You and Your Car's Color
by CP Staff
The importance and psychology of color is unmistakable, particularly in the automotive realm. Both automakers and paint suppliers have trained experts to deal with both the nuances and novelties.
"It's critical," confirmed Susan Sage, Color and Materials design manager, at Ford Motor Company. "Color creates an aesthetic emotion. If it's a color that the customer loves, if it gives them that sense of balance and comfort, they'll want it. It can make or break a sale."
Determining the color palette for a vehicle is no simple process, she says. It's a collaborative effort among designers intent on creating a harmonious interior and exterior color package that will appeal to customers and enhance the design cues of the vehicle itself.
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The importance of color can't be overstated, agrees Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and author of six books on the topic. In fact, in "The Color Answer Book," Eiseman specifically addresses the significance of color and cars.
"Color and emotion are tied in together, and buying a car is a very emotional thing for a lot of people," she said. "A car is really an extension of your personality, an extension of who you are and how you want to be perceived."
Color is powerful, sometimes changing how others see you, she says.
The color of a car speaks volumes. While there are a wealth of different shades that must be considered, here are some basic messages each color conveys:
Black: Empowered; not easily manipulated. Loves elegance, appreciates the classics.
White: Fastidious
Deep Blue-Red: Some of the same qualities of vibrant red - sexy, speedy, high-energy and dynamic - but far less obvious about it.
Light to Mid-Blue: Cool, calm, quiet.
Dark blue: Credible, confident and dependable.
Silver: Elegant, futuristic, cool.
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