Colors to Use When Marketing to Men Vs. Women | Fiverr Blog (2024)

Color preferences are subjective, but it's still important to understand them from a marketing perspective. There's often a gender divide when it comes to the colors that male and female shoppers tend to like or dislike – and that can make a big difference in your marketing strategy.

The most popular color overall is…

Blue! In a study done for JoeHallock.com that surveyed the color preferences of 232 people from 22 countries, blue was the clear winner. The official results were:

Colors to Use When Marketing to Men Vs. Women | Fiverr Blog (1)

When the study separated results by gender, however, they found that blue was far more popular among men than women. While 57% of men listed blue as their favorite color, just 35% of women did so.

Another major disparity between the genders was the color purple. While 23% of women chose purple as their favorite color, it didn't even garner 1% among men. It's also interesting to note that 14% of both men and women listed green as their favorite color, and 5% of both men and women listed orange as their preferred color.

Colors preferences by women vs. men

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The marketing color gender divide: why it matters

Color psychology can help you decide which hues could make your brand stand out and which ones could increase the likelihood that customers will buy from you. Research shows that, 60% of the time, color alone determines whether or not someone will be attracted to a message. And that color also increases brand recognition by up to 80%.

An easy way to see what the predominant colors are in various industries is to visit a local grocery store. As you walk through various aisles, you'll see which colors are used most often for packaging, as well as in-store signage, in order to get your attention and entice you to buy.

The 10 most popular brand colors

James Archer analyzed 456 brand colors to determine the top 50. Though Archer assigned each one a Crayola Crayon color, if we consider them through the color categories from the study mentioned above, the 10 most popular were:

  1. Black/Almost Black
  2. Blue
  3. Red
  4. Orange
  5. Yellow
  6. Purple
  7. White
  8. Gray
  9. Green
  10. Brown

When it comes to brand colors, it's important to remember that it's not a popularity contest. As you research the meaning of color, you may find that a less popular tone like orange, often noted for warmth and energy, is right for your logo, packaging or marketing collateral. Likewise, although yellow wasn't identified as a commonly preferred hue in the study, it's one of the most attention-getting colors, second only to red.

Another factor to consider when you choose colors for your logo, website or marketing materials is your unique audience, whose preferences may differ from those of other studies. Since choosing brand colors is part preference and part science, your own favorite colors might actually be ideal for your brand.

Did you incorporate your own favorite colors into your business? How do your brand's color choices relate to the favorite colors of people overall or based on gender differences? Let us know in the comments below!

Colors to Use When Marketing to Men Vs. Women | Fiverr Blog (2024)

FAQs

Colors to Use When Marketing to Men Vs. Women | Fiverr Blog? ›

The most popular color overall is…

What colors appeal to men and women? ›

Universally, studies show that blue is both men and women's primary preferred color. One study dove into why blue is so popular and found that it's associated with clean water, clear skies, authority, truth and tranquility. Both men and women also like green and red as top favorite colors.

What are the masculine colors for marketing? ›

Masculine color inspiration with grays, gold, burgundy, and hunter green. Perfect color palette for a masculine brand, man cave, little boys room or nursery design.

What color do men like most on women? ›

9 Colors Men Love On Women
  • Ravishing Red. Red, the color of passion and desire, is an undeniable attention-grabber. ...
  • Captivating Black. Black, often associated with elegance and mystery, holds a special allure for men. ...
  • Graceful White. ...
  • Enchanting Blue. ...
  • Mesmerizing Purple. ...
  • Passionate Pink. ...
  • Alluring Green. ...
  • Striking Yellow.

What color attracts the opposite gender? ›

It turns out that the results from our first hypothesis supported similar findings from other studies. Based on our significance, the color red did increase attraction of the opposite sex.

What color arouses men the most? ›

Men, on the other hand, are attracted to women who wear red for more primal biological reasons, a separate study found. "Our research demonstrates a parallel in the way that human and nonhuman male primates respond to red," the study's authors wrote.

What is the most eye catching color for marketing? ›

Red is a highly popular color in marketing because it's bold, captures attention and can evoke powerful psychological responses. Red represents power, energy, excitement, passion and urgency. The urgency response is often a reason why fast-food chains and clearance sales frequently feature red.

What is the most appealing color to women? ›

Five smaller studies (20-38 participants) comparing women's responses to men in red or gray, including their sense of the men's status, established a chain of evidence that red may enhance sexual attractiveness because red is a status symbol, according to the authors.

What colors are most attractive for branding? ›

Blue is the most popular color choice for the top brands. It is thought to put people at ease, as it reminds them of the sky and the ocean. Blue is also associated with trust, security, and confidence which make a great combination for the brands that want these elements in their message.

What are the core colors for men? ›

Core colors are exactly what they sound like: The basic colors of black, gray, navy, and white that create a solid foundation for your professional wardrobe.

What colors are masculine and feminine? ›

In Western societies, the stereotype prevails that pink is for girls and blue is for boys. A third possible gendered colour is red. While liked by women, it represents power, stereotypically a masculine characteristic.

What is the most manly colors? ›

Masculine colours tend to lean towards dark, heavy hues such as greys, charcoals, blacks and browns. When you mix in elements such as steel, leather, dark wood, wool, stripes and plaids, you begin to create a space that would typically be thought of as masculine.

What are men's favorite colors vs women's? ›

Women gravitate towards soft colors, while men tend to like bright colors. Men prefer simple color names like purple, whereas women use specific color names like plum, eggplant, grape, and orchid to describe the different shades.

What is the most liked color for men? ›

Blue is the most popular color for both men and women. The most unpopular color for men is brown.

What color suits both genders? ›

White, cream. Pretty much all light colors except for blue for boys and pink/lavender for girls. Beige and light grey can be also used in baby clothes or blankets with no gender meanings. For older kids - all bright colors are gender-neutral, including red and blue.

What colour represents male and female? ›

In Western societies, blue is stereotypically associated with boys and pink with girls [1–3].

What is the gender preference of color? ›

The analysis found sex differences in participants' preferences for the L-M axis, which runs approximately from reddish to blue-green hues. Female participants tended to prefer reddish-purple hues, independently of brightness and saturation, while male participants tended to prefer blue-green hues, although to a lesser ...

What colour is gender equality? ›

Symbolically, purple is a hue that has been used for centuries to represent wealth, nobility, luxury and power. It is also a color used throughout modern history to represent the fight for gender equality and International Women's Day on March 8.

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