CHICAGO, IL / AGILITYPR.NEWS / April 21, 2025 / More Vivid=More Effective? How Saturated Colors Impact Consumer Behavior—And Waste

For marketers, bold colors can be a strategic tool for grabbing attention on crowded shelves. But vibrant colors can have unintended consequences, causing consumers waste more, save less, or even risk their health. A new Journal of Marketing study uncovers a surprising link between what consumers see and the decisions they make, showing how something as simple as color choice can have far-reaching consequences for the environment, consumer health, and sustainability efforts. The study finds that products with highly saturated colors—vivid reds, deep blues, and vibrant greens—are consistently perceived as more potent and effective. This visual cue shapes consumer behavior in significant ways, often influencing how much of a product is used—or wasted.

Across several experiments and studies, the researchers find that consumers overestimate the effectiveness of products based on color saturation—the richness, strength, or purity of a color—leading them to believe products with such colors are more potent. Consumers then use this perception of potency to infer how effective a product will be. This means that a more vivid and intense color can make a product seem more effective, even if the color has nothing to do with how well the product actually works. People make these inferences based on the color of both the product itself and its packaging. In addition, color saturation influences perceptions of product efficacy in advertising.

For example, in one study, the researchers showed participants images of laundry detergent bottles. Some bottles had packaging with highly saturated colors, while others had less saturated colors. People were more likely to buy the detergent with the more saturated packaging because they believed it to be more effective. Researchers found similar results when showing people work gloves with varying levels of color saturation, suggesting that the link between color saturation and perceived efficacy extends beyond consumable products to durable goods.

Product Color Affects The Amount Consumers Use

Color also affects how much of a product people use. When the researchers placed hand sanitizer dispensers with varying color saturation in university lecture halls, people used significantly less of a highly saturated sanitizer than a less saturated option. In another study, students used less of a highly saturated cleaner to clean their desks. Although this might seem beneficial for promoting sustainable practices, it could be problematic for products where underuse is harmful.

At the same time, the relationship between color saturation and perceived efficacy is not always straightforward. It can be influenced by other factors, such as a consumer’s purchase goal. For instance, if a consumer is looking for a gentle facial cleanser, they might actually perceive a less saturated product to be more effective. This is because they associate lower saturation with gentleness, which is their desired benefit in this case. Conversely, a consumer searching for a strong facial cleanser would likely find the highly saturated product to be more appealing.

The Potential for Misuse or Underuse

The perception of increased potency can lead to unintended consequences. For example, consumers might underdose a brightly colored disinfectant, assuming a smaller amount will suffice. Similarly, medicines with bold packaging may be viewed as overly strong, causing hesitation or improper use.

So while bold colors can enhance product appeal, the fact that consumers make split-second judgements based on color can cause them to be misled when it comes to how the product should be used, which is particularly concerning for items like medications or sanitizers.

Implications for Marketers, Designers, and Policymakers

The findings highlight a tradeoff for marketers. Bold packaging colors can effectively communicate efficacy and capture consumer attention, but they must be used responsibly to avoid unintended consequences. Designing packaging isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about functionality and trust. Marketers need to ensure that visual elements align with the intended use of the product, especially in categories where accuracy and safety are critical.

The study emphasizes the importance of carefully considering color saturation when designing products, packaging, and advertising:

• If you want to promote product efficacy, consider using highly saturated colors.
• If you want to encourage sustainable consumption, use highly saturated colors for products that tend to be overused.
• However, avoid highly saturated colors for products where underuse could be harmful. In these cases, marketers might consider providing additional information about the product’s potency to offset potential biases. For example, a label could read, “same powerful formula without added dyes.”

Design choices like color saturation can play a key role in promoting resource conservation. Governments and organizations are urging people to conserve resources, reduce waste, and adopt healthier habits. This research suggests marketers, regulators, and consumers can rethink product packaging to promote more sustainable and responsible behavior.

The findings may also be used to help address public health campaigns, ensuring consumers use sufficient amounts of medicines or disinfectants where needed. The underuse of important products like disinfectants or medications because of misleading color perceptions could exacerbate issues during health crises or flu seasons, making this a public health issue. Color psychology can be leveraged to encourage people to use just the right amounts of products to cut down on environmental waste without sacrificing efficacy.

In sum, marketers should align visual design with consumer expectations and product functionality. In a world where packaging often serves as a primary touchpoint for consumers, getting the balance right is crucial.

Source: Lauren I. Labrecque, Stefanie Sohn, Barbara Seegebarth, and Christy Ashley, “Color Me Effective: The Impact of Color Saturation on Perceptions of Potency and Product Efficacy,” Journal of Marketing.

Visit the Journal of Marketing for more information.

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