If your colleagues are wearing black today, it might be a good idea to give them a wide berth, new research reveals.
The study of 2,000 Brits by Arla's Best of Both (BOB) examined the relationship between the colours we wear and their impact on our moods. It found that those feeling stressed and angry are more likely to wear black than colourful clothing.
For those feeling more positive about life, yellow is the colour chosen most commonly for happiness, while red evokes confidence.
The study found that it isn't just the colour of clothes that people are judged on -the colour of your home, the car you choose to drive and even your shade of nail polish all affect how others view you.
The study, published on International Colour Day and commissioned by Arla's BOB - the newly launched skimmed milk sporting a yellow lid that tastes as good as semi-skimmed - also found that colour plays an important part in first impressions.
According to respondents, a green outfit is a sign of intelligence, blue shows you're reliable, white suggests you're traditional, yellow says you're happy and good humoured, while pink suggests immaturity and should be avoided both on a date or in a job interview.
More than half of those polled feel that the colours you choose to wear to different events can influence how successfully those events go.
And just under two thirds felt the colour you wear to an event or social situation will directly impact how you feel while attending.
But despite these findings, 47 per cent of Brits actively shy away from wearing colour. Standing out too much or feeling a colour choice wasn't flattering were the biggest reasons to stick to dark or neutral tones.
Working with psychologist and colour expert Honey Langcaster-James on the study, Arla's BOB aims to shine a light on the psychology of colour, to tie in the International Colour Day on 21 March. The new milk was given a yellow top by Arla to reflect people's attitudes to this cheery colour.
Jessica Hardcastle, of Arla Foods UK, commented:
"We took three years to develop our new BOB milk and when it came to deciding what colour bottle top this innovative product should sport, we did our research carefully. Red, blue and green have long dominated the milk aisle and we wanted a colour that provided stand out and conveyed the exciting new product we had created. We know that colour is very important for first impressions - something that this study shows. We also know that yellow is a colour that not only catches our attention but is associated with happiness, optimism and enlightenment. So the yellow-top milk bottle was born!
"With this study we wanted to delve a little deeper into the psychology of colour, and it's really interesting to see that so many believe they are judged by the colours they wear, and so many judge others on their colour choices. But a big proportion of Brits are afraid to use colour in their lives.
"We're working with Honey Langcaster-James to develop some expert tips on how to colour craft successfully, and we hope that people up and down the country will find them useful. And if they are feeling joyful that they don't have to compromise on taste any more with our BOB milk, they can pop on a yellow top to celebrate!"
Honey Langcaster- James commented:
"The survey conducted by Arla's BOB reveals fascinating insights into the psychology of colour. It is clear that people believe they are judged on the basis of the colours they wear - and they also admit to judging others based on the colour of their clothing. Yet most people do not then 'colour craft' themselves successfully. Instead, Brits tend to stick to wearing dark or neutral tones. Understanding how to 'colour craft' and wear different colours for different occasions and circumstances can give you the edge and influence a range of outcomes in your life."
The study found some interesting gender differences when it comes to using colour. Women reported being much more affected by colour and more likely to use it to their advantage than men. Women were also more likely to say that their mood changes when they put on a different colour and to say that wearing bright colours conveys a happier mood.
The study also reveals that a third of people make presumptions about other people's mood based on the colours they are wearing that day.
WHAT COLOURS SAY ABOUT YOUR MOOD
RED- loud, confident
GREEN - intelligent, approachable
BLUE- reliable, approachable
YELLOW- loud, happy
BLACK- sophisticated, conservative
PINK -immature, confident
WHITE- traditional, confident
RED- passion, fire, danger
YELLOW- summer/sunshine, happiness
BLUE - sky, sea
GREEN - nature, vegetables
* Wear Yellow more often. Yellow was found to inspire positivity - 43 per cent of respondents said it's a colour to wear when you feel happy, and 41per cent associated it with the joys of Spring. So for an instant mood boost, or to appear happy and youthful to others, add a splash of yellow. The survey also found that people will think you're good-humoured when wearing yellow, making you more attractive to others.
ENDS
For more information, including images, interview requests and samples, please contact Wild Card on 0207 257 6470 or email [email protected].
Notes to editors
About Arla BOB®
Arla BOB is a new, yellow-top skimmed milk that tastes as good as semi-skimmed. The naturally occurring protein in milk is collected and carefully added back into skimmed milk. Free from artificial ingredients and additives, it's this extra protein, which makes Arla BOB taste so good. The full range includes a 2-litre variant (rsp: £1.50) and a 1-litre variant (rsp: £1).
Arla BOB® on TV
Arla BOB was launched in the UK via a nationwide TV campaign on 8th February 2016. The ad focuses on bringing BOB to a town called 'Compromise' and is part of a £7m integrated marketing campaign spanning shopper, outdoor, press, digital, social and PR.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm7kNxHtkYk
About Arla®
Arla Foods is a global dairy company and co-operative owned by 12,700 dairy farmers approximately 3,000 of whom are British.
Dating back to 1881, Arla's purpose is to secure the highest value for its farmers' milk, while creating opportunities for their growth. With production facilities in 11 countries and sales offices in a further 30, Arla is the world's fifth largest dairy company and largest supplier of organic dairy products. Arla has a total of more than 18,000 colleagues and its products are sold under the well-known brands Arla®, Lurpak® and Castello® in more than 100 countries.
Arla Foods UK is the largest dairy company in the country and is home to leading dairy brands Anchor®, Lurpak® and Castello®. It has a turnover of £2.3 billion. As well as being number one in fresh liquid milk, butter, spreads and cream, Arla is the UK's largest cheese manufacturer. It has also built the world's largest fresh milk facility located at Aylesbury and has plans for it to be the first zero carbon site of its kind. The UK business has a team of approximately 3,500 colleagues located at its dairies, distribution centres and head office.
About Honey Langcaster-James
Honey Langcaster- James is one of the UK's top Radio & TV Psychologists and coaches. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Cognitive Science, a Masters Degree in Work and Organisational Psychology, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Personal and Corporate Coaching. After many years working in academia and corporate consultancy, Honey launched her private practice as a Clinical Psychotherapist. Today Honey works mainly in private practice but continues to hold a post as Lecturer in Psychology at a prestigious UK University Psychology Department. Her private practice sees her working with clients from around the world - both in person and via various modes of telecommunications (e.g. Skype), and working with multinational companies on a variety of projects. Honey has made several media appearances and regularly contributes to articles in the national and international press. She has worked with a number of high‐profile and well-known clients and has also acted as an on-set and on-screen Psychologist on some of the most popular television shows in the UK (for example Channel 4's hugely popular and ITV's Love Island).
