Yellow: Moving beyond sunshine
Living in Texas is a bright yellow proposition.
Over 300 days out of the year, the sun is shining radiantly overhead. (I don’t mean to rub it in…remember: the summers are often a daily BBQ!)
In August, the sun shows no mercy in the mid-afternoon. Standing in the direct sun on an August Texas afternoon must be what a bug feels like under a magnifying glass.
January sun is more rewarding. While much of the nation shovels, scrapes, and spins its wheels, Texans revel in the warm rays of Mother Nature.
It would seem that we nearly constantly live under a yellowish hue – always squinting, always reaching for the sunglasses.
But yellow isn’t just in favor out of doors under the blue sky. Yellow is in fashion elsewhere.
Retailers are turning to yellow to brighten our moods and encourage us to spend.
Fast foods joints Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s have for years whet our appetites with the bright yellows, oranges, and reds. No wonder I can’t resist the ultra large fries!
Subliminally, there’s a reason behind the yellowish hue.
According to About.com:
- “Yellow is a bright that is often described as cheery and warm.”
- “Yellow is also the most fatiguing to the eye due to the high amount of light that is reflected.”
- “Yellow can also increase the metabolism.”
- “Since yellow is the most visible color, it is also the most attention-getting color.”
A recent trip to the local Toys ‘R Us demonstrated the power of yellow to stimulate the wallet.
The entire ceiling was bathed in yellow. This retailer’s fun environs just became ridiculously giddy because of my subconscious.
On your next shopping expedition, look around and see how color is being used to persuade, influence, or coerce you to add a few more items in the cart.
Share: How have you seen color (on-line or off-line) being used to play with your emotions?
Do you notice?
Strangely enough, today’s actually a cloudy day here in Texas. It won’t last. I want to feel cheery, warm , yellow.
How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun – Vincent Van Gogh
Until next time,
Dan Naden
