What signals are you sending?

If you’ve ever bought any perfume, you’ll probably have noticed that the liquid itself comes in a variety of colours. Deep musky scents are more pinky and orange, whereas fresh floral scents are greener or clear altogether.

Much like the colour of a white wine gives you a clue as to what it will taste like (oaky or zesty), perfume uses this as a visual cue for what it will smell like.

Much research has been done on this in psychology and marketing to show that what you expect something to be like (based on previous experience) has a significant effect on how you receive it (or taste it).

If you’re the kind of person who likes a dry Sauvignon Blanc, you’ll probably be a bit dubious if you get poured a deep yellow beverage. And most likely, it will affect how you then think it tastes.

This is why it’s so important to maximise how you use visual cues in your branding and art. No, you don’t want to manipulate people, but you also don’t want to mislead them either.