Web Design Colors and Culture
Beyond personal preferences, colors need to be selected in function of the target audience of a web site. Market assessment will imply cultural elements which will impact on the choice of colors.
Many cultures attribute special meanings or cult to colors. Here are some of the most common ones:
Red
China: Good luck, celebration, summoning
Cherokees: Success, triumph
India: Purity
South Africa: Color of mourning
Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism
Eastern: Worn by brides
Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green)
Red
Orange
Ireland: Religious (Protestants)
Western: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumn
Orange
Yellow
China: Nourishing
Egypt: Color of mourning
Japan: Courage
India: Merchants
Western: Hope, hazards, coward
Yellow
Green
China: Green hats indicate a man’s wife is cheating on him, exorcism
India: Islam
Ireland: Symbol of the entire country
Western: Spring, new birth, go, Saint Patrick’s Day, Christmas (with red)
Green
Blue
Cherokees: Defeat, trouble
Iran: Color of heaven and spirituality
Western: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, “something blue” bridal tradition
Blue
Purple
Thailand: Color of mourning (widows)
Western: Royalty
Purple
White
Japan: White carnation symbolizes death
Eastern: Funerals
Western: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove)
White
Black
China: Color for young boys
Western: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellion
Black
Other Considerations
As you would not give pink roses to a bride in Thailand, you would not set up a Valentines site in pink with a Thai audience. Or how about selling wedding accessories in Japan on a site decorated with white carnation?
A site for accessories for new-born babies in white? Impossible in most of Asia.
But then, there is more to it. Besides the traditional values, there are also criteria of fashion and trends. While a few years ago black sites were in, today you see more gray tones. Younger generations prefer grunge style, while older people prefer harmony, pastels and smooth looks.
| Author: Yorgo Nestoridis, Media Marketing & Publishing, Founder of YORGOO Publishing, YORGOO Press and Semiomantics.
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Web Design Colors and Culture
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Web Design Colors and Culture
Beyond personal preferences, colors need to be selected in function of the target audience of a web site. Market assessment will imply cultural elements which will impact on the choice of colors.
Many cultures attribute special meanings or cult to colors. Here are some of the most common ones:
Red
China: Good luck, celebration, summoning
Cherokees: Success, triumph
India: Purity
South Africa: Color of mourning
Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism
Eastern: Worn by brides
Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green)
Red
Orange
Ireland: Religious (Protestants)
Western: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumn
Orange
Yellow
China: Nourishing
Egypt: Color of mourning
Japan: Courage
India: Merchants
Western: Hope, hazards, coward
Yellow
Green
China: Green hats indicate a man’s wife is cheating on him, exorcism
India: Islam
Ireland: Symbol of the entire country
Western: Spring, new birth, go, Saint Patrick’s Day, Christmas (with red)
Green
Blue
Cherokees: Defeat, trouble
Iran: Color of heaven and spirituality
Western: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, “something blue” bridal tradition
Blue
Purple
Thailand: Color of mourning (widows)
Western: Royalty
Purple
White
Japan: White carnation symbolizes death
Eastern: Funerals
Western: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove)
White
Black
China: Color for young boys
Western: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellion
Black
Other Considerations
As you would not give pink roses to a bride in Thailand, you would not set up a Valentines site in pink with a Thai audience. Or how about selling wedding accessories in Japan on a site decorated with white carnation?
A site for accessories for new-born babies in white? Impossible in most of Asia.
But then, there is more to it. Besides the traditional values, there are also criteria of fashion and trends. While a few years ago black sites were in, today you see more gray tones. Younger generations prefer grunge style, while older people prefer harmony, pastels and smooth looks.
If you enjoyed reading the above, please consider following future tips and strategies by RSS reader, Email delivery, or Kindle subscription.
More about this Topic