, entertainment, travel)
The discovery is that the layout type must match the brand type:
- Utilitarian brands + structured design (orderly grids, precise alignment, symmetry) = +39% clicks
- Hedonic brands + unstructured design (asymmetric layout, overlapping elements, dynamic compositions) = +39% clicks
The match is crucial. A utilitarian brand with an unstructured design loses credibility. A hedonic brand with a rigid layout loses appeal. And the penalty is symmetrical: the mismatch costs exactly as much as the match gains.
This means that before choosing colors, fonts, and images, you must answer a fundamental question: "Is our brand utilitarian or hedonic?". The answer determines the entire visual architecture.
Gaze, distance, glossiness: visual composition
The latest discoveries concern the composition of the image itself — how products, models, and visual elements are positioned. And here the research has produced results that challenge common sense.
Curved lines and smiles in the logo
Logos that contain upward-curved lines — resembling the shape of a smile — generate +20% product choice compared to logos with straight lines or downward curves. The human brain is a face-recognition machine and interprets curves as facial expressions. Position your curves like a smiling face. Brands like Argos and Yoplait already do this — probably by intuition, but science has confirmed them.
Distance from the viewer
Another counterintuitive discovery: the apparent distance of the product from the viewer in the advertising image must match the brand's positioning.
- Premium brands: product positioned far from the viewer = +15.8% effectiveness. Distance communicates exclusivity, aspiration, unattainable desirability
- Mainstream brands: product positioned close to the viewer = +15.6% effectiveness. Proximity communicates accessibility, familiarity, immediacy
Think about it: Rolex ads show the watch in distant, aspirational settings. Casio ads put it on the wrist, close, accessible. This is no coincidence.
The model's gaze
If you use models in your advertising, the direction of their gaze matters — and not a little:
- Averted gaze (the model looks away): works better for pleasure products, with a +30% increase in sales. The averted gaze creates mystery, desire, aspiration
- Direct gaze (the model looks into the camera): works better for functional products. The direct gaze creates trust, connection, transparency
Visual metaphors and realism
Visual metaphors — images that represent a concept figuratively — generate +24% recall at one week, confirmed by fMRI studies. The brain works harder to decode a metaphor, and this additional cognitive effort consolidates the memory.
But be careful about consistency: realistic images work better for communicating a product's core benefits. Unrealistic or surreal images work better for products that have some drawback to mask — because they shift attention from the rational to the emotional.
Table: colors and their measured effects with sources
Table: visual design rules by sector
How to apply these rules in 2026: a practical checklist
Enough theory. Here is an actionable checklist you can apply tomorrow morning to your visual marketing. Every point is supported by the research we have analyzed.
1. Audit your color palette
- Are you B2B? Verify that your dominant palette uses cool and dark tones
- Are you B2C? Verify that your primary colors are warm and bright
- Check saturation: if you sell "robust" or "large" products, use high saturation. If you sell delicate or compact products, desaturate
- Check brightness: if you sell comfort (textiles, furniture, wellness), go with light tones
2. Audit your white space
- Take your last 10 digital ads. Count how many elements are in each ad
- If you have more than 3, you are probably losing clicks. Reduce them
- Increase the space between products in your compositions. The +98% in sales is no joke
- Test versions with much more white space than your current ads
3. Audit your CTA buttons
- Do your buttons have rounded corners? If not, change them. Now
- A/B test the corner radius: the optimal roundness depends on the context, but start with a generous border-radius
4. Typographic audit
- Do you use italic in your promotional emails? If not, start testing it for offer headlines
- Is your font consistent with your positioning? Serif for tradition, sans-serif for innovation
5. Audit your photography composition
- Are you a premium brand? Are your products photographed "from a distance"? If they are too close, you are communicating "mainstream"
- Are you a mainstream brand? Are your products close enough and accessible?
- Do you use models? Is their gaze consistent with the product type? Averted for pleasure, direct for functionality
6. Layout audit
- Is your brand utilitarian? Is the layout structured and orderly?
- Is your brand hedonic? Is the layout dynamic and unstructured?
- If there is a mismatch, you are losing 39% of clicks. Fix it
7. Logo audit
- Does your logo contain upward curves? If possible, integrate "smile-like" shapes
- Add reflections and glossiness to your product photos — but only if the design is simple
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does the color red really increase hunger and sales in the food industry?
This is one of the most widespread urban legends in marketing. The reality is that no robust peer-reviewed study demonstrates a direct and universal effect of red on appetite. What research does show is that warm and saturated colors (including red, but also orange and yellow) attract attention more quickly and stimulate more intense emotional responses. In a B2C context, this can translate into an advantage — but it is not "red = hunger." It is saturation and color temperature in relation to the decision-making process.
How important is the CTA button color for conversions?
The button color matters less than you think, and the shape matters more than you think. Research shows that rounded buttons generate +17-55% CTR compared to square buttons, regardless of color. What really matters in button color is the contrast with the background — the button must be immediately visible. Whether it is red, green, or blue is secondary to its shape and visibility.
Do "color wheels" really work for choosing a brand palette?
Color wheels with complementary, analogous, and triadic combinations are useful from an aesthetic standpoint, but they have no foundation in evidence-based marketing. Palette selection should start from the market type (B2B vs. B2C), the brand type (utilitarian vs. hedonic), the product type (robust vs. delicate, large vs. small), and the positioning (premium vs. mainstream). These are the real drivers of color choice, not geometric harmonies on the wheel.
Does white space work for budget or discount brands too?
This is a common objection: "But if I use a lot of white space, won't I look too premium?" The research answer is nuanced. White space increases the perception of prestige and value — and for a discount brand, this could be counterproductive if the goal is to communicate affordability. However, the data on +98% in sales and 3x more clicks suggest that even mainstream brands benefit from a cleaner layout. The key is finding the right balance: not the minimal austerity of a luxury brand, but certainly less chaos than the typical clutter of promotional flyers.
Does the italic font work on social media too, or only in emails?
The study by Mead, Richerson, and Li (2020) focused on promotional emails, where the effect was measured as a tripled CTR. However, the underlying mechanism — the rightward slant as a signal of speed and urgency — is a general perceptual principle. It is reasonable to expect similar effects in advertising banners, stories, and promotional posts. But the magnitude of the effect may vary. Our advice: test it in your specific channels, starting with emails where the data is strongest.
How do I know if my brand is "utilitarian" or "hedonic"?
Ask yourself: "Does my customer buy to solve a problem or to experience pleasure?". Management software is utilitarian. A restaurant is hedonic. Insurance is utilitarian. A perfume is hedonic. Many brands are a mix — a car is both functional and aspirational. In these cases, the layout should reflect the primary benefit being communicated in each specific campaign. A campaign about car safety? Structured layout. A campaign about the thrill of driving? Unstructured layout.
Do visual metaphors work for any type of product?
Visual metaphors generate +24% recall at one week, a finding confirmed by fMRI studies. However, research distinguishes between two cases: for communicating a product's core benefits (its primary function), realistic images are more effective. For products with some drawback or disadvantage (high price, limited features), unrealistic or metaphorical images work better because they shift attention from the rational to the emotional plane. The rule: use metaphors for branding and awareness, realism for direct conversion.
Sources and References
- Yu, Ponomarenko & Liska — How to Allocate White Space in Ad Design, Journal of Advertising (2023)
- Affonso & Janiszewski — Marketing by Design: The Influence of Perceptual Structure on Brand Performance, Journal of Marketing (2023)
- Mead, Richerson & Li — Dynamic Right-Slanted Fonts Increase the Effectiveness of Promotional Retail Advertising, Journal of Retailing (2020)
- Ketron — Color Saturation and Perceived Sensory Intensity, Psychology & Marketing (2025)
- Labrecque et al. — Color Me Effective: The Impact of Color Saturation on Perceptions of Potency, Journal of Marketing (2025)
- Pichierri — Less Saturated, More Eco-Friendly: Color Saturation and Consumer Perception, Psychology & Marketing (2023)
