McDonald’s: the popular fast food giant that has spread their chains across the world. With around 70 million consumers per day (according to 2015 study). Ask your friends, family, or anyone you know. Almost everyone has had McDonald’s at least once in their life. As humans, we naturally crave high calorie and unhealthy foods. But what makes McDonald’s the most outstanding? Why do we like it so much? Part of it has to do with the infamous red & yellow logo that we all know so well .
Why use Red & Yellow?
You may be thinking that the logo was created to match the creepy clown face of Ronald McDonald, or to mimic the image of the crispy french fries dipped in a pool of sweet, tangy ketchup. Nice try, but it’s actually a well planned marketing and psychology tactic. Not only is it simple and memorable, the specific colors of red and yellow play into hunger pangs and junk food urges. Red is stimulating, and has been proven to increase heart rate, which in turn also increases appetite. Yellow is regarded as the color of happiness, and is the most visible color in daylight, making the logo pop out and easily visible. A study done by neuroscientists at Wellesley College also showed that our brains process color before it processes words or shapes.
Red Increases our Reaction Rates
Red has also been proven to increase reaction rates. Further increasing our urge to pull into a Mcdonald’s when we see the bright logo down the street. In a study published by the journal Emotion, students of an age group of 4th to 10th grade were told to read aloud their participant number, then squeeze a metal clasp. The numbers were displayed in a variety of color combinations. Whenever the color red was involved (whether it be a background color, or the color of the number) participants were found to exert more force, with faster reaction rates.
A Future of Green McDonald’s
The classic red and yellow logo has more to it than we think. But as we’re entering a more environmentally conscious era, pay attention to the design of the McDonald’s stores around you. Green is associated with health, well being, and the environment. In various locations, the corporation is starting to subtly incorporate this color into their buildings. As a fan of fast food myself, understanding the concepts behind certain color choices and advertisement tactics is interesting. However, I don’t see it stopping me from going for that sometimes guilty, but well deserved indulgence.
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