Stripping down the Execution Process. Colors in Digital Print Ads as an Emotional Response Indicator

The chromatic selection represents an essential phase in the conception of a print advertisement. It is critical in encountering a consumer, considering the universal nature of color under various forms of visual communication. Despite the consistent literature from multiple fields regarding color, the research that tackles this variable in advertising contexts is limited. In this respect, the current investigation explores the effect of all three-color dimensions in an ad (hue, value, and chroma) on emotions and attitude toward the ad. This endeavor materializes in three experiments, and the emotional response is analyzed using the Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance (PAD) Model of Albert Mehrabian. At the same time, the chromatic variations are selected and controlled through the Munsell Color System. The research results reveal that from the three-color dimensions, only the value significantly impacts emotions and the attitude toward the ad.