Tag Archives: blue

favourite colour

design, opinions/rants, , , , , ,

I was reading on a web page that white is the usual response if you ask people their favourite colour – http://www.pressdistribution.net/14735/apple-iphone-4-white-show-true-colour

I don’t think its true. Most studies show that people’s favourite colour is blue. I have never heard of a study that found white to be the favourite colour. The article was about the iPod though and we all know that the use of white was an inspired choice by Apple. The white earphone leads have become iconic and are part of the brand that consumers buy into by the millions. In fact, I think this is a very interesting phenomenon – there is a lot of research that shows that people prefer one colour to another. But what use is it? Over the last few years my research has focussed on the context of colour preference; that is, which colours would be most effective when used for a particular product (and by extension, for a particular market).

depressed people feel more gray than blue

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People with anxiety and depression are most likely to use a shade of gray to represent their mental state. 

Peter Whorwell, Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology at University Hospital South Manchester, worked with a team of researchers from the University of Manchester, UK, to create an instrument that would allow people a choice of colours in response to questions. He said, “Colours are frequently used to describe emotions, such as being ‘green with envy’ or ‘in the blues’. Although there is a large, often anecdotal, literature on color preferences and the relationship of color to mood and emotion, there has been relatively little serious research on the subject”.

The researchers have developed a colour chart, The Manchester Color Wheel, which can be used to study people’s preferred colour in relation to their state of mind.

For more information see http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=67637&CultureCode=en

pink stinks?

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PinkStinks (http://www.pinkstinks.co.uk/) is a campaign and social enterprise that challenges the culture of pink which invades every aspect of girls’ lives. The campaign has been running for 18 months and activists argue that while a wide variety of boys’ toys are available, those for girls are often predominantly pink. They argue that body image obsession is starting younger and younger, and that the seeds are sown during the pink stage, as young girls are taught the boundaries within which they will grow up, as well as narrow and damaging messages about what it is to be a girl.

It’s interesting that the notion of pink for girls and blue for boys has not always been so. A recent article on the BBC web site claims that in 1918 the Ladies’ Home Journal included the statement: “There has been a great diversity of opinion on the subject, but the generally accepted rule is pink for the boy and blue for the girl. The reason is that pink being a more decided and stronger colour is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.” For more see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8401742.stm.

blue santa

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In an attempt to influence the way in which the public perceive police offers, a program in Logan County (Ohia, USA) will have officers knocking on the doors of the needy bearing gifts, accompanied (where possible) by an officer dressed in a blue santa suit. 

 The program is designed for families with at least one child at home and is focused mostly on food, toys and clothing for young children. For more information about the Blue Santa program, contact Joe McBride at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 522-2578, Ext. 3507.

The Blue Santa Program has its origins in San Antonio (Texas, USA) and goes back to 1976. It became an official programme of SAPD in 1986 – http://www.sanantonio.gov/saPD/bluesanta.asp?res=1280&ver=true

By coincidence next year’s IS&T Color Imaging Conference will be held in San Antonio. For further information see http://www.imaging.org/ist/conferences/cic/index.cfm

Tokyo blues

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East Japan Railway Co. has spent £100,000 fitting out all 29 stations on Tokyo’s central train loop, the Yamanote Line, with the strong bulbs.

The operators believe they will emit a soothing glow, despite the absence of any scientific proof that the method reduces suicides.

Mizuki Takahashi, a therapist involved with the project, said: “We associate the colour with the sky and the sea.

“It has a calming effect on agitated people, or people obsessed with one particular thing, which in this case is committing suicide.”

A total of 68 people threw themselves in front of trains in the 12 months until March, up from 42 in the same period the year before. The lights will be hung at the end of each platform, a spot where people are most likely to jump to their deaths.

blue tokyo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See http://tinyurl.com/ydocbh6