Three Candidates - Analysis of their web sites by color
April 4th, 2008 Gennaro Brooks-ChurchI checked out the MAIN PAGE of McCain, Clinton and Obama to look at the color configuration and layout. And I don’t mean the splash page, I mean the main page with all the info and links.
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/
https://www.johnmccain.com/
All three have a general theme of red, white and blue. No surprise to me there. Those are the colors of the US flag. Pretty much every single big corporation in America sports those colors. They represent the American Dream.
There are three things that struck me right away.
The first is the use of yellow in both McCain and Hillary’s web site, and the obvious lack of a fourth color in Obama’s.
Obama’s site is 100% red, white and blue. There is ABSOLUTELY no other color on the main page… he may be toting hope but certainly there is no diversion from the status quo on his web site. It conforms 100% to the CURRENT colors of power.
McCain and Clinton have web sites that are 99% red, white and blue EXCEPT for very prominently placed accents of Yellow. Both accent their success. For McCain it is above his name and above the words “Service to America Tour”, inferring it is the tour that will will him the election.
For Clinton yellow highlights two things: a pledge for money to help her win and a pledge to help her win a specific state, in both cases it is about winning.
As you see below yellow psychologically has the effect of HOPE and it also speed up change (e.g. our own metabolism). You would think Obama would use yellow???
Is the use of yellow by Clinton and McCain an attempt to balance out their lack of those elements in their speeches? Clearly Obama has them beat on the use of “change” and “hope”. He practically owns those words through his constant use of them.
Or is Obama’s lack of that color an indication that he isn’t as much about hope and change as we’d he’d like us to think and that he is actually going to support the status quo a lot more than he says?!?
The second thing I noticed is that McCain and Clinton both have black a while image of Martin Luther King almost in exactly the same place on the web site. Obama has no reference to MLK ANYWHERE?!
WTF?? It is the anniversary of MLK’s death for christsakes and he’s only one of the best politicians in the history of the world!! So it makes perfect sense that MLK should be mentioned. FOr McCain and Clintons’ sites he is placed in an honorary position in the top right corner of the site.
Why is MLK absent from Obama’s site??? Are the two white politicians trying to associate themselves with this great and black leader in the hopes that his greatness and his blackness will rub off on them and they will attract more votes? Probably. I mean shit, that’s what politicians do.
But Obama??? Is he trying to distance himself from MLK? Is he trying not to appear too black? I don’t know…I’m sure I’m not the only one asking, and I’m not even black.
The third thing I noticed about all the web sites is that they were built by the same web designer!!! Or at least by people with the exact same logistical sense. All three sites:
Top left corner has a large square area for images and slogans
Top roght area is links
Below those two areas are two columns.
I mean they are fucking identical!! What is up with that???
Below are simple Psychological influences of colors, taken from InfoPlease.com
White
Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.
Red
The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.
The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.
Blue
The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.
Yellow
Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.