Rediscover this silent force that shapes who and what we remember.
Last week, I presented while wearing my vibrant, sparkling Converse sneakers. Someone joked, “There must be a science behind those shoes.” They may have been teasing, but there’s truth in the idea. We interact with countless elements in our environments without realizing their impact, and color is one of the most powerful. Even when we’re not conscious of it, color influences our emotions, shapes our feelings, and affects what we remember.
Color has always been a purposeful choice for me as a business owner and a learning scientist. From conference materials and company brand to how we present information in our connected learning platform, I’m keenly aware of how color impacts the learning experience because it can change the way people engage and connect with the content.
My fascination with color started early. For my winning seventh-grade science fair project, I studied how sunlight faded certain hues over time and how those changes made the subjects feel. Even then, I was curious about how color speaks to us and how the message shifts as intensity changes. What I didn’t know then was that color would captivate me, along with other scientists, for decades.
Why color?
Researchers describe color by its luminance, dominant wavelength, and purity. Purity—how vivid or intense a color appears—can affect perception and emotional response, something I explored in that early science fair project.
In their 2025 literature review, Jonauskaite and Mohr highlight the powerful emotional impact of color and hues. Analyzing 132 empirical studies spanning 128 years, with 42,266 participants across 64 countries, they found robust, consistent connections between color categories, their hues, and emotional responses. While the meanings of color are shaped by context, culture, and individual differences, core emotional associations tend to remain consistent, suggesting color is both a universal and adaptive emotional signal.
This review also confirmed that lightness, saturation, and hue influence emotional response. As a learning scientist, I know attention is the first step in learning, and color is a powerful tool for directing focus. Emotional resonance and novelty are also key factors in whether information is retained. So, if color can evoke emotion, imagine the many areas of business it can influence. Ways to leverage color
Here are three examples of how to leverage color to spark emotional resonance and novelty, two key drivers of information processing.
1. Colors direct our focus
The colors you choose and how you use them depend on what you want people to focus on. Color consultant Jill Kirsh once advised me to select colors that complement my hair color to draw people’s attention to my message. Her goal? To keep the audience focused on the message, not the outfit.
There’s another way to use color to direct focus. Two years ago, I presented alongside our company’s mascot, Nugget—a big, bright orange character. People still talk about that presentation. Guess what they remember most: Nugget. As research suggests, the vibrant hue of our mascot grabbed the audience’s attention and likely sparked feelings of excitement and fun—precisely the feelings we wanted the audience to connect with and remember.
2. Colors communicate without words
Think about the last conference center you entered. What colors stood out? At many transportation and logistics events, I’ve noticed rooms oversaturated with blues and greys—colors that, according to recent research, can evoke boredom and disappointment. In contrast, our bright yellow and orange neon signs capture attention and draw prospects in. These vivid hues are intentionally chosen to convey warmth and positivity.
Consider your own brand. How are you using color to communicate without words, not just at conferences but across all touchpoints?
3. Colors elicit emotions
Color psychology explores how color silently but powerfully shapes perception, mood, and learning outcomes. It makes me wonder why red ink is still used to mark assignments. Red may be great for trucks because it grabs attention on the road. But for me, red brings back memories of dreaded math exams in elementary school, where I struggled to memorize my multiplication table. Even now, the color sparks anxiety. It’s not surprising that the use of red pens in schools remains a heated debate. Whether we’re aware of it or not, colors influence how we feel.
Yes, maybe there is a science behind my sparkling Converse. The way we use color can enhance novelty, create memorable experiences, and build emotional resonance around what we want people to feel. So, the next time you choose a color—for your outfit, your presentation, or an ideal learning experience—remember: the right hue doesn’t just capture attention. It shapes perception and drives impact. Choose your colors wisely.
Article originally published on June 25, 2025 on Inc.com.