As a social media marketer, color is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. Use it wisely and you can inspire audiences to view your brand more positively and take action.
But how, exactly, does color psychology work? What do the different colors “mean” in a marketing context? And which colors are the right fit for your social media strategy?
Read on to answer all those questions and more…
What Is Color Psychology (and How Does It Affect Social Media Marketing)?
Color psychology is the study of how different colors inspire and inform human behaviors. The impact can be significant:
- Research published in the Journal of Business & Tourism noted that color can affect approximately 62% – 90% of assessments about a product.
- A study published in the journal Management Decision claimed that the use of colors in a fast food setting can “increase or decrease appetite, enhance mood, calm down customers, and reduce perception of waiting time”.
- Researchers writing in the Expert Journal of Marketing stated that colors “attract the attention of customers who seek to make a choice between several different brands”, and “have a profound impact on brand development”.
But color psychology isn’t black and white (pun intended). Perceptions of colors can change based on a range of factors, including age, gender, and cultural background. A color that means something to one group of consumers may have totally different connotations for another audience.
8 Examples of Color Psychology
First, the bad news:
Given that there are a lot of variables at play here, it’s impossible to give universal advice about exactly which colors to use in different social media marketing scenarios.
What we can do, however, is share some general interpretations (and real-world social media content examples) to guide your decision-making.
Let’s get into it…
| Color | Associated with… | Used by… |
| Red | Action, passion, excitement | ● Coca-Cola ● H&M ● McDonald’s |
| Orange | Warmth, comfort, creativity | ● Burger King ● Penguin Random House ● Timberland |
| Yellow | Inspiration, optimism, positivity | ● Caterpillar ● Lay’s ● Snapchat |
| Green | Growth, generosity, wellbeing | ● Heineken ● Starbucks ● QuickBooks |
| Blue | Calmness, trust, responsibility | ● Lowe’s ● Michelin ● Pepsi |
| Pink | Playfulness, empathy, kindness | ● Barbie ● Baskin-Robbins ● T-Mobile |
| Brown | Comfort, sophistication, warmth | ● Hershey’s ● UPS ● Yves Saint Laurent |
| Black | Cool, luxurious, stylish | ● Apple ● Cartier ● Nike |
Red
When To Use It
Red is typically seen as a bold and dynamic color with the ability to drive action. That’s why it’s often used in CTA buttons, like this example from Netflix:
However, it’s also a diverse color, associated with both positive emotions (like passion and excitement) and negative ones (like anger and fear).
So, as with any color, there’s no single scenario in which you should use red. But it’s generally a good fit if you want to grab your audience’s attention and create an impression.
High-Profile Brands That Use Red
- Coca-Cola
- H&M
- McDonald’s
Examples of Red in Social Media Marketing
Coca-Cola used the color red in this campaign for World Kindness Day:
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Of course, it helps that Coke is already strongly associated with the color. But even without this brand affiliation, red feels like a good fit for a campaign designed to express feelings of warmth and positivity.
Orange
When To Use It
While red is kinda ambiguous, orange is almost universally used to provoke positive feelings such as creativity, comfort, and friendliness.
While some brands use orange in their social media marketing all year round, the color also has seasonal connotations. At the height of summer, it can be used to create a warm, sunny feel. But it’s most common in fall – and, in the western world, it’s especially popular around Halloween.
High-Profile Brands That Use Orange
- Burger King
- Penguin Random House
- Timberland
Examples of Orange in Social Media Marketing
This Instagram in-feed post from Penguin Books makes smart use of the color orange:
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For starters, it shows a strong understanding of color theory, in which complementary color combinations sit opposite one another on a “color wheel”. Orange and green aren’t total opposites, but they’re close enough that the green of the book cover is guaranteed to stand out against the orange background.
And then there’s the fact that orange is often associated with creativity, making it a good fit for a creative industry like publishing.
Yellow
When To Use It
Most people associate the color yellow with sunshine. It’s warm and optimistic, helping to lend a feeling of inspiration and positivity to your social media marketing.
However, it can also blend into the background when used alongside a bunch of other bright colors (like lighter oranges and greens), which can stop your messaging from standing out.
High-Profile Brands That Use Yellow
- Caterpillar
- Lay’s
- Snapchat
Examples of Yellow in Social Media Marketing
Regardless of color psychology, some colors are just a better fit for some brands than others. Especially if your brand has strong associations with a certain color, just like Lay’s and yellow:
@laysfútbol or football, I’m bringing the Lay’s 😎♬ original sound – lays
They’re not necessarily looking to instill a specific emotion here – they’re just trying to reinforce the brand’s visual messaging.
Green
When To Use It
In many western countries, green is associated with wealth, partly due to the color of US dollar bills. As such, it has lots of positive connotations – think growth, generosity, and wellbeing.
However, the phrase “green with envy” shows that there’s also a negative side to the color green. Like with any color, it’s all about the context in which you use it.
High-Profile Brands That Use Green
- Heineken
- Starbucks
- QuickBooks
Examples of Green in Social Media Marketing
Given its feelings of prosperity and growth, green is a great fit in any financial-related industry. Take this example from QuickBooks:
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The accounting software company uses color psychology to subtly suggest that small business owners can be more productive and successful by leveraging its advice.
Blue
When To Use It
Blue is on the “cold” side of the color wheel, so you might think it’s best avoided if you want people to view your brand and products in a warm, positive light.
However, an old but still widely cited survey from YouGov named blue as the most popular color in 10 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. So maybe it’s not such a bad choice.
Blue doesn’t stand out as strongly as more striking colors like orange and red, but it does evoke a feel of trust and stability.
High-Profile Brands That Use Blue
- Lowe’s
- Michelin
- Pepsi
Examples of Blue in Social Media Marketing
Lowe’s often leans on the color blue in its marketing material (hardly surprising given that it’s in the company’s logo).
But the hardware chain made particular use of the color throughout the Southern California wildfires of early 2025:
Because blue is associated with feelings of calmness and responsibility, it was a strong fit for a disaster response campaign.
Pink
When To Use It
Pink is often seen as a feminine color. As such, it’s associated with a wealth of positive feminine sentiments, like kindness and empathy. So it’s a fantastic choice for any brand trying to build an emotional connection with its audience.
Of course, it’s also fun – hence its longstanding connection to Barbie. When the Barbie movie came out, the world was awash with pink marketing messaging.
High-Profile Brands That Use Pink
- Barbie
- Baskin-Robbins
- T-Mobile
Examples of Pink in Social Media Marketing
Pink is, above all else, a playful color. It’d be a surprising fit for a business in a serious, professional industry – but a natural choice for a brand specializing in delicious sweet treats, like Baskin-Robbins:
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This sort of fun messaging, combined with the pink color palette, helps people associate the brand with good times and a general feeling of lightheartedness.
Brown
When To Use It
Brown is comfortable and down to earth. It’s also a rich color – think decadent chocolate or elegant dark wood. Brown also has a vintage aesthetic, with the color particularly associated with the 1970s. So if you’re looking to give your marketing a sophisticated, timeless look, it could be a strong choice.
Just don’t overdo it. Too much brown on your social feed can end up looking boring and conservative. But then again, you don’t want to overdo any color.
High-Profile Brands That Use Brown
- Hershey’s
- UPS
- Yves Saint Laurent
Examples of Brown in Social Media Marketing
YSL goes all-in on the brown color palette in a series of videos inspired by Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time. Here’s one example:
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This campaign looks classic while feeling super up-to-date, which is probably precisely what YSL was going for.
Black
When To Use It
Let’s be honest – everyone uses black in their marketing, constantly. It’s basically impossible to avoid.
But making a conscious effort to lean heavily on black can make your campaigns feel sophisticated and cool. Or it can feel bleak and emotionless. As with everything in the world of color psychology, it’s all a matter of how you use it.
High-Profile Brands That Use Black
- Apple
- Cartier
- Nike
Examples of Black in Social Media Marketing
Nike often uses a monochrome color palette, like in this campaign featuring a host of high-profile female athletes:
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Black is always on trend, so it’s a safe choice for any brand looking for a stylishly cool aesthetic. Plus it looks serious, which can lend your campaign some extra weight and encourage audiences to listen to your messaging.
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Featured image by Pexels.
