Colours and shapes are the two things to which we respond immediately. Letters and numbers are to be processed by the mind . The order of visual elements for remembering them is colour and shapes first and letters and numbers later. We all are familiar with Pepsi’s blue, Coke’s red and Kodak’s yellow. Colour association acts as a mnemonic device. In the clutter of a multi-product environment at the retail outlet, colour facilitates easy selection. Colour scheme of retail outlets of gas stations does help drivers on highways. Colour also evokes positive qualities and attributes of a brand.

Colours also affect us psychologically. They can be warm or cool . Colours are perceived in the cultural context. Our experience also affects our perception of colours. Yellow, orange and red are associated with the sun . Blue is associated with the skies and waters. Green is associated with the plants.

Cool colours are remote from us whereas warm colours are closer to us. But vivid cool colours when juxtaposed with subtle warm colour do dominate . Colours also affect our perception of depth. Some colours arouse us too much, e.g. red whereas some don’t, e.g. blue and green. The brightness or darkness of colour alters the psychology of the message.

Colours affect our physiology also, e.g. they affect our blood pressure, heart-beat and the senses.