Why Enjoyment Begins with the Eyes

Even before we bring a glass of rosé to our lips, our brain has already begun to savor it. Light filters through the wine, its hue shifting between delicate salmon, cool pink, and brilliant ruby—and instantly, expectations arise: of freshness and fruitiness, of mineral clarity, summery lightness, or a warmer, fuller-bodied sweetness.

In the current special issue of Falstaff Magazine, titled “Drink Pink,” I explore the fascinating question of why rosé is so much more than just a color—and why the enjoyment of a wine begins long before the first sip.

The brain gets its share first

Colors are not merely properties of objects. They function as sensory signals that link perception, memory, and physical reactions. Through our lifelong experiences, close associations have formed in our memory between certain shades of color and the corresponding smells and tastes.

The mere sight of a rosé wine can therefore already trigger the processes that prepare the body for enjoyment. Salivation, stomach activity, attention, and emotional anticipation all change, even though the wine has not yet been tasted. The eye provides the brain with an initial prediction of what the tongue and nose might experience shortly.

A pale, cool-looking rosé suggests mineral freshness, dryness, and elegance. A more robust, warmer hue tends to suggest ripe fruit, sweetness, and fullness. These expectations are not without consequence: they shape how we perceive and evaluate the actual taste.

Color, aroma, and taste come together to create a shared experience

Our senses do not operate independently of one another. What we see influences what we smell and taste. Color can enhance flavors, make certain scents seem more likely, and even alter our perception of sweetness, fruitiness, or spiciness.

It is precisely the pink hue of rosé that evokes a rich sensory memory: strawberries and raspberries, peaches, rhubarb, rose petals, or fresh citrus zest. Such associations are not retroactive linguistic attributions. They arise directly in the moment of perception—quickly, physically, and largely unconsciously.

That is why pleasure is never limited to the palate. It arises from the interplay of color, light, aroma, taste, memory, and context.

From Soft Pink to a Cultural Statement

Added to this is the cultural significance of the color. Pink has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent decades. Once a shade long associated with delicacy, femininity, or childishness, it has become a symbol of an urban lifestyle: self-assured, aesthetically sophisticated, pleasure-oriented, and lighthearted, without appearing frivolous.

Rosé is therefore more than just a wine. It creates a certain atmosphere and conveys a certain attitude. Anyone who chooses, opens, or serves rosé is simultaneously communicating ideas of hospitality, a zest for life, and refined enjoyment.

Color speaks before a word is even uttered.

When the Eye Keeps Its Promise

The rosé experience is a prime example of just how profoundly color shapes our perception. The enjoyment begins with the sight of the glass, continues through memory and anticipation within the body, and is finally fulfilled in the moment when what the color foreshadowed is confirmed by the aroma and taste.

Perhaps that is precisely what makes rosé so fascinating: its color holds the promise—and a good wine delivers on it.

You can read my full essay , “Rosé Is a Promise—Why Our Brains Start Drinking the Moment We See the Glass,” in the current special issue of Falstaff , “Drink Pink.”

When national teams present new jerseys, the talk is usually about design. About patterns, cuts or sales figures. However, the colors often tell the more exciting story. Because colors speak a language that is older than words. They touch feelings before we begin to explain them.

The new away kit of the German national soccer team is a remarkable example of this. At first glance, the color looks familiar. Blue, after all. But if you take a closer look, you realize that it’s not just any blue. It is neither the bright blue of a summer’s day nor the radiant azure of southern coasts. Nor is it the self-confident royal blue that seeks attention and demonstrates strength.

Germany wears navy blue.

That sounds like a nuance at first. In terms of color psychology, however, it is a difference of considerable importance. Sky blue lets you breathe. It opens up the view and conveys expansiveness. Azure blue has a light, optimistic and carefree effect. Royal blue conveys dignity and self-confidence.

Navy blue, on the other hand, is reminiscent of uniforms, jackets, universities, traditional clubs and state institutions. The darker and more muted a blue becomes, the more its psychological effect shifts from freedom to order, from openness to stability, from lightness to commitment.

Navy blue does not promise a new beginning. Navy blue preserves trust.

That’s why the historical reference of the jersey is so interesting. Adidas explicitly refers to blue training tops from earlier decades and to the year 1954, which is not just any old year for German soccer. In 1954, Germany surprisingly won the World Cup. The “Miracle of Bern” became one of the defining myths of the young Federal Republic.

The success meant far more than just a sporting title. In a country that had been in ruins just a few years previously, there was suddenly a feeling of being able to achieve something again. Germany was once again recognized, respected and taken seriously. The economic miracle and the World Cup merged into a single narrative in the collective memory: we’re coming back.

It is precisely this narrative that resonates in the navy blue of the new jersey. Not as a historical fact, but as a feeling.

Colors do not transport the past itself. They transport our idea of it.

This makes the new jersey remarkably different from its predecessor. The pink away jersey for the European Championship was one of the most discussed jerseys in German soccer history. For some, it symbolized openness, diversity and a new understanding of masculinity. For others, it seemed like a provocation or a break with tradition.

Irrespective of this debate, Rosa embodied something future-oriented. It played with expectations. It irritated. It experimented.

Navy blue does the opposite. It does not seek irritation, but familiarity. It does not invite experimentation, but remembrance. It signals continuity instead of change. This is precisely where its true expressiveness lies.

Interestingly, this is by no means the only conceivable direction. Many national teams today tell their identity through cultural diversity, regional characteristics, progressive patterns or unusual color combinations. They present their nation as something evolving, open and multi-layered.

Germany, on the other hand, opts for a color that refers to something already familiar. That is a difference.

Psychology knows a phenomenon that can explain this development: Nostalgia becomes particularly important when the present and future seem uncertain. It helps people to feel stability when familiar certainties begin to falter. It is less about historical accuracy and more about emotional orientation.

The past appears more orderly, successful and comprehensible than it actually was. Navy blue is an ideal color for remembering.

It combines trust with tradition, stability with seriousness and memory with hope. It is not an aggressive color. It is not a triumphant color. It is a color of quiet confidence. Perhaps that explains why this jersey seems so plausible right now.

It is published at a time when many people feel that the future has become more complicated. Economic uncertainties, geopolitical conflicts, technological upheavals and social polarization have weakened confidence in the grand narrative of progress.

Against this backdrop, navy blue does not appear to be a fashionable choice, but rather a cultural signal.

The new jersey does not look forwards, but backwards. Not out of backward-lookingness, but out of longing. It is reminiscent of a Germany that could tell itself as a story of advancement: recognized in the world, economically successful, full of confidence and convinced that the future would be better than the present.

Whether this past was actually as safe as it appears today is almost secondary. Nostalgia does not work with historical facts, but with emotional images.

This is precisely why this navy blue looks so contemporary.

It tells of a present that is no longer sure of its future and therefore searches in the past for a feeling that it has lost: the confidence that everything could turn out well again in the end.

A few days ago, I was faced with a purchase decision that really shouldn’t have been one. A new car. Technically convincing. Strong brand. Good equipment. Reasonable price. And yet we didn’t buy it. The reason was the color. More precisely: the lack of color.

The range on offer consisted mainly of black, white and gray. What may seem like a reasonable offer from the manufacturer’s point of view led to an unexpected result for us: we opted for a different vehicle.

This example may seem banal at first. In fact, it points to a development that could become strategically important for companies in the coming years – the role of color in communication with artificial intelligence.

The new authority between brand and people

With generative AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude, a new player is emerging between companies and consumers for the first time in the history of marketing. These systems not only find brands. They describe, compare, evaluate and recommend them.

Millions of people are already using AI to select products, plan trips, compare service providers or prepare purchasing decisions. The traditional search engine is increasingly becoming a conversation partner.

The crucial question is therefore no longer just:

How do people perceive a brand?

But increasingly also:

How does AI perceive a brand?

Color becomes machine-readable

The result is a fascinating change of perspective. Color no longer only affects people. It also increasingly affects the systems that support people in their decisions.

Of course, an AI has no preference for red, blue or green. It has neither taste nor emotions. But it analyzes data. It processes images. She recognizes patterns. And it links information.

This is precisely why color becomes relevant. This is because color is one of the few characteristics of a product or brand that is visible, describable, categorizable and emotionally meaningful at the same time.

What AI learns from colors

For AI systems, color fulfills several functions simultaneously.

It is initially a product feature. People look for black watches, green sofas, red bicycles or sand-colored facades. Accordingly, colors are listed as independent attributes in product databases, online stores and recommendation systems.

At the same time, color is one of the most important visual recognition features. Modern image analysis systems can automatically identify and describe dominant colors in logos, packaging, products, interiors or websites.

Color also conveys meaning. For decades, studies in marketing, perceptual psychology and brand research have shown that colors can influence the perception of competence, dynamism, sustainability, high quality, trust or innovative strength.

The scientific discussion about individual color effects is complex and context-dependent. However, it is undisputed that colors shape the brand personality and make a significant contribution to brand recognition.

It is precisely these correlations that are also becoming increasingly visible for AI systems.

The silent power of color

The importance of color is often underestimated.

For decades, numerous studies have shown that visual features play a significant role in spontaneous product evaluations. Studies on brand perception have repeatedly shown that colors are among the strongest factors for recognition, differentiation and emotional positioning.

In many markets, products can hardly be distinguished from one another in technical terms. The differences lie increasingly in perception. And perception is always a question of design.

Anyone walking through a supermarket today will recognize this immediately. Packaging competes for attention. Colors structure shelves. They signal product categories, price levels, quality promises and brand identities.

People are intuitively guided by this. In the future, AI systems will also do this – but in a different way. Not about emotions, but about data.

From color psychology to AI visibility

This fundamentally changes the role of color. So far, the focus has been on their effect on people. In the future, how colors are digitally captured, described and processed will also become relevant.

A brand whose color scheme is consistently documented, whose products bear precise color designations, whose image data is of high quality and whose visual identity is clearly communicated, provides an AI with significantly more information than a brand that views color merely as a decorative element.

Color thus becomes a component of digital visibility. Not only in people’s heads, but also in the data structures on which AI systems base their recommendations.

A new field of research and action

There is still no scientific study that proves that ChatGPT prefers a brand based solely on its logo color. That’s not the point. The decisive development is more subtle.

Color influences images, descriptions, product data, user queries, ratings and brand associations. It is precisely this information that forms the basis on which AI systems understand and classify products and brands.

This creates a new field of research at the interface of color psychology, brand management, data economics and artificial intelligence. If you want to influence how AI talks about a brand, which products it recommends and how it describes companies in the future, you should no longer view color exclusively as an aesthetic decision.

Color is becoming a strategic communication medium – for people and machines.

Seminar note

What consequences does this have for brand management, product development, packaging design, e-commerce and corporate communication?

We will address these questions together with brand and brain researcher Olaf Hartmann in the seminar “Strategic color design for brands” on September 3, 2026 at the RAL AKADEMIE in Bonn.

Based on current research results, practical examples and interactive exercises, we will show how colors can influence perception, purchasing decisions and, in the future, AI-based recommendation systems – and how companies can develop sustainable competitive advantages from this.

Because the central question is no longer just what effect colors have on people.

But also how the intelligent systems of the future will read colors.

Today, the Federal Court of Justice is hearing a seemingly banal question:

Does Orange belong to a DIY store?

This refers to the case of the DIY chain OBI and its characteristic color tone (RAL 2008). What at first glance appears to be a special topic of trademark law is in fact a highly precise lesson on the strategic power of color in brand design.

Because when companies start fighting over colors, it’s no longer about design.

It’s about sovereignty of perception.

The starting point: decades of consistent color branding

For many years, OBI has consistently relied on a visual dominant:

• Facades
• Guidance systems
• Price and campaign communication
• Advertising and POS

The result is clear from a marketing perspective:

• High brand recognition
• Strong visual coherence
• Clear activation in the retail context

And yet the color trademark was canceled – by the Federal Patent Court.

Why?

The central question: brand or industry aesthetics?

The court argues in essence:

• Orange is functionally plausible in the DIY store segment
• and is therefore not clearly understood as an indication of origin

Empirical data from the process shows:

• Depending on the expert opinion, only around 30 % to just under 50 % clear allocation
• At the same time, 6 out of 7 leading DIY chains used comparable color spaces

The consequence:

The color looks strong – but not exclusive.

The mistake many companies make

Many organizations confuse two things:

• Color Usage (use one color)
• Color Ownership (owning a color)

These are two completely different strategic states.

The OBI case shows:

• High visibility ≠ Clear assignment
• Consistency ≠ Differentiation
• Presence ≠ Ownership

Why it has worked for others

There are counter-examples – and they are revealing.

Deutsche Telekom – Magenta

• Decades of radical consistency
• Complete integration into all touchpoints
• Aggressive defense of the color domain

Result: Magenta is not just design, but mental property

Savings Banks Finance Group – Red

• Comprehensive presence in everyday life
• Extremely high recognition
• Clear assignment in the context of use

Result: Red acts as a cognitive shortcut to the brand

The decisive difference

The difference between these cases and OBI is subtle – but strategically fundamental:

• Telekom and Sparkasse use colors that are not functionally necessary for their industry
• OBI uses a color that fits the industry perfectly

This is precisely the problem.

The more “right” a color is, the less it belongs to you.

The real power of color

From the point of view of evidence-based color psychology, the effect is clearly explainable:

1. preattentive processing

• Color is perceived faster than shape or text
• it controls attention in the millisecond range

2. activation control

• Orange has been proven to produce:
  • Increased alertness
  • Impulses for action
  • visual dominance

3. contextual meaning

• Orange is not interpreted in the DIY market – it is expected
• it is part of a culturally stabilized perception scheme

The strategic consequence for decision-makers

Color branding is not an aesthetic issue.
It is a management tool.

It influences:

• Brand Positioning
• Category Differentiation
• Customer Journey
• Conversion Behavior
• Retail Performance

And it decides whether your brand:

• is seen
• is remembered
• or is confused

Invitation to the next step

In my seminar for decision-makers on evidence-based color psychology and strategic color branding I teach:

• How colors actually work (beyond myths)
• how to empirically substantiate color decisions
• how to systematically build up visual differentiation
• and how you can avoid your brand being “lost” in the industry

The question is not whether color works. It’s whether you use its effect strategically.

Interview 1 with link: “Obi-Orange” and “Telekom-Magenta” – why are colors important for brands? Deutschlandfunk Kultur 7.05.2026

Interview 2 with link: “Who owns “Orange”: Dispute of the DIY stores before the BGH WDR aktuelle Stunde 7.05.2026

Workshop

Color is not merely a visual phenomenon. It has weight, temperature, and texture—it is tactile, even though we can only see it. Its effect arises from the interplay of material, surface, and light.

This seminar combines evidence-based color psychology with the practice of architecture and interior design—in collaboration with the JAB Anstoetz Group, one of the world’s leading textile companies.

With over 1,000 real material samples, a space for experience opens up that goes far beyond color charts and digital representations: Color can be experienced as a living phenomenon that manifests itself differently in each material and reveals its psychological qualities.

1. May 21, 2026 JAB ANSTOETZ Group | Munich Showroom
2. September 22, 2026 JAB ANSTOETZ Group | Hamburg Showroom
3. September 24, 2026 JAB ANSTOETZ Group | Berlin Showroom

Register with the organizer via this link: JAB Anstoetz Group

What to Expect

Presentation (90 minutes)
Current Insights into Color Psychology—From Perception to Impact:

• The Influence of Color on Well-Being, Motivation, and Cognitive Processes
• The Importance of Material, Light, and Context
• scientific principles from the fields of perceptual psychology, environmental psychology, and neuroaesthetics

Workshop (90 minutes) “
: Thinking About and Experiencing Color in Materials”:

• Experimental work with a wide range of textile surfaces
• Analysis of the Interactions Between Color, Texture, and Light
• Development of targeted material-color combinations for different intended effects (e.g., calming, energizing, focusing)

For whom

Architects, interior designers, planners, and anyone who not only wants to design spaces but also wants to precisely understand their impact on people and develop that impact in a targeted way.

Your added value

• A scientifically grounded understanding of the effect of color in a room
• Enhanced design precision in the use of materials and surfaces
• Concrete ideas for spaces that promote well-being, orientation, and performance

A seminar at the intersection of research, sensor technology, and design

Colors are among the strongest and fastest brand signals. They shape trust, identification, orientation and purchasing decisions. Nevertheless, color decisions in many companies and by creatives are not made strategically, but often out of habit or taste.

This leads to:

• weak recognizability
• Inconsistencies across touchpoints
• higher costs in design & communication
• Missed opportunities for customer acquisition and retention
• wasted brand power

This intensive seminar teaches how color shapes brand perception and buying behavior and how companies can use color strategically, systematically and evidence-based. The seminar provides orientation, imparts knowledge and enables decision-making for the more effective use of color in brand communication, product design and sales.

Learning objectives

You learn concretely

• How color influences trust, brand personality and buying behavior
• how color impulses become brand codes and how they work
• how psychological color impact can be measured at touchpoints
• how to recognize inconsistencies and risks
• how strategic color systems are developed and successfully implemented

Target group

Responsible persons from

• Corporate management
• Marketing, Brand, Communication
• Distribution
• Product & Industrial Design
• Architecture & Interior Design
• Experience & Service Design
• Agencies & creatives
• Anyone who wants to use color strategically

Speakers

Prof. Dr. Axel Buether
Leading expert in evidence-based color psychology and strategic color design. As Professor of Visual Communication at the University of Wuppertal and Director of the Institute for Evidence-Based Color Psychology, he combines perceptual psychology, neuroscience and design. His work shows how color has a measurable effect on perception, behavior and well-being – and how this results in effective color strategies for brands, spaces and products.

Olaf G. Hartmann
Expert in evidence-based brand strategy, brand experience and multisensory brand coding. As founder of the Multisense Institute, he combines the latest findings from psychology and neuroscience with many years of consulting experience. His focus is on developing effective brand strategies that can be experienced consistently across all the senses and generate lasting brand loyalty. Listen in: Markenkraft – The podcast about brand management and brand research, Read in: Brand power through brand experience: design, measure, manage successfully.

Date

September 03, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RAL AKADEMIE Bonn

Location

RAL AKADEMIE
Fränkische Straße 7
53229 Bonn

More information about the program and registration on the website of the organizer RAL AKADEMIE

Colors are a brand’s first and most powerful message, subconsciously influencing emotions, behavior, and personality. This article explores how strategic color design creates brand identity, promotes well-being, and drives motivation to act. Based on insights from color psychology, it is shown that colors function like an invisible language: they encapsulate values in subtle nuances, reflect personality traits, and regulate physiological responses. Examples from brands such as Coca-Cola, Apple, and IKEA illustrate how precise color systems—from base colors to interactive colors—create coherence and foster loyalty. Cultural and technical aspects are taken into account to establish color as a systematic tool for brand management. Ultimately, the text positions color as both a remedy and a mirror of the brand world, shaping attitudes toward life and ensuring sustainable success.

Link to the publisher: “DWG German Society for Advertising Research – Transfer: Journal of Communication and Brand Management.” Link to the issue: transfer 04/2025

Resilient Color Collection – Color as the Key to Sustainable Flooring Renewal

Every year, billions of square meters of resilient flooring are replaced worldwide—mostly simply because their surface has become unsightly. Together with Bona, I developed a concept at the Institute for Evidence-Based Color Psychology at the University of Wuppertal that breaks this cycle: the Resilient Color Collection. It makes it possible to renew worn-out floors both aesthetically and functionally, rather than discarding them.

The foundation for this is scientifically based color design. Our research shows that harmoniously coordinated, nature-inspired color tones measurably improve users’ well-being, health, and motivation. Colors that resonate with a room’s materials and lighting conditions create spaces where people feel comfortable and connected.

This is how design becomes a tool for transformation: it conserves resources, enhances the emotional quality of architecture, and opens up a new perspective on sustainability—one that we can see, feel, and develop together.

Contribution to the color selection for the Bona Resilient Color Collection: Heike Krauss, as well as Melissa Lindemeyer and Lina Schmidt (Studio Farbkultur)

When and Where: November 19, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | (E) Breakout Area – 2

For more information and tickets, contact the organizer: 4th Climate Festival by BauNetz and Heinze. Together, we’re transforming the construction industry. Sustainably.

For more information about the presentation, contact the organizer

More information about the Bona Resilient Color Collection

Download Brochure in English

Colors are the oldest and, at the same time, the most powerful language in the world. They have a faster impact than words, a stronger effect than shapes, and a more lasting influence than any message. In a fraction of a second, they determine whether something seems familiar, appealing, or repulsive to us—whether we feel safe, inspired, or uneasy. Colors shape our personality, guide our behavior, and influence how we perceive the world and ourselves.

In this 90-minute presentation, Prof. Dr. Axel Buether—a leading expert in evidence-based color psychology, architect, designer, and author—sheds light on the fascinating interplay between color, people, and brands. He demonstrates how colors:

• guide our emotions and decisions,
• Bringing brand identity and personality to life,
• Strengthen health, well-being, and motivation to take action,
• and, as a powerful tool for self-care, can positively transform our lives.

This lecture is intended for anyone who wants to consciously experience and understand the world of color—whether you work in art, design, architecture, interior design, marketing, advertising, psychology, or healthcare, or are simply curious about how color influences your mood, your thinking, and your daily actions.

Drawing on the latest research findings, inspiring case studies, and practical applications in design and interior design, Prof. Buether demonstrates how color can be used strategically—both as a strategic tool for brand management and as a personal key to greater mindfulness, creativity, and joy in life.

The lecture also offers an opportunity to learn about *The Great Book of Color Psychology* —the new standard reference work that combines scientific findings with practical tests and exercises in color psychology.

Afterward, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase the book and have it personally signed.

When: Friday, November 28, 2025

Time: Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Lecture: 7:00–9:00 p.m. (followed by an opportunity to purchase and have my new book, *The Big Book of Color Psychology*, signed)

Where: Energy Park Laupersdorf
, Museumstrasse | CH-4712 Laupersdorf

For more information, registration, and payment, please contact the organizer—Ursula Wenk—by email: wenk@farbenfrau.ch

Imagine you walk into a store, scroll through an online shop, or see a new commercial on TV. Even before you make out the logo, read the tagline, or grasp the product’s design, your brain has long since decided whether what you see strikes you as appealing or unfamiliar, trustworthy or irritating. This judgment is made in less than a second—and it is based almost entirely on color.

Colors are the first message a brand conveys. They have a faster effect than words, a stronger impact than form, and a more lasting influence than any promise. While we first have to read text and interpret images, color stimuli flow directly into our emotional center. There, they trigger unconscious reactions: joy, curiosity, a sense of security—or rejection, distance, and stress.

The strategic power of colors lies in this speed and inevitability. They are nature’s oldest communication system, one that has ensured our survival for millions of years. A reddish glow could signal danger, a rich green could indicate food, and a blue sky could promise safety. We still carry these instincts within us today—and brands that use color strategically tap into exactly that.

But while nature uses color intuitively, color design in brand communication has long since become a highly specialized discipline. Those who view color as mere decoration fail to harness its full impact. Those who understand it as a precise tool of psychology, culture, and brand management tap into the most powerful lever that communication has to offer.

Colors are a brand’s first and most powerful message, subconsciously influencing emotions, behavior, and personality. My presentation explores how strategic color design creates brand identity, promotes well-being, and influences motivation to act. Based on insights from color psychology, I will demonstrate that colors function like an invisible language: they convey values through subtle nuances, reflect personality traits, and regulate physiological responses.

In the end, we don’t remember slogans or campaigns—we remember feelings. And these feelings are colorful. We all carry within us a range of experiences shaped by brand colors—the red of our first Coke, the blue of the Nivea tin, the orange of the Hermès bag.

For brands, this means that those who understand color strategically can not only sell products but also shape lifestyles.

When: Thursday, October 30, 2025
Where: University of Wuppertal, Building K (Senate Hall K.11.07) Gaußstraße 20 42119 Wuppertal

For more information and to register, visit the organizer’s website: German Society for Advertising Research (DWG)