Two Sides of a Pale Colour: Difference in Attractiveness of a Colour and Product Design Colour for Consumers

Colour types differ slightly depending on the manufacturer even when the same colour type is applied in a product design. However, the colour effects on consumer behaviour have been centred on hue units. Therefore, this study focused on the pale colour, bluish-white. Both positive and negative effects have been discussed regarding this colour, in reference with the perception of healthy food and the human face. Research is rare in the context of attractiveness in industrial product design on this topic. Study 1 extracted pale colour, which is popular for evaluating the colour itself, from the exterior design colour of existing cars. In Study 2, the colour was applied to a fictitious car design, and its effect on attractiveness was compared to that of pure white. The randomized controlled trial in Study 2 supported the following hypothesis: in the context of automobile exterior design, pale colour has a negative impact on attractiveness, even if the colour is appealing. This result indicates that when considering the colours of product design during the development phase, the judgement may be erroneous if the survey is conducted about the colour alone. In addition, in digital showrooms, when presenting the colour of a product design in a format separated from the product, it is important to design the presentation to bridge the discrepancy between the presentation and the actual product. In the practical application of marketing, it is necessary to pay particular attention to the pale colours that have dual impacts.