Can Colors Influence Purchase Decisions?

Do you really believe that colors influence purchase decisions no matter how good or bad actual product is?

Right from our childhood, we develop a sense of liking for some colors. Our society also plays a major role in developing or influencing our liking to a particular set of colors. Be it social or physiological, we, human beings have a subconscious connection with colors. Successful marketers exploit this connection by carefully examining the science behind this. 

How do we see things?
One of the 5 senses in human body is that of "Vision". Our Human Eye has retina which contains photoreceptors (sensors which convert light into electric signals). The electric signals are sent to brain for processing via 'Optic nerve'. Brain then make sense of the object & identify it's identity.

NOTE: Image is formed on retina. The image will only form when the object reflects light thrown upon it. 

How image is formed on retina

How we recognize the object

 [Source for this image: http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk]

How color is determined?
Retina contains millions of photoreceptor cells called as rods & cones. Rods cells contain a protein called as 'rhodopsin' which is responsible for our night vision. Cones cells forms basis for our color vision. There are basically 3 types of cones cells. L-type is tuned to perceive long wavelength (Red), M-cones are tuned to perceive middle wavelength (Green) & S-cones are tuned to perceive short wavelength (Blue).

NOTE: Visible light that a human eye can detect consists of wavelengths ranging from approximately 780 nanometer down to 390 nanometer.

Visible Light Spectrum

[Source for this image: www.physicsclassroom.com]

 So what it is in there for marketers?

The answer lies in Colors & their associated qualities or emotions. 

• Red: excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger.

• Blue (most popular color): trust, reliability, belonging, coolness.

• Yellow: warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness

• Orange: playfulness, warmth, vibrant

• Green: nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance

• Purple: royal, spirituality, dignity

• Pink: soft, sweet, nurture, security

• White: pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild.

• Black: sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery

• Gold: prestige, expensive

• Silver: prestige, cold, scientific

Following infographic from Kissmetrics is the most popular infographic in this context:

How do colors affect purchase?

A marketer must read its target audience well. A decision on brand color can be a crucial one & should not be done subjectively or on a hit and trial basis. It could turn out to be a make or break decision in the long run.

Happy Selling !

R.I.C.E. Therapy

Well, i must be fair & give due credit to that last push up gone bad which has forced me to write this blog post. Ouch !

R.I.C.E. is a basic level of first aid which is extensively used by healthcare practitioners around the world in acute soft tissue injury cases.

R = Rest
I = Ice
C = Compression
E = Elevation

Be it a muscular strain or a sprain around joint, RICE therapy is absolutely critical to bring the pain down instantly & control the long term deleterious effects of swelling. An acute trauma to soft tissues may cause instant swelling & unbearable pain around the affected area of body. The causes of trauma can be numerous - you fell from a table, smashed your thumb by hammer or any object, injured while playing sports, fight with your peers, roadside accident etc.

1. REST - Avoid moving the affected region. So, if it's a smashed finger then just don't move your fingers. Keep them immobile. Movement in pain can lead to increase in the inflammation or swelling.

2. ICE - This is critical & very important. Apply ice-packs on & around the affected region. Ice or a cold environment helps decrease the swelling. If swelling persists, it may lead to stiffness which may in turn reduce movements in future. Hence, it is important to reduce swelling as early as possible else, your physiotherapy sessions may increase. 
If you don't have ice packs, just put crushed ice in a plastic bag & seal it to avoid leakage.

How to apply ice packs: Don't just put ice pack or crushed ice as is. Soak a towel in water & place that wet towel on the affected area. On top of that wet towel put ice packs. Wet towel will ensure that the affected area is not exposed to too much of cold temperature. (Caution: too much cold can also damage tissues).

3. COMPRESSION - Compression also targets at reducing the swelling around the affected area. But this should only be done by trained healthcare professional because compression done wrongly can actually increase the pain & swelling in that region.

4. ELEVATION - By elevating the part, we're not allowing the fluid to accumulate at one place. Elevation aids in the movement of the fluid & helps reduce swelling eventually. Hence, if you've a sprained ankle, it's advisable to lie on your back and elevate the affected leg by putting a pillow under the leg. 

RICE Therapy for Knee Sprain

 (Image source: orthoinfo.aaos.org)

By and large, you would have noticed that all these methods aim at reducing the swelling around the affected area.

Pain killers (medicines/sprays) along with RICE Therapy can significantly reduce pain & swelling.

Note: RICE therapy is beneficial only in cases of acute injury & not when it's chronic.

Have a Healthy Living !

Low Back Pain

Blame it on our lifestyle  or call it a price of living in a modern world. The fact remains - We're not FIT. I believe, it would be more apt to say that we're rather evolving. Evolving to some kind of a species with a twisted posture.

Newton's first law says it all. Most of us find ourselves in this comfort zone that we've build around us. We live like what we feel is the more comfortable way of living. Of course, there's no harm in living a comfortable life. The only price that we're paying is our life expectancy & to some extent passing it to our next generation.

Oops, i think i got too emotional. i always get carried away :D

The topic i intended to write about is 'Low Back Pain'. And when i say low back pain, i refer to pain due to intervertebral disc bulge. It's also called as disc prolapse. If untreated, it may lead to sciatica or even paralysis of lower limb (pelvic area & legs).

We all must have some experienced that itch at the low back. I've myself treated most patients of low back pain than any other musculoskeletal disorder in my career. It just happens, that snap, that jerk, during weightlifting in the gym, while coughing or sneezing. Some of us are more prone to it (tall individuals, drivers, genetic etc.). 

REASON: Disc bulge can happen whenever intradiscal pressue gets increased (any sudden jerk in lower back can do that). 

Disc Bulge

WHAT IT DOES: As the pressure on disc increases, a jelly like substance from within the disc comes out which presses upon the spinal nerves (that carry sensations to our lower body or that provide strength to our lower body). Prolonged pressure on spinal nerves may damage them (this may lead to loss of sensations in the lower body, weakness, tingling, electric current like pain at the back of leg, localized pain at the centre of low back etc.).

WHAT TO DO: First - Visit your physiotherapist. Second - Have rest. Third - Complete treatment. Fourth - Take precautions.

EXERCISES: When there's no pain, following exercises are beneficial in cases of low back pain ('Bridging' is a key exercise): 

Low Back Exercises (Source for this image: www.spinalsurgeon.com)

PLEASE NOTE: This post is for information only & should not be used for self treatment. 

Have a Healthy Living :-) 

Hitman Absolution

I recently finished playing 'Hitman Absolution' on my PC. The last time i played a hitman was approximately 8 years ago & i must agree the game play has improved significantly. 

I started this game after finishing Max Payne 3 & Black Ops2 & i was wondering what next !! Considering my liking for fast paced action type games & my awful past experiences with hitman series, i had my own set of fears before starting this one.

But, when i started the game, i got engaged with the story, game play & pace. Overall, it's a nice game with brilliant graphics & great background score. A must have game for those who like stealth type action games & a bald assassin with a tattoo at the back of head :D

My Score: 7.5/10

See for yourself.