Why do companies put so much thought into something most of us can't even remember?

From The Verge:

"Even though we might see a specific color many times throughout the day, it can be difficult to accurately commit that color to memory. 'It’s hard for us to remember exactly what color we’re looking at and what color we saw yesterday,” says Marcie Cooperman, a color theory professor at The New School. 'Very few people would do well on your color quiz.'"

When you're done taking the quiz you'll be able to compare how you did compared to others and, perhaps more interestingly, be able to read some insights into why some of the world's biggest companies chose the colors they use today. Take a look at the options provided when you're asked to guess which color Netflix uses:

Access The Verge's Color Quiz here. Then, feel free to use the guided discussion questions below:

Questions:

1. How difficult was it to identify the right shade for the logos you saw?
2. Even though we see them multiple times per day, why do you think it's so hard to remember their exact color?
3. The interactive says that colors like red maximize people's interest in things like movie theaters and food. Do you agree with this? What other colors used in logos do you think are effective at increasing people's desire to use a product or service?

---------------

We have lots more of these interactive resources in our Interactive Library. Each comes with a worksheet too!

---------------

Want more? NGPF's Consumer Skills unit has a great activity about The Influence of Advertisements.

About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan is the Partnerships and Adoption Manager for Next Gen Personal Finance’s midwest region. He brings his experience as a former teacher, curriculum designer, and sales and marketing professional to state organizations and school districts in supporting the implementation of their personal financial education efforts. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and earned his teaching credential from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota. He proudly taught at two rural high schools in Wisconsin before transitioning to curriculum design at NGPF, and is now excited to be on the front lines in delivering the best possible financial education in the midwest. He and his wife have three beautiful daughters, each of which inspire him to share the impact of being sound financial stewards both at home and as lifelong learners.

More posts by Ryan