Inspiring editorial from MIX Magazine
The way we categorise and name colours varies significantly depending on circumstance, experience and location. Here, we explore word-colour connections and psychology, along with the impending impact Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have on our insight into text and colours.
There is a strong relationship between colours and words. Understanding these connections and associations and how they influence our emotional responses is an important area of research for the design industry.
Word-colour associations see people match specific colours with particular words, letters, or numbers and it is important to understand these parallels when successfully applying colour in product design, advertising and marketing. Essentially, the emotional meaning behind a particular colour name plays a vital role in the consumer experience of any given thing. This also extends to a scheme or palette where collective choices could elicit an entirely different response.
MIX Magazine 74 | LAND 2025 Colour Palette
Colour and mood go hand in hand. Colour psychology is about understanding how humans perceive and interpret colours, and how language influences perception. Cultural and social factors play a part in shaping colour naming, with consideration to symbolic and emotional connotations. An adjective can instantly connect a colour to an event or experience, and in doing so can evoke a psychological link that may be positive or negative depending on the viewer’s memory.
In the main, investigating relationships starts from finding the strength between a colour and various terms or words, often tested by using opposite adjectives such as weak/strong or warm/cool. But what happens when we start with a term such as ‘contemporary’ or ‘traditional’ and determine the colours connected to these words? The latest technological developments enable AI to determine these findings. Consider analysing trending events and opinions on social media via text for example, and then being able to connect these with colours to determine the palette most appropriate for the desired outcome.
Huedata
AI is able to analyse large datasets, including written text. It can significantly sway word-colour associations by providing a systematic and data-driven approach to modelling how humans think about colours and words. By developing algorithms and models, appropriate names can be identified, and specific colours, patterns and trends highlighted. This information can provide a more nuanced view of colour perception and offers potential in building a stronger relationship between user and product.
Huedata
The potential for design tools that allow users to input a word and be presented with a colour palette is gaining much attention. This method could therefore offer deeper insight into the relationships between words and colour preferences across cultures and sub-cultures in the future.
MIX Magazine is a print and digital publication by our creative agency, Colour Hive and is available as part of the PIONEER subscription of In Colour.
Duha Group is a global, industry leading manufacturer of innovative colour marketing tools. We specialise in colour matching, colour mass reproduction and colour system management.
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