Competent or Sad Blue? Lively or Aggressive Red? Why, How, and When Background Color Shapes the Meanings of Logo Hues
研究揭示标志的底色（黑或白）如何强化或弱化主色调（如蓝、红）的正面或负面含义，为品牌设计提供指导。
Abstract Why, how, and when can logos with a blue positive space communicate competence versus sadness? Why, how, and when might logos with a red positive space evoke impressions of liveliness versus aggressiveness? As the current research establishes, a black background strengthens the negative meanings associated with the hue of a logo’s positive space and weakens its positive meanings. Conversely, a white background strengthens its positive meanings and weakens its negative meanings. These automatic effects occur because the hue of the positive space interacts with the color of the negative space to determine whether logos communicate positive or negative brand impressions more vividly. These effects are broadly applicable to both well-known and unknown brands, yet they are attenuated for meaningful logos and filled-frame logos. With these novel findings, this article identifies specific factors that can alter the meanings of logo hues, provides a theoretical lens for understanding the interplay of the background color and the hue of the positive space, and offers guidelines for crafting effective logos. This article also reveals which brands can benefit most from conveying negative impressions through their logos: logos with a black (white) background enhance evaluations of brands that possess negatively (positively) valenced personality traits.