Boost Exhibiting Success through Colour Psychology

You’ve invested a lot of time and money into preparing for your next trade show. You want to showcase your products or services to the right audience and generate leads and sales.  

It’s important your stand is unique, so it attracts the attention you need, matching the amount of effort you’ve put into the preparation for your exhibition.  

Attracting their attention is not enough. You need to engage and create a memorable experience, and this can be achieved through colour psychology.  

In this blog, we’ll explore what colour psychology is and how you can use it to influence your attendees. 

All the colours in the rainbow 

Colour psychology is the study of how colours affect our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Different colours can evoke different emotions and associations in our minds and influence our decisions and actions. Choosing the right colours for your booth can create an experience that will communicate your brand message, create a mood, and persuade your visitors to take action. 

How to choose colours based on their effects  

Colour is not just a visual phenomenon. It has a profound impact on our physiology and psychology. Not all colours are created equal in terms of how they affect us. Some colours have longer wavelengths and lower frequencies, such as red, orange, and yellow.  

These colours are warm colours, tending to be more stimulating, energetic, and attention-grabbing.  

Other colours have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies, such as blue, green, and violet.  

These colours are cool colours, embodying a more soothing, calming, and relaxing effect on your attendees.  

The effects of warm and cool colours on our physiology are frequently talked about. For example: 

• Warm colours can increase blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and metabolism 
• Cool colours can lower blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, and metabolism 
• Warm colours can enhance appetite, while cool colours can suppress it 
• Warm colours can cause eye strain, while cool colours can reduce it 

These effects are based on the biological factors that influence how we perceive different wavelengths of light. Colour has cultural and personal associations that can vary depending on the context and the individual.  

How do you choose the right colours for your booth?  

Choosing the right colours for your booth can be the difference between hitting your return on investment (ROI) or having an exhibition to brush under the carpet. 

When choosing colours for your brand, you must consider: 

• Your brand identity and your target audience. What are the values, personality, and goals of your brand? What are the needs, preferences, and expectations of your audience? Choose colours that match your brand identity and appeal to your audience. For example, if your brand is innovative and futuristic, you might want to use purple or silver. If your brand is eco-friendly and natural, you might want to use green or brown. 
• The context and the competition. What are the colours of the venue, the lighting, and the other exhibition stands? How can you create contrast and harmony with them? Choose colours that make your stand visible and distinctive, but also complementary and coherent with the surroundings. For example, if the venue has a lot of blue tones, you might want to use orange or yellow to create contrast. If the venue has a lot of neutral tones, you might want to use bright or saturated colours to create interest. 

Colours in Action 

The psychological effects of each colour can have different meanings and impacts on our emotions and cognition. Check out the infographic here for more information on colour psychology.