Staff Resources
Five Basic Rules for Effective Advertising
& Winning Color Combinations
- Just Life Real Estate…Location, Location, Location
o Put advertisements in high traffic areas (bathrooms, lobbies, lounges, vending, laundry). - Aesthetics…what does that mean again?
o Less is more – just provide the necessary info – don’t overwhelm your residents.
o Only use 2 fonts a page (trust on this one – it almost always looks bad).
o While we’re talking about fonts – be sure to use readable ones!
o Be sure to use white space – give the eye a rest!
o Use visually interesting colors. - Outside of the box…literally!
o Posters and banners are great! Even the best looking flyers may get lost in the flyer abyss that exists at JMU.
o Use different shapes – circles, triangles, arcs grab attention.
o Feel free to go 3D! It will grab the eye! - You Have the Power!
o Never underestimate the power of a personal invite, especially if your hall doesn’t have an intercom system.
o Notes on doors are helpful!
o If you have shared your IM name with residents it doesn’t hurt to leave a reminder on your away message. - Timing is Everything
o Give your residents enough time to incorporate the program into their plans!
o Put out “teasers” for your program in advance and then put up ads with more info later.
Winning Color Combinations
By: Selena McIntyre http://bpsoutdoor.com/articles/colorcombos.htm
Please do not pay attention to advertising! They pay attention to things that interest them. So it is our job as advertisers to interest them. The color combinations you choose for an advertisement can determine the success or failure of your ad. That is why it is extremely important to choose the most effective colors and color combinations.
In order for an advertisement to have a winning color combination, the colors must contrast each other. For example, if you have a dark background, the letters should be very light. Yellow and white letters are recommended for dark backgrounds. For light backgrounds dark letters are more legible.
Each color has a different meaning to consumers. To learn more about the psychological affects of colors, go to the website listed above.
Red
Red, when used as a background goes best with white and yellow letters. Red letters are best viewed on white, or yellow backgrounds. Red letters are an attention getter, so it is used on very important words.
Orange
When you use an orange background, white letters are most visible. Orange letters look best when it is place on a white background.
Brown
Brown is most visible when used with white, tan, or yellow.
Green, Blue, Purple, and Black
When these colors are used as a background they look best with white, or yellow letters.
Dark shades of green, blue, purple, and black letters are best viewed on a light background.
Yellow looks great when it is matched with any dark color. It is a great choice for a background color. Since yellow is the first color that the human eye views it grabs our attention quicker than any other color.
Yellow is also a good letters color. It is very legible and eye catching. Notice how the yellow letters seem to glow on the dark backgrounds.
White is a great color to combine with other colors because it matches with most colors. However, white is not visible when combined with yellow or other light colors. White can be legibly matched with any dark color.
The most effective color combination is a yellow background with black letters. White backgrounds with patriotic colors (red and blue) are very popular in the United States.
Remember your ad must be legible to get attention it deserves. Be sure to contrast your background and letter colors. Rotate your letter colors to help your advertisement be more legible. For example, if you have a blue background, put your first line of letters in white, your second in yellow, your third in white, and so on.
Always keep your advertisement interesting. People do not pay attention to advertising unless you can interest them. Don’t be afraid to add drop shadows, or outlines occasionally. But be careful and don’t use too many colors. Simple advertisements with a brief message are most effective.
