Orange, unlike yellow, is a secondary color, an equal combination of two primaries, red and yellow. It can denote change, and stimulation... does anyone else remember when McDonalds first opened and decorated all in orange, hoping to stimulate people to eat faster and leave sooner? It truly was the colour of "fast" food. Orange, quite simply, gets noticed. It can get people thinking and talking. In feng shui decor planning, orange is used to help promote a vibrant home full of social conversation.
It is the color of what we love most in nature, from sunrise, when a new day dawns inspiring us with new hope, and the sunset, a peaceful time, a time of renewal. This is the "Magic Hour" to photographers and film crews, when light is its most interesting, changing with each minute. It is also the colour of leaves changing, a season where people follow to where the colours are the most vibrant, where change is most felt, and all is beautiful, and safe. We know what comes next and we fully embrace what is happening now.
Nick and Julia near San Diego - Spring 2009 |
It is also the colour of CREATIVITY. In events we generally use orange sparingly, as it is not a colour that creates comfort for everyone. It is easy to talk about "red hot" or "icy blue" but orange has to be woven into themes... "autumn" "maple" "fiery" are words that denote warmth, coziness and energy, all appropriate. Touches appear in light, in floral and even dried elements, and fresh and energizing citrus. It may even be in live goldfish (babied through the event and sent to good homes following) or an interpretation of goldfish in incomparable shortbread... For those of you who may have joined us last summer at MPI, orange was interspersed throughout with pink, the hot colours celebrating a vibrant summer and perfect for the energy beginning this meeting.
The MPI WEC 2010 Welcome Reception on the stunning Vancouver Convention Centre Terrace, where Mother Nature weaves a vine, captured by Brian Dennehy |
Orange is my secret favorite color. I wouldn't want to own an orange car or orange luggage, and I wouldn't really want to wear orange sneakers, because I'm not some agency weirdo, but I definitely love the color. It makes me happy to see it, and I have orange things around my desk, even right now. : )
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