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What new data shows about college dining

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Here's how students eat-and what they want-is changing.

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Affiliations

¹ Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, USA.

² Department of Education, Health, and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.

Free PMC article

Free PMC article

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, USA.

² Department of Education, Health, and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.

Abstract

Although the United States rates as the top host country for international students in the world, the impact of dietary acculturation on their health status is poorly understood. This study used a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the factors related to dietary acculturation among international students in U.S. universities. Ten focus groups, of which eight were in two Midwestern U.S. universities and two in a Southern U.S. university (n = 44), were studied. Participants were international, college-aged students enrolled in U.S. universities. Grounded theory method was used for data analysis to develop themes relevant to dietary changes and factors related to dietary acculturation based on the participants' perspectives and experiences. The results showed that most of the participants faced various dietary challenges and health consequences in the United States. Access to food, religious orientation, time constraints, campus environment, and healthcare access were the main factors influencing student diets. A majority of the students reported weight gain due to eating larger portions, unstructured mealtimes, and frequent snacking. Some students reported that they do not eat fruits and vegetables in the United States because they believe that these foods are not fresh, genetically modified, and may contain pesticides. The majority of participants reported taking unprescribed dietary supplements since moving to the United States. Students who transitioned to the typical American diet reported weight gain, increased fatigue, abdominal discomfort, and other health consequences. Universities should seek to develop policies and programs aimed to reduce the impact of acculturation in order to improve the experience of international students in the United States.

Keywords: campus food; dietary supplement; grounded theory; international student; traditional meal.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: All authors declare no conflicts of interest in this paper.

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Eating habits and dietary acculturation effects among international college students in the United States - PubMed

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Although the United States rates as the top host country for international students in the world, the impact of dietary acculturation on their health status is poorly understood. This study used a qualitative approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the factors related to dietary acculturation ...

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GAITHERSBURG, MD, Jan. 6, 2020 - Whether it is the Midnight Munchies or Grab & Go between classes, college students ace snacking. According to Sodexo, which serves more than 12 million meals a month to students and staff at 700 colleges and universities in North America, the snacks college students demand reflect the young consumers' socially-minded lives. This is the driver in the newest snack products coming to the market in 2020.

"Snack trends premiering in 2020 focus on meeting the needs of college students, who want food that is diverse, ethically sourced and, of course, convenient to their busy schedule" said Nadia Jackson, Sodexo's Director of Retail for North America.

Snacktime is anytime - It is no surprise that convenience is important when it comes to snacking. When surveyed, 81 percent of Gen Z consumers said they want healthy, convenient snacks that they can grab whatever time of the day or night. In 2020, students will see new technology designed to deliver snacks faster than ever before, including more automation to make fresh food faster and sophisticated apps that make waiting in line a thing of the past.

The world is their oyster - Having grown up eating ethnically diverse food, tomorrow's college students want access to foods from Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe all in one place. This has led to sophisticated palates and they want snacks that reflect this diversity of flavors. International snack trends for 2020 include roasted seaweed sheets from Korea, rice and soy sauce crackers from Japan, goat milk whey cheese from Norway, gluten-free baked cheese balls from Brazil and dried beef sticks from South Africa.

Do Good Taste Good - Sixty-seven percent of younger consumers said they would pay more for snacks with an ethical pedigree. They care about the story behind the product and have access to a lot more information than previous generations. Does the yogurt company treat the dairy cows well? Are the ingredients from farms that use sustainable practices? Do the companies embrace workers' rights? These are all considerations when selecting which items to purchase.

Plant protein to power through the day - Sodexo is seeing a clear trend toward protein alternatives in snacks like cookies, cakes and ice cream. The evolution of plant-based snacks goes beyond soy and nut proteins to pea, mung bean, watermelon seed and hempseed flours. While plant-based snacks are not new, the number of different types of plant protein continue to expand to an ever-more diverse and delicious array of products.

Waste not want not - Sustainable packing is an important part of reducing waste and tomorrow's students want their to-go items in sustainable packaging. Compostable craft paper is replacing commonly used packaging such as Styrofoam and plastic. The ultimate goal is to eliminate the use of plastic packaging and use less disposable packing altogether.

About Sodexo - Universities
Sodexo provides food service, accommodations and facilities management services to over 700 universities, colleges and independent schools in the United States and 35 other countries around the world. Sodexo serves eight million university students, staff and visitors around the world daily. With nearly 50 years of experience, Sodexo focuses on improving the student experience through integrated services that promote and enhance quality of life.

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College Snacking Trends 2020: From Midnight Munchies to Ethical Snacking

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GAITHERSBURG, MD, Jan. 6, 2020 - Whether it is the Midnight Munchies or Grab & Go between classes, college students ace snacking. According to Sodexo, which serves more than 12 million meals a month to students and staff at 700 colleges and universities in North America, the snacks college students demand reflect the young consumers' socially-minded lives.

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Cooking frequency predicts F:V intake in college

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eating and AP decline over 7 semesters influenced livign on or off campus

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FCP change over time in first yr college

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Influence and college student diet and PA

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Eating F:V assd with flourishing in daily life

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The opinions, findings, and conclusions presented/reported in these articles those of the author(s), and are in no way meant to represent the corporate opinions, views, or policies of the American College Health Association (ACHA). ACHA does not warrant nor assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information presented in these articles.

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Affiliations

¹ Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

² Student Research Committee, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

³ Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Free PMC article

Free PMC article

Affiliations

¹ Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

² Student Research Committee, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

³ Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity have become a significant public health concern in both developing and developed countries. Due to the health implications of weight-reduction behaviors, it is important to explore the factors that predict their occurrence. Therefore, the present study was performed to examine factors affecting the behavioral intention of weight management as well as assess the predictive power of the Health Belief Model (HBM) for body mass index (BMI).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 336 female students recruited from dormitories of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, using quota sampling technique. Data were collected by a structured questionnaire in seven parts (including perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived benefit, perceived barrier, cue to action, self-efficacy in dieting and physical activity, and behavioral intention of weight management), based on the HBM. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to identify the relationship between HBM constructs and behavioral intention of weight management. Linear regression model was performed to test the ability of the HBM to predict students' BMIs.

Results: Higher level of perceived threats (sum of perceived susceptibility and severity) (β = 0.41, P<0.001), perceived benefits (β = 0.19, P = 0.009), self-efficacy in exercise (β = 0.17, P = 0.001), and self-efficacy in dieting (β = 0.16, P = 0.025) scales was significantly related to greater behavioral intention of weight management. Moreover, perceived threat mediated the relationships between perceived cue to action, perceived benefits, self-efficacy in exercise, and weight management practices. The fit indices of the SEM model seemed acceptable. The final regression model explained approximately 40% of variance in BMI (P<0.001). Additionally, perceived severity, barrier, and self-efficacy in dietary life were the significant variables to predict students' BMIs.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that health education programs based on the HBM needs to be integrated in preventive health programs and health interventions strategies to ensure adherence and well-being of the participants.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Grant support

This work was supported by the Tabriz University of Medical Sciences to MS-A. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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national center for biotechnology information

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Factors influencing weight management behavior among college students: An application of the Health Belief Model - PubMed

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1 Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. 2 Student Research Committee, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. 3 Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

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ACHA-National College Health Assessment

The ACHA-NCHA is a nationally recognized research survey that provides precise data about students' health habits, behaviors, and perceptions. College students are a diverse yet distinct population with specific health risks and needs. Having current, relevant data about your students' health can only help you to enhance campuswide health promotion and prevention services. Click below to find out how you can participate in the survey or to download published articles and comprehensive data reports of the results from the ACHA-NCHA.
Learn More

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The ACHA-NCHA is a nationally recognized research survey that provides precise data about students' health habits, behaviors, and perceptions. College students are a diverse yet distinct population with specific health risks and needs. Having current, relevant data about your students' health can only help you to enhance campuswide health promotion and prevention services.

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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing nutrition intervention using a general nutrition class to promote consumption of fruits and vegetables in college students.

Design: 3-day food records were collected, verified, and analyzed before and after the intervention.

Setting: A midwestern university.

Participants: 80 college students, ages 18 to 24, participated in the study.

Intervention: The intervention focused on nutrition knowledge related to prevention of chronic diseases, healthful dietary choices increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, dietary feedback, and interactive hands-on activities.

Main outcome measures: Consumption of: total vegetable, fresh vegetable, starchy vegetable, french fries, vegetable juice, total fruit, fresh fruit, canned fruit, and fruit juice.

Analysis: Dependent t test was used to analyze the differences in pre- and posttest. Analysis of variance was used to determine differences in dietary changes between groups.

Results: Participants significantly increased consumption of not only total fruits and vegetables (P < .005), but also fresh fruits and vegetables (P < .005). Intake of french fries decreased significantly (P < .05). Females responded better to the intervention than males in increasing vegetable consumption (P < .05).

Conclusions and implications: Class-based nutrition intervention focusing on prevention of chronic diseases is a cost-effective approach to increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among college students.

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national center for biotechnology information

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Effect of nutrition intervention using a general nutrition course for promoting fruit and vegetable consumption among college students - PubMed

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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing nutrition intervention using a general nutrition class to promote consumption of fruits and vegetables in college students. Design: 3-day food records were collected, verified, and analyzed before and after the intervention. Setting: A midwestern university. Participants: 80 college students, ages 18 to 24, participated in the study.

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College students enrolled in university dining plans are exposed daily to a food environment characterized by foods high in energy, fats, and added sugars, and low in nutrient density. Their decisions about what to eat are currently made in an environment where no nutrition labeling is required. To fill the gap in current literature regarding whether or not increased nutrition knowledge of dietary guidance actually translates into positive behavior, this cross-sectional study investigated self-reported eating patterns of 200 college students. An Internet-based survey was used to identify how closely respondents followed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, and whether their eating patterns were related to their knowledge of dietary guidance. It was observed that, for fruit, dairy, protein, and whole grains, increased knowledge is related to increased likelihood of meeting dietary guidelines. Moreover, when asked about individual food choices, nutrition knowledge was related to making more healthful choices in every case. Ultimately, increased knowledge of dietary guidance appears to be positively related to more healthful eating patterns. This suggests that guidelines such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, in conjunction with effective public-awareness campaigns, may be a useful mechanism for promoting change in what foods consumers choose to eat.

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About Hashtag Campaings for Social Marketing

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Hashtags are ubiquitous. We use them on social media to easily collect information, take part in conversations or to express our emotions. Sometimes, some of us even use hashtags in everyday speech offline.

But hashtags are also important on a bigger scale, for memes, for when things go viral, or for marketers trying to get some traction with a hashtag campaign. But where did hashtags come even from? How have they gotten so popular? And how do you run a successful hashtag campaign?

In case you're wondering what you need for a successful hashtag campaign, read on and learn:

Make your next hashtag campaign rock!

Pull together the content using your hashtag from multiple social media channels.

Hashtags - organising information since 1988

The first appearance of the # on the internet was as metadata tags in IRC (Internet Relay Chat) as early as 1988. The symbol was used to categorise channels, making it easier for users to find what they were looking for. They eventually settled on calling them hashtags. And this is still the way it is done on IRC today:

But how did the hashtag jump from IRC to social networks? In 2007, open source advocate Chris Messina suggested using hashtags on Twitter, and his idea fell on fertile ground. Soon, hashtags on Twitter were being used to gather and categorise conversations:

Thus the Hashtag was reborn. In 2009 Twitter reacted officially and started hyperlinking Hashtags to search results. And soon other Social Networking sites started implementing them as well. Networks like Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr followed it, all with varying degrees of success - and with a strong focus on advertising. On this Messina has said in a post on his blog: "It's totally logical to find ways to capitalize and embrace emergent user behavior."

Ironically, hashtags have lost some of their power on some networks. In 2015, Facebook drastically curbed the use of hashtags on the platform by discontinuing the Facebook Hashtag API, making life much harder for anyone hoping to run campaigns based on hashtags on Facebook.

But as the internet is constantly in flux, so is the use of hashtags and best practices connected to it.

Overall, hashtags still very much serve a purpose and can be used in many ways to enhance the social media experience for everyone.

Hashtags collect information

Hashtags are used to make information easily accessible and searchable. They are created by companies, social causes or even just plain user power to centre conversations about certain topics.

Hashtags make it easier to search for conversations and to take part in them. This goes for private use of social media and could start with the spontaneous creation of a hashtag in a conversation between friends. But it's also happening on a bigger scale, e.g. with trending topics on Twitter, like when everyone is talking about a TV show premiere or people are taking part in a meme.

Hashtags make events more social

They can bring together attendees of an event, giving the audience a way to interact with each other and discuss relevant topics on social media and share their thoughts to be seen by others.

Hashtags are a great addition to all kinds of events. Let attendees discuss talks they're seeing at a conference. Create a live and collaborative photo album at a wedding. Or drive communication at a trade show. There are many more ways to use hashtags at events, especially in combination with a social media wall that displays the conversation centred around the hashtag.

Engage attendees before, during and after your event!

Display a big social wall at your venue and encourage them to post using your event's hashtag.

Hashtags are expressive

Hashtags can also be used to embellish tweets with humour or other emotions. This adds a secondary layer to communication beyond the written word and allows people to express themselves or to create a sense of community.

The often wordy creations were never meant to spread anything, but are simply a part of Twitter lingo and used to make more or less clever utterances. Why am I telling you this? #BecauseReasons.

Nowadays a lot of people have taken this to the next (arguably somewhat annoying) level by #hashtagging #every #single #word in their tweets or Instagram posts. From a marketing perspective, this is, of course, rather useless because most of those hashtags are not in the least bit unique (or too unique, when whole sentences are turned into hashtags) and thus not reasonably searchable. But using hashtags that way allows people to express themselves and show their belonging to a certain age group.

Check out this "hashtag meets real life" parody by Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake and you'll know what I mean:

Marketing with hashtags

Often, hashtags can develop all on their own, like a snowball gathering material and turning into an avalanche. But hashtags can also be driven single-handedly by outside forces who already have a lot of clout. In these cases, when there's a conscious decision to market a certain hashtag, we are talking about hashtag campaigns.

The main opportunity for marketers lies with the creation of said hashtag campaigns. A hashtag campaign is a marketing initiative usually meant to gain social media attention, to create engagement, or drive traffic for a specific topic, product or idea.

Companies, organisations or individuals can all be behind a hashtag campaign. They can be used to introduce a new product, spread content from a blog or a video, to get more interaction with customers, to create awareness for a cause, etc.. These are really just a fraction of possible uses, and the limit is your imagination.

How to find the perfect hashtag

One important factor for a successful hashtag marketing campaign is choosing a hashtag that is new, memorable and unambiguous. This requires creativity and the setting of clear goals for the campaign that will determine the hashtag.

A lot of brands do this quite successfully. Of course, things can also go terribly wrong, like when fast-food giant McDonald's wanted to collect people's heartfelt #McDStories but the hashtag got hijacked and ended up aggregating a flood of horror stories about their brand. Whoops!

So what can you do to NOT end up like McDonald's? How do you find the perfect hashtag for your campaign?

Pick something emotive

Based on the name of your campaign find a hashtag that triggers emotions. That might not be your brand name, so take some time to find the perfect claim. Take this example: Everybody loves Ben & Jerry's but it's not exactly an emotive brand name. But their #CaptureEuphoria campaign is crystal clear on the extreme joy of eating yummy ice cream. And what's more emotional: #Nike or #MakeItCount?

Pick something unique (or as unique as possible)

Find a hashtag that is not widely in use already. In order to figure this out, you will have to check social media extensively and internationally. Simply do a search on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! You can also create a free wall on Walls.io to test the hashtag across multiple platforms!

KISS: The good old Keep-It-Short-and-Simple rule

Try to keep it below 10 characters, but when in doubt go for a longer but understandable hashtag rather than an acronym no one will get. Avoid the use of umlaut characters where possible.

Decide on only one hashtag for your campaign. A combination of different hashtags will only confuse people. Only very rarely will it make sense to use more than one hashtag, for example when you're running a campaign where hashtag use equals votes for or against something.

Show it to a dirty mind

I mean it. Tell your most ambiguously thinking friend about your hashtag idea to make sure there are no unintended suggestive meanings embedded in it. I think if Susan Boyle's PR team had done that, they probably would've decided not to use the hashtag #Susanalbumparty. Yes, read that again. And be smarter than that. Or I will make you my next example if I ever get tired of using #susanalbumparty as a deterrent! 😉

Dos and Don'ts for hashtag campaigns

But picking the right hashtag isn't the only key element for hashtag campaign success.

Do: Promote cross-media

In order for a hashtag campaign to be successful, it's crucial to support online with offline efforts. As you can see with our Walls.io Showcases, the most successful campaigns are those that promote their hashtags cross-media.

Do: Incentivise people

It helps to kick everything off with a nice little giveaway. Nothing gets people to repost your hashtag like the chance of winning something awesome. Organise a raffle or a competition to get everyone invested in your hashtag.

Don't: Be insensitive

Of course, you're going to do your best to promote your hashtag by using it a lot, but you have to be careful when, how and where you are doing this. Don't try to piggyback on trending hashtags or current events unless you're absolutely certain it is a good fit and, most of all, never piggyback on tragedies.

Don't: Be offensive

Just like putting some thought into what you post, put some thought into how you say it as well. Check your language to avoid any racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, etc. in your hashtag campaign. Of course, you can't keep other people from posting problematic content (You can keep it off your social media wall by moderating it!), but you can lead by example.

Back up your hashtag campaign with great customer service

You have read up on hashtags, learned about hashtag marketing, and you have even figured out the perfect hashtag for your campaign. Confident that you are well prepared, you finally launch your very own hashtag marketing campaign. But there's one more thing that you should at least be giving a cursory thought: People can blatantly use your hashtag to post negative things. It's called hijacking and it happens all the time.

The important question is how you deal with it. Childish behaviour, snotty replies, belittling people and losing your temper will only alienate customers. Just like when you're dealing with complaints on social media, you should stay calm and collected and deal with criticism in a constructive way.

To be fair, how you conduct customer service on social media always matters but it's good to remember that you're exposing yourself more with a hashtag campaign and should keep an eye on customer service as well.

Last but not least: When in doubt, ask for support

You've found a lot of information in this blog post right here that will help you get started. If you want more in-depth information about successful hashtag campaigns, have a look at our Showcases, which also include interviews with the marketers behind these campaigns. Those interviews can give you a lot of insight into the makings of successful hashtag marketing.

Make your next hashtag campaign rock!

Pull together the content using your hashtag from multiple social media channels.

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Hashtag Campaign Guide for Marketers | Tips, Examples, eBooks

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Hashtags are ubiquitous. We use them on social media to easily collect information, take part in conversations or to express our emotions. Sometimes, some of us even use hashtags in everyday speech offline. But hashtags are also important on a bigger scale, for memes, for when things go viral, or for marketers trying to get some traction with a hashtag campaign.

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About QR Code Campaigns for Social Marketing

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QR codes were first invented in 1994 by the Denso Wave company to track their manufacturing process for vehicles. That's all there was to QR code usage. Just like NFC and RFID, tracking items was what QR codes were primarily used for.

Table of Contents

1. What are QR Codes?

2. QR Codes: 2011 vs 2021

3. Who uses QR Codes?

4. QR Codes and proximity marketing in 2021

5. List of things businesses can do with QR Codes

6. Brands that use QR Codes

7. Millennials and QR Codes in 2021

8. Are QR Codes still relevant in 2021?

9. Frequently Asked Questions

What are QR codes?

QR (Quick Response) codes are 2D scannable barcodes that direct users to a website or to take a specific course of action.

QR code usage: 2011 vs 2021

QR codes did start getting popular in 2011 when Macy's and Best Buy started implementing them in their stores. But there were problems galore with mass end-user adoption.

Most consumers had terribly slow speed internet, did not own a smartphone and even when they did, they had to download an app that took forever to scan a QR code. The websites the QR codes redirected users to weren't optimized for smartphones making the whole situation worse.

But, all of that has changed. And as WIRED astutely observed, QR codes were 'just ahead of their time'.

QR codes are being used by millions now. 2.71 billion people are using smartphones in 2019 and 90% of the population is estimated to have access to high-speed internet by 2021. Coupled with the fact that Apple's iOS 11 update added QR code scanning capability in the camera app along with the latest Android smartphones being able to do the same, QR codes have become an integral part of everyday life.

QR codes are ubiquitous. From the scan and go technology being used at retail stores determined to stay afloat in the post-apocalyptic retail landscape to using QR codes as a way to propel post-purchase customer engagement through methods such as coupon marketing, businesses and brands have come to realize just how powerful QR codes are as a weapon in their marketing arsenal.

Related: Why the market for NFC is set to explode in the next 5 years

Who uses QR Codes?

According to Statista, an estimated 11 million households will scan a QR Code in 2020. Back when QR Codes were first introduced, the use-cases and number of people leveraging the technology were minimum, thus announcing its death by marketers.

Fast forward to 2021, the onset of the pandemic has catapulted the usage of QR Codes, not just because of its versatility but also because, it is safe, hygienic, and can help marketers and businesses to track their campaigns without having to invest a lot of money.

Additionally, most smartphones back in the day required downloading a third-party app to scan a QR Code, resulting in low usage of the technology. Now, most smartphones support native-QR Code scanning helping most industry verticals to propel their businesses, owing to its popularity.

QR codes and proximity marketing in 2021

Since scanning QR codes does not require downloading an additional app, marketers, and brands intrigued by the idea of running proximity marketing campaigns without an app can turn to QR codes.

Although the term proximity marketing has 'marketing' in it, businesses must adopt a customer-centric approach. Improving in-store customer experience through QR code campaigns must be a priority.

By curating a unique shopping experience for shoppers, stores can start attracting and engaging with more customers. Possibly, the most important thing to point out here is that stores can do a lot with QR codes.

From redirecting customers to their social media page or asking them to leave a review on Yelp, there is no dearth of actions that a store can gently nudge their customers towards.

Related: Everything you can use a QR code for

Here is a list of QR Code marketing ideas that businesses can use::

Use it as a virtual business card to share contact information.

2. Send a preset text message to a predetermined recipient.

3. Use QR Codes as a contactless menu at restaurants. [ How to make a QR Code menu]

4. Draft a complete mail with subject and recipient for the user to hit send.

5. Use it to call a number

6. Use it reveal discounts or coupon codes

7. Send location coordinates using Google Maps or Waze

8. Add an event to the calendar along with a reminder

9. Automatically connect to the store's Wi-Fi

10. Follow a profile on social media

11. Direct users to the app store to download an app

Armed with that information, businesses can implement their own unique use cases.

Related: 5 reasons to start using QR codes right now

Here are some QR code marketing ideas in 2021

1. QR Code advertising to engage shoppers with short video content

It is common knowledge that the way we consume content has experienced a seismic shift in the last decade. Reading something only invokes 10% memory retention whereas . That is precisely why businesses should employ watching videos helps viewers retain 95% of the core message video QR codes to show off the stellar features of a product or display an advertisement to garner a shopper's attention.

Since QR Codes on product packaging requires a large volume of QR Codes to be created, businesses can use an API to generate QR Codes.

2. Increasing conversion by designing a QR code game
Image Source
With the rampant increase in hyper-casual games that do not require intensive brainpower, marketers can push such games through QR codes to shoppers with lucrative incentives like a discount or winning freebies thus increasing the conversion rates. This can also be used as a compelling way to engage with customers walking by advertising a 'Scan and Win' poster outside the store.

3. Converting one-time customers into repeat buyers
Image Source
Adding QR codes to post-purchase packaging that allows customers to scan and re-fill or re-order the product from the businesses' online store can do wonders for customer retention rates. By utilizing geolocation in tandem with the QR code, the same code can display different information based on a customer's location. For instance, if a QR code on the product in the store displays product information, the same code can be used to get them to re-order the product once they leave the store.

This is akin to the Amazon Dash buttons which were essentially Bluetooth tags that allowed customers to shop for more of the same product and have it home-delivered.

Related: How to deliver an Amazon Go experience in your retail store

4. Getting users to download your brand app through QR codes
Image Source
Instagram and Angry Birds used creative QR codes to get customers to download their app. These codes unambiguously conveyed their unique brand voice and served a dual purpose. One was obviously to get new customers to download their app and the other was to establish their brand by inducing brand familiarity through the QR code advertisement.
Create an app download QR Code from scratch
While proximity marketing without an app is definitely enticing, having your brand's app installed in your customer's phone allows you to gain a deeper insight into your customer's shopping history and makes way for you to serve them with personalized product recommendations. A beacon-aware app that can pave the way for contextualized information. It also allows shoppers to assume a more passive role and enjoy the shopping experience even more as beacon-enabled apps can deliver notifications without human intervention.

Related: BLE beacons, QR codes and NFC boost millennial engagement

5. Delivering a truly musical experience through QR codes
Image Source
According to researchers , stores use everything from lights to displays to get customers to spend more. So, what about music? Research suggests that stores use classical music as a way to simulate a more upscale environment to justify amped up product prices.

But, what if you could curate a truly unique shopping experience for customers that entered your store? With QR codes, you can.

Reebok used codes to send athletes to different carefully curated Spotify playlists based on their sport and you can do the same.

By allowing customers to choose between different genres, artists and even languages by scanning a corresponding QR code, businesses can boost their ROI significantly.

6. Breathing new life into otherwise 'boring' places with QR codes
Image Source
What is deemed as boring may be subjective but QR codes can definitely make for an interactive experience when used at museums, libraries, and parks.

Instead of having a human guide, QR codes can act as a guide for museum-goers who want to appreciate art in silence.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has plans of deploying QR codes in the Lodhi Garden which when scanned will give visitors details such as its common name, botanical name, lifespan and the age of the trees.

7. Getting users to leave product reviews
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Reviews are the bane of the continued existence of businesses. 90% of shoppers read online reviews religiously before they make up their mind to give a place their business and 88% of consumers treat reviews in the same regard as personal recommendations.

By getting customers to leave reviews on social media, your business not only gives them a place to voice their opinion but it also helps future customers make up their minds about visiting your store.

Instead of having dissatisfied customers vent on Twitter where you have absolutely no control over it, by gently nudging shoppers without any human intervention whatsoever, you can give your customers a platform that you can oversee.
Make a feedback and rating QR Code in 5 minutes or less
QR codes are a much better and quicker way to get customers to review your store or products than asking them to do so at checkout. If needed, you can also offer an accompanying discount for every positive review.

8. OOH advertisement and QR codes: A powerful force
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The effectiveness of OOH advertising is undeniable. In fact, 71% of consumers report that digital billboards are far more appealing to them than online ads. Pairing digital billboards with QR codes can drive consumers to take immediate action such as call the business or use Google maps to visit the store.

QR codes and OOH advertising can also serve as the foundation for a long and drawn out treasure hunt like the one X Collective (XCO) in partnership with Sqkii has designed for citizens of Singapore. $100,000 Singaporean dollars await the winner who is able to find all the clues scattered across MRT stations and trains on OOH ads. This #HuntTheMouse campaign gets participants to scan QR codes through the XCO app.
Create actionable billboards and banners with QR Codes
9. Share your contact details instantly with vCard QR codes
Create and design your vCard QR codes
Marketers and businesses can now use vCard QR codes to share their contact details with consumers. What makes a vCard QR code different from a regular vCard is that QR codes are dynamic. This means, when you evolve, your QR codes adapt to you. Having a vCard QR code on your business card also means that you don't have to re-print them over and over again. In fact, you can also have consumers save your contact information on their smartphone right then and there and use the extra couple of seconds to engage with them.

How to create dynamic QR Codes from a dynamic QR Code Generator

10. Use QR codes as a way of generating leads

Build email marketing lists with QR codes and use it to send customers an aesthetically pleasing Typeforms to collect responses by incentivizing the scan. The CTA can read "Scan to get a free trial" or "Scan to get a free style guide" which can prove to be very effective for lead generation.

RELATED: Build your email list with QR Codes

11. Use QR codes as an entry ticket & to deliver information regarding events

QR Codes are used by several entertainment companies to authenticate the ticket holder at the event. This saves time and effort and makes checking in to see a play, musical or movie a seamless experience. Massive events like music festivals also use QR codes as a part of crowd control. These QR codes can also be used to deliver relevant notifications and updates throughout the event.

RELATED: Market your events and increase engagement with event QR codes

12. Redirect customers to social media pages

With social media presence everywhere right now, it is essential to redirect your customers to your social media pages to drive traffic. For instance, if your customer loved a product of yours, print a Facebook QR Code on its packaging, so they can follow it immediately for more updates.

A social media QR Code can be used to avail of a discount or a freebie to encourage customers to scan your QR Code.

Leveraging social media QR Code saves time and effort as opposed to typing the link out on their own, thus improving the user experience overall for your business.

13. Direct users to your business location

The biggest challenge for businesses is directing their customers to an accurate location to clear out the confusion. Location QR Code can help customers guide their way through to your business location seamlessly.

Make use of location QR Code on your website and on print media advertisements, so customers can simply pull up their smartphone, scan the QR Code, and be directed to the location instead of manually searching for the address on online maps.

Best QR Code marketing use-cases in 2021

If these unique QR code use cases didn't inspire you, then these brands that have successfully implemented QR codes definitely will.

1. Porsche

Image Credit - Digital Operative

Porsche launched an immersive experience during the 2018 Digital Signage Expo that allowed attendees to customize the 2019 Porsche Cayenne Turbo and interact with the model through haptic cues. All of this was made possible by merely scanning a QR code.

2. Amazon Go

Image Credit - Killer Features

In the myriad of technology that Amazon Go stores employ, QR codes are also one of them. Customers can use QR codes to come and checkout without waiting for a cashier.

3. Instagram Nametags

Image Credit - Tech Crunch

Similar to Snapcodes, Instagram has launched a feature known as Nametags that can be fully customized by users and can be scanned by using the camera within the app by other users to follow accounts. This also works well when it comes to cross-platform. Businesses can insert their Nametag on other social media profiles to increase their follower count.

4. Comic-Con

During the 4 day event held in San Diego, attendees were allowed to validate their parking using QR codes. As discussed earlier, QR codes can be used to authenticate products.

5. PEDL

A cycle rental app uses QR codes to allow users to unlock the cycles via the PEDL app and then lock it at the end of their trip.

6. Netflix

Image Credit - AdWeek

Netflix jumped on the QR code bandwagon when they needed to get the word out there about the Gilmore Girls reboot by printing Snap codes on 10,000 coffee cups that led to a million views on Gilmore Girls inspired photo filters.

QR Code Marketing: Millennials and QR codes in 2021

A millennial's desire for instant gratification can be met with QR codes. QR codes can also solve another major problem faced by brands - product packaging. With 7 in 10 shoppers saying that the design of a produare qr ct's packaging drives their decision to purchase a product, making sure the packaging isn't riddled with product features and specifications that can take away from the design can be quite a tall order.

That is where QR codes come into the picture. While some brands opt to go the AR route, QR codes are a cost-effective way to give consumers, especially millennials, what they want. By including customized QR codes on packaging, companies can do away with labeling while allowing the customer to scan the code to still view all the features and perhaps even discover new products from the same brand.

7. Burger King

Source
Burger King launched two major offers for people stuck in the lockdown period during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the offers urged its users to scan a QR Code that appeared in their TV commercials, while another asked them to share screenshots of video calls with their friends.

The QR Whopper giveaway consisted of three TV commercials showing a floating QR Code around the screen. Upon scanning the QR Code, users were redirected to their webpage offering coupons to purchase a free Whopper via their BK app.

8. Amazon's AR activation shipping boxes

Recently, Amazon launched an augmented reality experience that can be unlocked by scanning QR Codes on its shipping boxes.

The initiative named Amazon Augmented Reality app shows its users drawing a face on a pumpkin printed on Amazon Halloween delivery boxes. Users can scan their QR Code to bring the pumpkin to life as Jack O'lantern, which follows the phone's camera around the room.

The app is available for both Android and iOS users and the company described the initiative as a "fun way to reuse your Amazon boxes until you are ready to drop them in the recycling bin."

Are QR codes still relevant in 2021?

Just like NFC, the market for QR codes is blooming. But, marketers and businesses must keep in mind that just deploying a QR code isn't enough. The site or content must be optimized for mobile. QR codes also let marketers the ability to view how many people engage with the product offering a chance to tailor their marketing strategies.

Instead of investing in static QR codes, the market is also slowly shifting to dynamic QR codes that can be re-used as the redirect URL or specific action can be changed as per the businesses' needs.
Learn in detail about dynamic QR Codes here
QR codes can also be used in tandem with BLE beacons, NFC to allow for a more comprehensive solution targeting all the potential and loyal customers of a business.
Convert your PDFs to QR Codes
Frequently Asked Questions

How are QR Codes used in marketing?

QR Codes are one of the most common tools used for marketing by businesses and brands of all sizes.

QR Codes have a variety of practical uses in marketing -

1. Directing customers to a website or a landing page

2. Using them to download an app quickly

3. Pass on business details to customers and other potential clients without any hassle

4. Finding the address/accurate location

5. Leverage them to make a modern greeting card

6. To access to AR for marketing and visualization purpose

7. Send out a prompted email or message to customers with coupons, deals, and seasonal greetings

8. Converting one-time buyers into repeat customers

9. Encouraging customers to leave a review

QR Codes are not only helpful and easy to use, but they also help in analyzing customers' click behavior to reshape their campaigns.

How do you promote QR Codes?

There are a number of ways to promote QR Codes -

1. Include a QR Code at the end of the email signature.

2. Use QR Codes to educate your customers by encouraging them to scan it and watch know-how videos or engaging them in fun games.

3. Embed QR Codes on your physical and online advertising material.

4. Leverage vCard business cards to pass on business details. '

5. Stick QR Codes on all the products you sell.

6. Include QR Codes on signages, tables, and any kind of outdoor areas that can grab the customers' attention.

How to use a Twitter QR Code for marketing?

Twitter allows QR Codes to be scanned via the app. QR Codes can be added to profiles, marketing pages, and brands to promote the page. When a Twitter QR Code is scanned, the codes allow people to quickly find and follow each other.

When an external QR Code is scanned, it redirects to an external URL.

How to use a QR Code for an effective marketing campaign?

Some of the ways to maximize marketing campaigns leveraging QR Codes are -

1. Direct consumers to a landing page/URL

2. Attach vCards or business details for further engagement

3. Send push-notifications, messages, and deals and offers

4. Send emails to consumers

5. Download apps and link multimedia content

6. Direct customers to the location

7. Direct consumers to social media pages

8. Use them in a variety of industries - eCommerce, retail, logistics, transport and aviation, entertainment industry, and healthcare to name a few

Do millennials use QR Codes?

Millennials, born from the 1990's are all about staying up-to-date with the latest technologies. Whether it is interacting with one another by new means or access special content, they are constantly active and searching for the next big thing.

Millennials, in fact, do use QR Codes. They use QR Codes a lot more than any other generation combined or individually.

Some of the ways millennials use QR Codes are -

1. Facebook Messenger Codes and Market QR Codes

2. SnapChat's SnapCodes

3. Instagram's Nametags

4. WeChat

5. Contactless Payment Systems - PayPal, Walmart, and Venmo

Do QR Codes expire?

In the case of dynamic QR Codes, they expire post the free trial period is over, or when the number of scans has exceeded your limit. Static QR Codes expire if they are linked to a broken URL.
Want to run proximity marketing campaigns with QR Codes? Get in touch with our proximity marketing expert at Beaconstac to help build your use-case without a developer's help.

Author Details

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This blog was originally published on January 17th, 2019 at 03:38 pm

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QR Code Marketing: QR Code Use Cases for Proximity Marketing in 2021

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QR codes were first invented in 1994 by the Denso Wave company to track their manufacturing process for vehicles. That's all there was to QR code usage. Just like NFC and RFID, tracking items was what QR codes were primarily used for. TRY QR CODES FOR MARKETING START 14 DAY FREE TRIAL Table of Contents [...]

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Marketing Strategies Aimed at College Students

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Last updated: August 26, 2020

Leverage user-generated content; encourage your customers to tag your products in their posts so you can easily re-post.

Spend time liking and commenting on related posts; this will help the algorithms show your account to more potential customers.

Announce new products or releases on your social accounts; if you're a big, national brand, think about making an account specifically for the college crowd you're serving, e.g. "VillanovaDominos" or "MaybellinePHL."

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The 10 Best Marketing Strategies to Reach College Students

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Last updated: August 26, 2020 Leverage user-generated content; encourage your customers to tag your products in their posts so you can easily re-post. Spend time liking and commenting on related posts; this will help the algorithms show your account to more potential customers.

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Additional Information About Marketing to College Students

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How to Market to College Students in 2020

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College marketing involves creative, high-impact marketing campaigns that specifically target college students, aged between 18-24. Targeting such a broad demographic is not easy, especially when the social attitudes and values that drive these individuals are continually in flux. For this reason, a successful college marketing campaign is built on sound research and smart planning.

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Health Challenges Faced by Online College Students

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How online learning can affect student health

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As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly spread across the country, schools have shut their doors and classes have moved online in order to slow the spread. The transition to online learning has impacted not only teachers, who have had to amend their courses, but also students who have had to…

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Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA.

² Department of Mathematics, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA.

Abstract

Objective: The study examined which snack factors and nutritional ingredients influence college students' snack choices using a discrete choice experiment (DCE). Participants: In November 2016, a total of 1,624 undergraduate students participated in the study. Methods: Two DCEs were constructed using a unique approach of block fractional factorial designs. The first DCE examined four three-level snack factors: healthiness, taste, convenience, and price. The second DCE focused on six two-level nutritional ingredients: sugar, salt, calories, fat, all natural, and fiber. Results: Students preferred quick and cheap snacks, but higher prices on healthy snacks did not affect their decision significantly. Healthiness and sugar had the highest relative importance of snack factors and nutritional ingredients, respectively. High-sugar snacks were less favored if students considered themselves educated in nutrition. Conclusion: Thus, potential ways to improve the snack choices for college students are to offer healthier snacks on college campuses and to promote nutrition education.

Keywords: Block fractional factorial design; discrete choice experiments; experimental design; nutrition; snack choices.

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Healthy snacks at the checkout counter: a lab and field study on the impact of shelf arrangement and assortment structure on consumer choices.

van Kleef E, Otten K, van Trijp HC. van Kleef E, et al. BMC Public Health. 2012 Dec 12;12:1072. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-1072. BMC Public Health. 2012. PMID: 23231863 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

Impact of a Short-Term Nutrition Education Child Care Pilot Intervention on Preschool Children's Intention To Choose Healthy Snacks and Actual Snack Choices.

Joseph LS, Gorin AA, Mobley SL, Mobley AR. Joseph LS, et al. Child Obes. 2015 Oct;11(5):513-20. doi: 10.1089/chi.2015.0028. Epub 2015 Aug 17. Child Obes. 2015. PMID: 26280736

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universities / statistics & numerical data*

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national center for biotechnology information

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Which snack factors and nutritional ingredients influence college students' snack choices? Evidence from discrete choice experiments - PubMed

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1 Department of Public Health, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA. 2 Department of Mathematics, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA. Objective: The study examined which snack factors and nutritional ingredients influence college students' snack choices using a discrete choice experiment (DCE).

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Gender residence ethnicity in freshman BMI and Diet_Freedman_2010

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Abstract

Objective: This study assessed the effectiveness of a 4-month intervention using stage-based newsletters, computer-based communication, and motivational interviewing to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by college students aged 18 to 24 years.

Design: Participants were stratified by stage of change for fruit and vegetable consumption and randomized to an intervention or control group. Participants completed the staging algorithm for fruit and vegetable intake, which included a one-item food frequency question, a 26-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), an 18-item decisional balance questionnaire, and a five-item self-efficacy questionnaire at baseline and completion of study.

Subjects: A convenience sample of 437 college students enrolled in a rural, land grant university was enrolled in the study. Only nondietetics majors between ages 18 to 24 years were included in the study. A total of 314 students finished the study for a completion rate of 72%.

Intervention: After baseline staging and randomization, the intervention group participants received four stage-based newsletters, one motivational interview, and an individually tailored e-mail follow-up over a 4-month period. Control group participants only received assessment at baseline and at completion.

Main outcome measures: Two fruit and vegetable instruments, a one-item food frequency question, and a 26-item FFQ measured daily consumption of fruits and vegetables at baseline and postintervention.

Statistical analyses performed: The SAS system for Windows, version 8 (1999, SAS Institute, Inc, Cary, NC), was used for analysis, including the following tests: PROC GLM, PROC FREQ, and PROC NPAR1WAY, Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher, Wilcoxon rank sum, and chi(2).

Results: Fruit and vegetable consumption increased significantly more for the intervention group than the control group. Consumption increased in the intervention group by one serving a day for both instruments compared with 0.4 servings a day in the control group for a one-item instrument and no change in the control group for a 26-item FFQ.

Conclusions: This intervention is an effective way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by young adults.

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Acceptability of stage-tailored newsletters about fruits and vegetables by young adults.

Ruud JS, Betts N, Kritch K, Nitzke S, Lohse B, Boeckner L. Ruud JS, et al. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 Nov;105(11):1774-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.08.011. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005. PMID: 16256762

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national center for biotechnology information

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Motivating 18- to 24-year-olds to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption - PubMed

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Objective: This study assessed the effectiveness of a 4-month intervention using stage-based newsletters, computer-based communication, and motivational interviewing to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by college students aged 18 to 24 years. Design: Participants were stratified by stage of change for fruit and vegetable consumption and randomized to an intervention or control group.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In content marketing, color is an emotional cue.

In an ocean of content marketing, color can help yours stand out.

It's what gets your audience to see what you want them to see, feel what you want them to feel, and to do what you want them to do. Which hues you choose can also affect usability and whether content is readable it or not. This is what makes understanding color psychology so important for the success of your content.

However, poor color choice can also negatively change the impact of your message. Get it wrong, and your great content and your amazing call to action will be easily ignored. Even NASA is concerned about color; enough so that they provide free online resources to help non-designers choose just the right shades.

After reading this post, you'll understand basic color theory and psychology. Plus, we've included a free hex color chart to make picking the right colors with easy with any design tool.

Ready to become an expert? Let's jump in!

Download Now

Let's Start With The Basics Of Color Theory

Understanding how color works isn't just for artists dipping their hands into paint and pigments all day long. Anyone in marketing needs to understand the basics of color theory because no matter what you are using color in your content.

Primary Color

Primary colors are the three colors that make all other colors. They are red, blue, and yellow. These three colors can be used to create the next level of colors, called the secondary colors.

Exceptions, of course, abound when it comes to talking about primary colors. If you're talking color theory in regards to light, your primary colors would be cyan, magenta, and yellow. Let's not forget CMYK for print and RGB for screens or monitors. And, when mixing paint, it matters what particular pigment you're using to get that red in order to come up with the proper new color. But let's keep this simple and stick with red, blue, and yellow.

Secondary Color

Secondary colors are purple, green, and orange. They are created using the primary colors. If you look on the color wheel, you'll find the secondary colors in between two primary colors.
Color Guide:

red + blue = purple

blue + yellow = green

red + yellow = orange

Tertiary Color

Tertiary colors take secondary colors one step further. They are the "two-name" colors, such as red-purple, red-orange, yellow-green, etc.

They are created by adding more of one primary color than the other creating not a true secondary color. It ends up being closer to the primary color.

Pure Color

Primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, without the addition of white, black, or a third color, are pure (or saturated) colors. They are intense, bright, cheery, and untainted colors.

These are the colors of children's toys, daycare decor, and summer clothes.

Tints

When white is added to a pure color, you get a tint. Some people refer to these as pastel colors. They are lighter and paler than a pure color, and not as intense.

Tints range from slightly whiter to almost-white.

Shades

When black is added to a pure color, you create a shade. These darken and dull the brightness of pure colors, and range from slightly darker to almost black.

Tones

When gray (black + white) is added to a pure color, you create a tone. You often hear people saying that a color needs to be "toned down", meaning it's too intense and they want to drop the level of intensity.

Adding black and white in different amounts to a color subdues the intensity quickly.

The Completed Color Wheel

Whew! So there we have it: a complete color wheel with primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, plus their tints, shades, and tones. You can see how it all fits together on the color wheel below.

Cool colors are all on the left side of the wheel, in the blues and greens. The warm colors are all on the right side of the wheel, in the yellows and reds.

Now that you understand color theory and the color wheel, you can start to use color purposefully in your content marketing.

Using Contrast Correctly With Color

When it comes to color techniques, the use of contrast is particularly important, and it's probably the one that will lead you to butt heads with your designer the most.

Contrast is how one color stands apart from another. It's what makes text or objects distinguishable from the background. High contrast is when colors easily stand apart from each other. Low contrast is when they don't.

Often, people assume a difference in color is what creates contrast, but that's not true. You might have two colors that are completely different but have no contrast at all because their tone is the same. To test out your colors contrast, turn them into grayscale and review their contrast.

Colors, in their pure form, have inherent differences in how light and dark they are.

Yellow is bright, for example, while blue is darker. Yellow and orange have little contrast with each other, despite being different colors. When different colors have the same tone (level of gray as you just learned), they will not have much contrast, either. It isn't enough to simply pick two different colors when making decisions about contrast.

Using High And Low Contrast

Generally, high contrast is the best choice for important content, because it is most easily seen. Dark on light or light on dark-it's the easiest to read. It might not be exciting, but it is readable.

One word of caution, though: If everything is high contrast, nothing stands out and it's tiring on the eye after a while. (e.g. Think of black computer screens with bright green text.)

Designers often prefer low contrast techniques. They like to make things look beautiful, but beautiful isn't always the best for readability. Tone-on-tone similar colored combinations are very popular and while their subtlety is quite attractive, they are also difficult for people to read.

Pro Tip: Try to find the balance between beautiful color schemes, and legibility for optimal clarity in your visuals.

In order to use similar colors, while getting the contrast you desire, create a color scheme with both complementary and analogous colors. What's that? Let's keep reading!

Choosing Color Combinations

The color wheel can help you choose great color combinations for your call to action button, your infographics, and your lead collection pop-up.

Keeping your color combinations simple will help you in the long run.

A study from the University of Toronto showed on how people using Adobe Kuler revealed most people preferred simple color combinations that relied on only 2 to 3 favorite colors.

People like simplicity; it makes your content easier to understand if they don't have to interpret it through many colors. And remember, color has meaning so each color adds or takes away from your message.

Too many colors make for a confusing message. So how do you choose those 2 or 3 colors? The color wheel can help.
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Using Complementary (Opposite) Colors

Complementary color combinations make things stand out.

Complementary colors are "opposite" colors. They are opposite of each other on the color wheel, meaning the one color they lack is that one opposite of them.

They are geographically and color-wise the opposite, and provide a kind of visual tension because they are so opposed to each other.

You might even notice that some of your favorite sport teams use complementary colors. From football to hockey, opposite colors are used for some great color combinations.
Blue is the opposite of orange. Red is the opposite of green. Yellow is the opposite of purple.
Opposites attract!

When the human eye sees a painting full of different kinds of greens, any bit of red is going to stand out amazingly well. Why?

Because red is the opposite color of green. When the eye has been looking at a lot of the same color, it wants to see the opposite for a visual break. Using complementary colors is the easiest way to get something to stand out. Use them with caution to keep your content from being too visually jarring.

You don't want 50% orange and 50% blue because neither color wins and it causes distress to the eyes.

Pro Tip: pick a primary color as your main color, and then accent it with its complement color for more of a 7:3 ratio. This provides a beautiful color pairing, but also lets your eyes break on the opposite color.

Let's look at the CoSchedule homepage as an example. What colors do you see?

It's mainly blue, but our most important button, the "Get Started Free Now" button, is orange. Orange is the opposite color of blue. In a sea of dark blue, your eye is going to naturally notice orange faster than any other color. We also ensured that the orange button contrasted from the dark blue to make it even more visually present.

Caution: Addressing Color Blindness

A quick word of caution: Red and green, two complementary colors, present a sticky problem. Some people have color blindness and cannot distinguish between certain colors, and red and green are a common problematic combination.Colors with heavy amounts of red and green in them get bungled up, too. Did you know that Facebook is blue because Mark Zuckerberg is red-green colorblind? He sees blues the best.

The above example shows the three types of color blindness: Deuteranope, protanope, and tritanope. Similar to Mark who sees blue best, it's no wonder why blue is one of the more popular colors as it stretches even beyond color blindness.

To help with color blindness when using complementary colors, remember there must be high contrast. Try to never use a color solely as the information source. Include text in graphs and infographics whenever possible as well.

High contrast and additional text will ensure that even when color blindness is present, your visuals will be both readable and enjoyable to see.

Using Split Complementary Colors

If you want to use three colors instead of just two, using split complementary color schemes is a way to capitalize on the power of complementary colors but add a third color to your palette. To use it, you'll choose one color as your base color, and then the two colors adjacent to its opposite.

For example, if we decided to choose green as our main color, we'd look across the color wheel for its complementary color, red. Then, look to the two colors directly beside it. Now, we have green, red-orange, and red-purple for a perfect split complementary color scheme.

A split complementary color scheme doesn't have quite the same level of tension that a complementary color scheme does, but it's still visually exciting for your eye. It also adds a level of variety to your color scheme that can be used in a very dynamic, meaningful way.

Using Analogous Colors

Analogous colors sit next to each other on the color wheel. They are "related", a kind of family of colors that creates pleasing and relaxed visuals. They aren't jarring, opposite, or clashing. They also don't stand out from one another. Analogous colors can create subtle and beautiful content, but you may need to add a complementary color to get any particular item to stand out.

Using Monochromatic Colors

Monochromatic colors are a single color, with its tints, shades, and tones. They are even more soft and subtle than analogous colors since it's a color palette based on one single color. Monochromatic colors work great when paired with a single complementary color. On the CoSchedule website, we use monochromatic blue colors with orange for the content we want to get noticed.

Most designers-when using complementary colors-pair a rich collection of monochromatic colors with a single complementary color.

Using Triangle, Rectangle And Square Colors

It isn't difficult to create color combinations that stretch the boundaries of the easy power of complementary opposites and the related analogous and monochromatic palettes. All you need is a triangle, rectangle, and a square.

A triangle (triad) is a color combination made of three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel.

A rectangle (tetradic) is a color combination made of four colors that are made up of two complementary pairs.

A square is similar to a rectangle palette, but the two sets of complementary pairs are colors evenly spaced around the circle.

These three combinations can be visually noisy if you're not careful. The best application is to use one color as the dominant color, and the others for highlighting content. The triangle combination is particularly vibrant; three is a "stable" number and using three colors is visually stabilizing.

The Psychology of Colors in Marketing

Color is an essential tool because it has an impact on how we think and behave. Color directs our eye where to look, what to do, and how to interpret something. It puts content into context. It helps us decide what's important and what's not. That's precisely why, as a content marketer, you need to understand what colors mean to people.

While color psychology has been studied and analyzed over time, the psychological impact of color is still moderately subjective.

We don't all react the same way to colors, as we all have previous experiences with colors from significant events, cultures, people, and memories. However, there are a few generalities about how people respond to color, and that's what we're going to look at.

The Color Psychology of Red

Red is a very powerful, dynamic color that reflects our physical needs whether to show affection and love, or to portray terror, fear, and survival. Red is also a very energizing color that can portray friendliness and strength, but can also be demanding and show aggression depending on its context.

Overall, if you're looking to have a really powerful presence or get someone's attention fast, red is your go-to color. Just remember to use it sparingly to avoid the extreme negative reactions it can so easily awaken.

Red is commonly seen: Stop lights, Valentine's Day, and horror films.

The Color Psychology of Orange

Orange has a very interesting psychological meaning as it combines red's power and energy with yellow's friendliness and fun. The mix makes orange a good representation of physical comfort in our warmth, food, and shelter. (It even stimulates our appetite so watch out if you're hungry!)

Orange is also known to be a color of motivation, lends a positive attitude, and general enthusiasm for life. Overall, orange is great for bringing comfort in tough times, and creating a sense of fun or freedom in your visuals.

Orange is commonly seen: Fruits, sporting events, and board games.

The Color Psychology of Yellow

Yellow is the epitome of joy, happiness, cheerfulness, optimism-you name it. Anything happy is almost always yellow. The wavelength of yellow is particularly long, making it have one of the most powerful psychological meanings, while also being the easiest color to visibly see. (Did you know yellow is the first color infants respond to?)

Whenever you need to lift someone's spirits, increase their confidence, or provide inspiration, use yellow. However, avoid using yellow too much because it's also known to make us more critical causing self esteem issues, fear, or anxiety. Find the right balance of yellow to motivate rather than bring others down.

Yellow is commonly seen: Traffic crossings and signs, smiley faces, and window-front displays.

The Color Psychology of Green

Green is a color of balance and harmony. It lends us a clearer sense of right from wrong since green incorporates a balance of both the logical and emotional. Green is one of the most-seen colors in nature reflecting life, rest, and peace. It is also a sign of growth, whether that's in a physical object like plants or in our income and wealth.

Overall, if you're looking to portray health, rest, and to relieve stress, green is your color. While green does have minor negative aspects like over-possession and materialism, it has a more positive affect than most other colors.

Green is commonly seen: Nature, economic exchange, health-based stores, and restaurants.

The Color Psychology of Blue

Blue is known for its trust and dependability. It's reliable, responsible, and mentally soothing. For that reason alone, it's one of the most-liked colors across the entire world.

Unlike red, blue lends a more mental reaction rather than physical that allows us to destress, calm down, and think of the most ideal situation. Unfortunately, it also is one of the last colors to be seen, and can be perceived as distant, cold, or unfriendly if used it great amounts.

Overall, blue is a well-liked color that can bring a sense of calmness and trust when building relationships, especially in marketing.

Blue is commonly seen: Workout facilities, hospitals, and spas.

The Color Psychology of Purple

Purple is most commonly known for its imagination and spirituality. It possesses the energy and power of red, with the stability and reliability of blue, making it a perfect balance between the physical and spiritual. Purple is often used to show luxury, loyalty, courage, mystery, and magic.

It's a very intriguing color as it soothes, but also presents space for mystery and new ideas. This is why creativity is most often associated with the color purple. When using purple, avoid using it too often as it can also cause too much introspection or distraction as thoughts begin to wonder.

Purple is commonly seen: Magic shows, fairy tales, and luxury products.

The Color Psychology of Pink

Pink is a softer, less intense version of red that creates a sense of compassion and unconditional love. While it's a very physical color, it soothes rather than stimulates, making it a perfect color for caring, understanding, and nurturing those in need.

Pink is a sign of hope. It is also known to be very romantic as it shows empathy and sensitivity. If too much pink is used, it can be very draining, show a lack of power, and even immature. Overall, pink can be a great counter-option to the color red when used appropriately.

Pink is commonly seen: Cancer patients, little kid objects, and bathroom products.

The Color Psychology of Brown

Brown, while maybe not the most visual stimulating color, is a great sign of structure, security, and protection. Whether it's family, friends, and material possessions, brown offers constant support.

It's also a very serious, down to earth color you can use where black might be too intense. The downfall to brown is that it's the most safe color and can seem reserved, scheduled, and boring. Overall, use it when necessary, but don't depend on it too heavily.

Brown is commonly seen: Campgrounds, home furnishings, and coffee shops.

The Color Psychology of Gold

Gold has quite a few different meanings depending on your culture. Across the world, though, gold consistently represents some variation of charm, confidence, luxury, and treasure. It also can have an element of friendliness, abundance, and prosperity that is naturally attractive. Too much gold, however, can seem egotistical, proud, and self-righteous. Similar to colors like brown and black, try to use gold more sparingly to highlight rather than be the main attraction.
Gold is commonly seen: Luxury products, rings, and trophies.
The Color Psychology of Black
Black is commonly seen: Professional attire, luxury products, and limos.
Black is a color of sophistication, seriousness, control, and independence. Although, it can also be used to show evil, mystery, depression, and even death. Black is a very reserved color that completely lacks any light as its an absence of all the colors. It likes to stay hidden, in control, and separate from others. For this reason, black is a great color for high contrast and easy legibility. Unfortunately, since its a very powerful color, too much black can cause sadness and overall negativity so use it sparingly and in your text more so than the visuals itself.

The Color Psychology of White

White is color that is complete and pure, making it a perfect example of purity, innocence, cleanliness, and peace. White can also represent new beginnings, providing a blank slate, and gives refreshment for new ideas. Since white has an equal balance of all the colors, it can exemplify several meanings, with equality outweighing them all. White is a great color for simplicity, cleanliness, and idea creation; however, avoid using too much white as it can cause isolation, loneliness, and emptiness.

White is commonly seen: Weddings, website backgrounds, and doctor's waiting rooms.

More Scientific Findings of Color

Bright Colors

Faber Birren, a 20th-century color researcher and author of Color Psychology And Color Therapy, discovered something interesting about general color groups.

He found that bright light and bright colors promoted "big muscle" activity, while softer and deeper colors promoted mental and visual tasks better. He also discovered that red stimulates our nervous system while blue relaxes it. Red and related colors also caused people to overestimate the passage of time while cooler colors like green and blue were the reverse.

That means that:

Bright colors promote physical activity but make the passage of time seem slower.

Cooler and softer colors are better for mental activity and make the time seem to fly by.

Cultural Color

Color also means different things in different cultures. According to researcher Joe Hallock "Eskimos use 17 words for white as applied to different snow conditions, where in the Northwest United States there are only 4 or 5."

Every culture understands a color differently. It has a role to play in religion, politics, ceremony, and art. The culture your audience is in affects how they understand deeper meanings of color. Even the context you use the color in affects the meaning of color. For example, in India, red means purity, while in the U.S. it denotes passion and specific holidays.

Word Connections To Color

In a survey, people were asked to choose the color they associated with particular words.

Trust: Most chose the color blue (34%), followed by white (21%) and green (11%)

Security: Blue came out on top (28%), followed by black (16%) and green (12%)

Speed: Red was overwhelmingly the favorite (76%)

Cheapness: Orange came first (26%), followed by yellow (22%) and brown (13%)

High Quality: Black was the clear winner (43%), then blue (20%)

High Tech: This was almost evenly split, with black the top choice (26%) and blue and gray second (both 23%)

Reliability: Blue was the top choice (43%), followed by black (24%)

Courage: Most chose purple (29%), then red (28%), and finally blue (22%)

Fear/Terror: Red came in first (41%) followed by black (38%)

Fun: Orange was the top choice (28%), followed closely by yellow (26%) and then purple (17%)

Blue is clearly a color people are positively drawn to, but beyond that, little else can be said.

Depending upon the context of the rest of your content, black can mean high quality and trust, or it can mean fear and terror. It can't do it on its own, but surrounded by your content, a color choice can bump up your intended meaning a notch.

Preferred Colors By Gender

Compiling the results of many studies, the Kissmetrics blog came up with an excellent infographic on how men and women experience and react to color differently. Men and women have different color preferences.

According to both the Kissmetrics blog and Hallock:

Blue is the favored color by both men (57%) and women (35%), though it is more heavily favored by men.

Men dislike brown the most while women dislike orange the most.

Colors that were disliked were also seen as "cheap."

Men tolerate achromatic colors (i.e. shades of gray) better.

Women preferred tints while men preferred pure or shaded colors.

A majority of men (56%) and women (76%) preferred cool colors in general.

Orange and yellow grow increasingly disliked as both genders get older.

Women see more colors than men, generally. They are more aware of slight color differences within a color range.

This may explain why men simply call the color blue...blue. Women, on the other hand, see cerulean, sky, teal, turquoise, and all sorts of varieties of blue. Perhaps it is a combination of being able to visually see more differentiation and considering it worthy of a more specific name. Perhaps men are better able to tolerate both colorless and bright color palettes because they aren't as sensitive to the nature and nuances of the color as women seem to be.

What does this mean for you?

Well, is your audience mostly men or is it women? What age are they? Do the colors you're using in your content marketing attract or repel that audience? If your audience is women, in particular, you must carefully choose colors that are not too raucous. If you are selling a luxury product, you want to avoid colors that are seen as cheap.

Mood Colors And Emotions (Infographic)

There are a few generalized understandings of what specific colors often mean to a large cross-section of people, with each color having negative and positive emotions associated with it.

Color & Brand Recognition

How people behave when they see color has a direct effect on your conversions. Will they click the button on your CTA? Will they read your pop-up graphic? Will they notice your email subscription box?

According to the Institute for Color Research, people make a judgment about your content in 90 seconds or less. And, up to 90% of that judgment in that brief amount of time is influenced by the colors they see. Blogger Neil Patel gives further proof of how colors affect your conversion rate, revealing that 85% of consumers base buying decisions on color, and that full-color ads in magazines get recognized 26% more often than plain old black and white ads.

In fact, color helps people recognize your brand by up to 80%. It's important to choose your color carefully, and stick with it.

When it comes to getting people to click a button or sign up, it's not a question of which color is magic and makes it happen all the time. It's a question of passive and active colors, of high and low contrasts, and of opposites, like our CoSchedule example where the orange button stood out from the blue.

And it's a question of which color tested best for you.

Testing Your Best Colors: A CoSchedule Case Study

The color combination of orange and blue is a powerful one. It's fairly safe in respects to color blindness, and repeatedly gets favorable marks by people as a combination.

But is it enough to just pick a great combination?

Not at all; you need to know how to use those colors individually. Let's look at CoSchedule and our Facebook promotions as an example. We've created several designs over the last year, some with a blue backgrounds, and others with orange backgrounds.

The promotions with the orange backgrounds consistently made people more likely to click than those with the blue backgrounds! It made sense, though. Think about Facebook. It is a predominantly blue network, and so our orange image stood out more than our blue image did.

This doesn't mean that orange is the color you must use. It means we tested our two colors and found that orange worked the best

It means we tested our two colors and found that orange worked the best for us on Facebook. It might even vary from social network to social network so make sure that you do your own testing.

What worked on Facebook might look different than Twitter. You need to find out if your red button beats your green button ( as Hubspot discovered) on your own. The color of the rest of the page, your content, and the placement objects will make your results different from what someone else has discovered.

Now You're A Color Psychology Expert!

Color in general is fascinating to study, from both a theory and psychological standpoint.

From Newton, Goethe, Itten, Hering, Young-Helmholtz, Birren, or Müller (yes, there have been many theories on color throughout history), the lowly color wheel has been considered and reconsidered again and again. The effect color has on us and our behavior has been studied repeatedly.

When it comes to choosing colors, you must test. You cannot know how your audience will respond to your colors in your content and layout without creating thoughtful A/B tests to determine which color combinations and placements generate the most leads and traffic in your content.

An earlier draft of this post was written and created by Julie Neidlinger. It was most recently updated on Aug. 29, 2018 by Ashton Hauff.

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Color Psychology In Marketing: The Complete Guide [Free Download]

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In content marketing, color is an emotional cue. In an ocean of content marketing, color can help yours stand out. It's what gets your audience to see what you want them to see, feel what you want them to feel, and to do what you want them to do.