COLOUR SCHEMES Conventions for a fashion magazine and the do’s and don’ts of colour palettes.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLOUR Red: symbolizes, danger and this is why it is conventionally used in rock music magazines to symbolize the rebellion within rock culture, for example, rock stars are known for their crazy lifestyles of drug abuse and partying. However, red is also symbolic of lust and is usually associated with Valentines Day and relationships which is why it would perhaps be more useful if this was featured in a February edition of the magazine. Of course, red links to the autumnal theme which is why it is better to use red filters and colour balances in my production as it will make it more relevant to the time period that my magazine is set in, to make it seem more cosy and intimate which is inviting for the reader. Red is a stimulus and raises our heart rate as psychologists mention because it links to excitement, perhaps, relating to personal relationships or deviance. However, this does not necessarily link to fashion which usually embraces glamour and femininity, hence why it is conventional that pink is used. Other institutions use the colour red to promote their colour, for example, ‘Coca Cola’ because it is a primary colour, it is simple yet this makes it clear and easy to read which makes it more recognisable, especially for industrial purposes such as on billboards. Also, ‘Coca Cola’ was initially a green logo however this promotes health which is clearly misleading to the consumer. However, by using the colour red, it is warm and a universal symbol of love so it allows the reader to see the product as inviting and see it as a treat as red adds a touch of indulgence.

Blue: masculinity, cool ( as in temperature) , clinical ( connotations to hospitals and NHS), intelligence, logic and calmness. Blue is conventionally a symbol of masculinity, for example, many male magazines use this colour scheme to attract magazines to a male audience and inform them that it will focus on topics that interest men rather than women. Therefore, if I was to use this in my production, it could cause confusion to who my magazine is going to attract and therefore not seem direct enough to my audience. Which would prevent a sufficient attachment from being built between the institution and the consumer, meaning that they are less likely to purchase an edition of my product. Additionally, as the front cover model in my production has blue hair, if a blue masthead was used, it would clash and make it unclear to the reader. Not only does this prevent The Uses and Gratifications Theory from being achieved as it prevents the reader from being informed about what the institution is. But it will also make the product look of a lower quality and unprofessional. Additionally, as the institution name which will be the masthead will not be recognized, it prevents brand identity from being built so it will not become known to the audience which will limit the institutional success. However, one benefit of using blue is that is it associated with Leicester ( which is the region of my magazine ) so it will be informative and represent that the institution is regionally based which will make the product feel exclusive and specialized to the people that live in Leicester. The NHS, use the colour of blue in their logo also matched with white which both create a hygienic and fresh look which mirrors the purpose of the NHS which is to restore health.

Positivism, confidence, self-esteem, summer, warmth, friendliness, fear, depression and suicide. All colours are subjective and the connotations associated with a particular colour depended on individuals emotions. However, yellow is often seen as a happy colour because it is bright and light is a symbol of something that provides support, hence, if it was used in my production, perhaps it would work as a mood booster. Additionally, I think that yellow would be appropriate because in todays, modern society, the younger generation oppose to ‘gender stereotypes’ as they see it as old fashioned, patriarchal and outdated. Therefore, as yellow is a neutral colour it will invite a wider demographic, both men and women which means that a wider demographic is achieved. However, although yellow does not target any specific group, this can be seen as a weakness because it is not direct enough to my target audience which will not encourage them to get involved as the product is not specialised. McDonald’s uses the colour scheme of yellow because it has connotations to their products; French fries so it gives the reader an insight into what to expect. Additionally, matching this with the red typography also makes it stand out. Both colours are primary colours so it adds almost a child like element which suggests that it is for families and allowing adults to indulge. Green connotes: Health, harmony, the environment, peace, boredom, envy.

Green is a colour that I am unlikely to use in my production because it is unconventional used in women’s fashion magazines because it does not have any connotations to the fashion industry, for example, it is not feminine or unique so it will not attract women and young fashionistas into reading my product. This is because green is usually associated with the environment so give the reader any insight into what the magazine includes. Even in the marketing campaign to the right, the use of green instantly indicates that it is an environmental organisation as the use of the green anchors the word ‘green’ to symbolize that it is eco friendly. Purple signifies something which is luxurious which would connote that my product is of a higher quality to make it seem like a treat to the target audience, hence, it will be a unique selling point by encouraging people to purchase my product because it will make them feel rewarded. Psychologists say that purple is an introverted colour because of the dark, deep appearance of the colour, therefore, this could make my product look attractive because it will appear more personalized. By this, I mean that it will create a more intimate feel when an individual reads my product because it will allow them to discover their own personal thoughts and meanings. Linking this to The Uses and Gratifications Theory, it will allow the reader to ‘escape’ from society by being entrapped by the content within my product. If this was going to be used, I would use violet as this would fit perfectly into a pastel colour palette and therefore look girly which is conventional for fashion magazines. Additionally, using a colourful palette will instantly brighten up the cover by making it stand out which mirrors the purpose of fashion, which is to allow people to stand out through their clothing and become more individual. In addition, Prince who was a pop star in the 1980s wrote a song called ‘Purple Rain’ which explains why he wears purple clothing and has purple lights to anchor the song which allowed him to build brand identity as personally, the colour purple instantly reminds me of this song.

Love, sexuality, femininity, warmth, materialism, emotional.Pink is probably one of the most conventional colours that is used in fashion magazines because it a universal symbol of femininity and therefore, it embraces this through the use of the colour scheme and instantly makes it specific to women. This is because other institutions in society use pink as a symbol for women, for example, in public toilets, many use pink to represent the female toilet so it has become identifiable to them. Additionally, pink is representative of glamour, for example, the classic Barbie doll is pink, which is a stereotypical toy for young girls to play with. Therefore, pink has always been a colour that girls have identified themselves with. Evidence supports this, for example, in 2001 an experiment took place at Sussex University where baby boys where dressed in pink and baby girls where dressed in blue and they then recorded parents reactions and they automatically assumed that the babies where the gender of the colour that they were wearing. Therefore, by using pink, it will prevent any kind of confusion from the audience.

A neutral colour, on trend at the moment but also signifies depression and isolation.Grey is a colour that psychologists say have few meanings attached to them and perhaps this is because it is such a bland colour to use. However, even though it could be argued that the colour can appear unstimulating, this can be beneficial because on my front cover, the main image will be busy because the model has bright blue hair. Therefore, if bright colours are used in the typography, it can make the page look over crowded and over-whelming to read. This is why I may use this in the flash or even in the cover lines ( but a lighter grey) because this will not clash against the main image and allow the model to gain maximum attention. This is extremely important when creating a new product because brand identity can be built as the model will become more recognised and associated with the institution. Grey will also link to the genre of my magazine because it is a fashionable and on trend colour, especially in interior design so it represents an awareness of the latest popular culture. Thus, it is a relevant and therefore trust worthy product. Perhaps, ‘Nintendo’ created a light grey logo because it will look futuristic and modern because when the Nintendo Wii was introduced, this was a turning point in the world of interactive technology. By making the product look contemporary, it will make the reader feel special because they will feel superior due to having the latest product, hence why this is useful to use in a fashion magazine which is always providing something new to the scene. White connotes, hygiene, sophistication, heaven and purity.

White is a colour that will be useful to use in my production because it is clear and this is important to allow The Uses and Gratifications Theory to take place because it will mean that it will be more informative in my production as the content can be seen clearly which will increase understanding. Additionally, white has a fresh look which explains why institutions such as Apple have used white because the precise look of the white adds a sense of professionalism, which implies that this is how the consumer will look when they purchase their product. In my production, white can also be symbolic of purity, for example, reading the magazine will give the reader a ‘blank canvas’ reading where they can reinvent their own personal style or interests. Therefore, it appears as though it will reward the reader through providing them with the opportunity to change. Additionally, using white will anchor the lighter colour palette that I intend to use which gives the page a bright and more appealing look but also it contributes towards brand identity. The coherent use of white and other lighter colours will make the product iconic and recognisable, helping it to grow and develop.

Black connotes sophistication, vintage, glamour, security, substance, oppression ( often representative of a sin)

Black is a colour which is a colour which often adds a harsher look to a product because it is extremely clear and stands out among any kind of background. Black is conventionally used in fashion magazines for the actual content within a magazine, for example, in features to actually explain a product and this is because it is clear and has more precision. It is also a classic colour which will make the institution look more established and therefore must trust worthy to the consumer because it adds a touch of professionalism. Also, it suggests that the product will appeal to numerous women, for example, the product will include classic vintage styles and also the new and fresh styles. This will be made clear if I was to use a monochrome colour scheme because the juxtaposition of the black and white will suggests that the product can appeal to different women. However, even though monochrome is often associated with fashion because it is a classic look due to the vintage connotations, the lack of the colour could make the product lack vibrancy and appear unstimulating to the audience. Therefore, to increase engagement, pink would match with black to brighten up the darkness. However, I am unlikely to use black typography on the front cover of the page because the background of my front cover is quite dark as it is taken outdoors so the typography will not stand out and have enough prominence, thus, being restrictive to brand identity. However, inside my product and perhaps on my billboard, black is useful when put against black because it stands out. Black will perhaps encourage my target audience to become more rebellious and experimental in their style because black is usually seen as sinful which could mean breaking the conventional rules of fashion.

COLOURS THAT I WILL BE USING IN MY PRODUCTION

Pink, grey and white: I intend to use a pink and white colour scheme in my production, especially on the front cover because it will add femininity to my product and instantly convey that it is a women's fashion magazines however I may try and make the pink less pastel because this can make it look too girly and too immature for my target audience. However, it is important to include pink on the cover ( most importantly in the first edition of the magazine) . Also, pink and white is very conventional and stereotypically however by adding grey into the colour scheme, it will make it look different and therefore make the reader feel curious about reading an alternative product. Additionally, as previously mentioned, grey is a modern colour so it will provide the reader with an insight that my product is on trend and relevant which will make it a more trust worthy product. Although white and pink both belong in the pastel palette, the brightness of the pink will juxtapose from the white which will make the page look varied but also legible at the same time. Thus, allowing The Uses and Gratifications Theory to be achieved as it will allow the reader to become educated which is a key aim of reading media content.

Royal blue: Royal blue is a colour that I will want to feature ( only in a minor form) in my production, either through a pull quote, cover line or image because this is the colour that identifies the city of Leicester due to the intertextual links to the Leicester City Football Club. Therefore, if the reader feels as though the product is more relatable as it focuses on Leicester, they will feel more encouraged to engage with the magazine. Perhaps, this colour will be the most effective on my billboard because this will really embrace the fact that it is a Leicester magazine and also the boldness of the royal blue will make it eye catching and more exciting to look at. However, as blue is conventionally a masculine colour I will have to use a feminine looking image, with girly clothing so that it conveys and informs the reader that it is a magazine that it suited for women. This will make it feel more specific to the audiences interests, such as following the latest beauty and fashion trends.

COLOUR COMBINATION ERROR

McDonald’s once decided to change their infamous logo from red to green and this was perhaps to bring attention to the brand and help it to become recognized again. However, the use of the green connotes health to imply that the fast food from McDonald’s is good for you which is misleading to the consumer. Also, the use of the green has connotations to the countryside where we get a sense of freedom and this could be to convey that the animals are treated well before they are slaughtered. However, many of us are aware that animals for fast food chains are treated unethically so this again prevents an inaccurate image of McDonald’s which makes it lack authenticity. Therefore, this is why I will need to use the colour of blue with caution, to prevent my advertisement on my billboard from being misleading.