Meetings Blog Jul 02, 2018
Orange is a color that is often overlooked… but it shouldn’t be! Some of the most famous people have a love of orange. Renowned jazz singer Frank Sinatra always said, “Orange is the happiest color.” And Vincent Van Gogh wisely noted, “There is no blue with yellow and without orange.” This proud color can add a surprising touch to your next meeting or event, and as a M&E planner, you need to keep orange in mind for design. Read below to see if it could be the right fit:
Orange is associated with creativity, encouragement, determination, happiness, health & wellness…all positive traits! There are studies that have found that this color causes contentment, heightened mental activity, and greater confidence; but it’s often unnoticed by the passionate color red. This is a mistake! If done right, it will help your meeting or event stand out in the minds of guests. Some brands already using this creative color are Firefox, Amazon, ING Direct, Harley Davidson, and more.
Orange has a wide range, with each different shade changing the way we feel about the color. It goes from light, nearly yellow shades to darker, brownish shades to almost-red shades. The classic orange that we all know and love is closest to these hues: tiger, fire, carrot, and tangerine. Go lighter and softer with sunrise, creamsicle, ginger, melon, or sandstone. For a darker shade, try clay, rust, bronze, dark amber, or ochre. To get close to red, use persimmon, salamander, or vermillion. When choosing a shade of orange, focus on the atmosphere you want your event to have and go from there!
For a warm, harmonic feel, combine orange with reds and yellows. This type of design would be great for break time or lunch, as the colors will make attendees feel calm and content. For a huge contrast that guests will love, combine orange with blue or purple. The contrasting color scheme will spark their imaginations and get the creative process started, so it would be a great choice for high-performance meetings or conferences where interaction/participation is encouraged. If you don’t want to choose orange as your main color, add little touches such as orange furniture or foods (like tangerines, pumpkins, curry, certain fruit juices and snack foods).
You can also choose orange for larger events, such as a congress or a product launch. Use the color in your branding protocol: a touch of orange would be an original and fresh way to customize your materials (notebooks, pens, id badges…), your posters, your desks and stages. Used in the right way, it’ll make your brand stand strong. Let the energy flow!
