The effect of color in American political campaigns

A wealth of literature in marketing and psychology asserts a relationship between color and personality; yet little information exists on the use and effect of color in political campaigns. The purpose of this research is to determine if certain public relations and social psychology beliefs about color are adaptable to the market conditions of campaigns. A survey incorporating relevant questions on legibility, preference, and remembrance of color patterns was conducted on voting age people. Pertinent demographic and psychological factors were included as well. Tests were employed to establish statistically significant relationships among color and campaign literature. One color combination - black on yellow - was most legible, most preferred, and most remembered; blue ranked high. The harmony of opposites was not valid for campaign signs. Individuals recalled patterns to which they responded positively. Proclamations by marketing researchers that liberal/conservative attitudes or political party preference correlate to color preference were not substantiated; however, some items were significant based on age and sex.