Vintage Burger King Logo on Stellen Designs Hungry Colors Blog Post

Hungry Colors: Red and Yellow

There are many theories of what colors make us experience what emotions. In particular, red and yellow are known as hungry colors.

The psychology behind color has been documented for years, with the earliest reference dating back to the 1400s. It’s widely accepted that warmer colors (reds, yellows, oranges) can stimulate our nervous system, while cooler shades (blues, greens) tend to have a calming effect. 

Go even further into color theory and you’ll see that different shades trigger different emotions and behaviors in people.

Traditional blue shades are often associated with trust. That’s a big reason why banks and big box stores choose this as their primary brand color. Green often brings to mind health, money, connection to nature. White triggers feelings of purity, innocence and space.

Color psychology is now heavily referenced in marketing and branding. When selecting colors for your own brand it’s a good idea to do some research to see which emotions different colors are known to elicit.

Red on the hungry colors for Stellen Design colors that will make you hungry

RED

Take red as an example. Red is an incredibly popular branding choice, as it evokes feelings of power, energy, and intensity. It’s a stimulating color and is often categorized as a “hungry” color. 

Red draws people in, it’s attention-getting. News anchors and presidential candidates wear red ties as subtle references to authority. Louboutin shoes have red soles to symbolize sexiness and power. Red is used in ad design to draw attention to important details, and research has recently shown that red opt-in buttons have been linked with higher “opt in” rates on sales and landing pages versus any other color.

But why is it considered a hungry color?

Research has shown that certain shades of red can energize people. It is known to speed up heart rate and increase blood flow. When blood flow is increased to the digestive system, it can trigger your metabolism, which can also have the effect of jump-starting appetite.

Because of this association, many fast food and restaurant brands use red as a primary color in their logo design.

Yellow on the hungry colors for Stellen Design colors that will make you hungry

YELLOW

Yellow is another color that is classified as a “hungry” color.

Known as a cheery, stimulating color, yellow makes us feel good, and puts us in a good mood. It’s also been known to increase appetite, encouraging people to eat more. It’s another color used extensively in logo design for food outlets. 

Put red and yellow together and you have a very powerful double-whammy.

And it’s not just used in branding. Using various shades of yellow and red in the environment have also been shown to increase energy and stimulate appetite. Both colors are known for creating strong associations, both mentally and emotionally. 

In other words, they make us feel good, particularly when we’re eating. So when we see them, we are reminded we felt good when we were eating, and the cycle perpetuates itself.

The human brain is an incredibly complex thing but hungry color theory may make it seem like it’s easy to manipulate. Whatever the case may be, humans have certainly used color theory to their advantage.

Fast food logos on the hungry colors for Stellen Design colors that will make you hungry

Hungry colors in our portfolio.

Read more about color psychology.

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Carolina Vangilder of Stellen Design Branding Agency in Los Angeles CA
Carolina Van Gilder
Project manager / Assistant
The coordinator, facilitator and scheduler for all Stellen Design projects. She communicates with clients about everything from contracts and payments to design edits and revisions. She helps keep the logistics on point so Stellen Design can live up to their reputation.
Réka Juhász (ray-ka u-has)
Contract Designer

Réka is a Hungarian-born, American-trained award-winning brand designer with over 12 years of graphic design experience. She loves to incorporate hand lettering, tactile elements, or letterpress into her work. She believes inspiration is all around us and that making brands look good is a worthy pursuit in life.

Jordis Smalls of Stellen Design Branding Agency in Los Angeles CA
Jordis Small
Creative Director
Jordis is a big believer in continued education. She makes it a point to attend at least four workshops or conferences a year to keep her skill improving. She is also a big advocate for “creative play” and loves to spend her spare time trying new things and learning new techniques.