Color use in presentations
I tend to use a lot of blue and grey in my presentation work and I recently worked with a new client whose identifying color is orange, which set off some alarm bells. I haven't studied color theory, but I do know orange is not a universally appealing shade, so when I had some free time, I did some internet research.
From what I can see, there is some consensus on the effects of certain colors.
Blue is the favorite color of most women and most men, and it conveys a sense of stability and trustworthiness. Presenting information in tones of blue lends credibility.
Grey engenders feelings of uncertainty. If your goal is to delay your audience from acting too quickly, use a lot of grey. If you're trying to demonstrate the complexity of a situation they consider simple, grey is your ally. But if your job is to get them moving, choose another color ...
Like red. Red motivates people to speak and act. When action should be taken right away, presenting your recommendations in shades of red gives you a good chance at seeing it done. However, it can also motivate dissenters to speak up and can foster conflict, so use red with caution. As an accent on shades of grey, it can be very useful in giving your audience islands of certainty in a sea of doubt.
Black also is useful in eliciting action and feedback. It is sleek, powerful and exciting, but also mysterious. Black is particularly good for showing off an advanced new consumer product.
Green tends to be associated with creativity. When the objective of a presentation is to ignite an open-ended discussion, you would do well to work with greens and blues. Green on its own, alternated with blue, or green accented with grey can foster creative thinking. It makes people feel relaxed and unhurried.
Yellow is particularly interesting. Like orange, it can be off-putting: A large share of the population simply doesn't like it. But those who do say it is a happy color. Using it would indicate informality and flexibility, even fun. Combine it with red and it is even more exuberant, which could aid your charisma. Or it might make your audience start thinking about lunch rather than pay attention to you.
There is something to be said for white and silver, but I find these colors less than ideal for primary use in presentations.
Purple is said to be regal and promote a sense of sophistication, but I do not react to it that way myself. Darker tones with a stronger red presence might achieve this effect (when the background approaches the shade of red wine), but Northwestern purple doesn't really do anything for me and I would not make it a primary shade.
One interesting tidbit I picked up is that yellow has not always be associated with cowardice. That seems to be a development of the 19th century, when cowards were described as yellow-bellied, apparently in reference to frogs.