TITLE

The Secret Psychology of Sneaker Colors

DESCRIPTION

How do we make choices?   Are we aware of the influences that determine how we choose?   This interesting article examines how sneaker companies determine the colors of the next choice their customers make.   How does advertising key in to a particular demographic and then manipulate to get more sales?  “The links between color and emotion have been studied for centuries, from Carl Jung’s color coding of personality traits to focus groups evaluating the ways in which candy colors can affect perceptions of flavor. Drug companies color their pills “cool” or “hot” according to desired effect (hypnotics are often blue or green, antidepressants yellow), and we use SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) lamps in winter to replicate the energizing qualities of a sunny day.”  “Beyond the obvious, however, we all have complex personal relationships with colors. To some, these carefully chosen and configured sneaker shades and patterns may just look interesting, a mess or simply pretty. But to others they’ll feel something poetic, perhaps profound. That’s where color theory gets deep.”

Read this fascinating article and think in Psychological terms:  how would you design a study of how color influences preferences?

SOURCE

New York Times, May 24, 2021, By Mark C. O’Flaherty

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/24/style/sneaker-color-psychology.html?smid=em-share

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/nsunptec

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•According to the article, what are the factors that advertising uses to influence the consumer?

•What is the Psychology that designers use to determine the colors of sneakers?

•Using your text book, how does media affect behavior?

• After reading this article and thinking in Psychological terms:  how would you design a study of how color influences preferences?