Color Psychology in Standard Chartered Liverpool Ad

Introduction

Color isn’t decoration. It’s strategy.

Image Source: Standard Chartered

The Standard Chartered Liverpool advertisement is more than just a sponsorship visual. It’s a conversation in color — a coded language that speaks to fans, builds trust, and sells ambition. At first glance, it’s a football image. Look again, and you’ll see a branding masterclass rooted in deliberate color choices.

This post takes a closer look at how color psychology drives emotional response and visual balance in this ad. It’s written for graphic designers, marketers, and brand creatives who want to see how tone and hue affect perception and performance.

Understanding Color Psychology in Advertising

Colors can affect how people think, feel, and act. That’s not theory. It’s tested, peer-reviewed science.

According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, color influences emotions and buying decisions across cultures1. Brands that use consistent colors are 80% more recognizable. It’s not a trend — it’s strategy.

Standard Chartered gets this. Their ad with Liverpool FC proves it.

First Look — What’s in the Ad?

The ad shows Liverpool FC players walking off the field. One player stands in the foreground, arms raised, victorious. The stadium is full. Everyone’s in red. To the left, bold text reads:

“We don’t just back teams, we back dreams.”
“Now is our time.”

The Standard Chartered logo, with its green and blue ribbons, sits prominently above the headline.

This contrast — between the red jerseys and the brand’s blue-green palette — is the core of its color psychology play.

Breaking Down the Colors

Red – The Emotional Hook

Red dominates the image. It’s the color of the Liverpool kit, the fans, the stadium energy. But red is more than a team color.

Red triggers urgency, passion, and energy. It stirs action. In advertising, red increases heart rate and draws attention immediately. According to Psychology Today, red is often used to create a sense of excitement and importance.

The Liverpool red does that here. It’s the emotional pull. The adrenaline. The dream.

Blue and Green – The Stability Anchor

Now enter Standard Chartered. Their logo uses blue and green — a sharp contrast from the explosive red.

• Blue stands for trust, professionalism, calm.
• Green signals growth, ambition, and sustainability.

Combined, they balance out the heat of the red. They act as the “steady hand” — a reminder that while football stirs passion, the sponsor supports it with structure and strategy.

This balance is powerful. It creates emotional tension. One color pulls you in. The other reassures you. Together, they create a full emotional arc.

Why Color Contrast Matters

Color contrast helps define hierarchy. In this ad, the contrast is:

• Red for passion and movement
• Blue-green for identity and belief
• White for clarity and messaging

This three-way color play makes the messaging stand out. Even in a stadium packed with color, the left-side text grabs attention. That’s intentional. The white-on-navy font is calm and bold. It doesn’t shout. It states.

For designers, this is a useful technique. Use contrast not to decorate, but to guide the eye.

Cultural Context — Europe and India

This ad works across continents.

In Europe, red is bold. It reflects legacy and strength — especially for clubs like Liverpool. It signals performance and pride.

In India, red is auspicious. It symbolizes success, celebration, and victory. It connects emotionally.

Blue and green, on the other hand, appeal globally. They represent progress. They don’t provoke; they reassure. For both markets, this combination is universal in tone. That’s why Standard Chartered’s palette fits. It doesn’t localize — it harmonizes.

Font and Layout — Designed to Work with Color

Color alone won’t carry a message. The layout here helps amplify it.

• Text is aligned to the left, separated from the high-energy visual on the right.
• This creates visual breathing room, helping the mind focus.
• The slogan is large but simple. The font choice is clean and modern—nothing distracts from the message.

The whitespace is navy. That’s intentional. It softens the red without killing the emotion. It creates visual grounding.

Designers call this visual hierarchy. But to a viewer, it just feels organized.

Emotion Meets Ambition

The line “We don’t just back teams, we back dreams” works because of the colors behind it.

Red shows the team. Blue and green show the dream. Together, they tell a story in under ten seconds. That’s the psychology of association at play.

People don’t just remember what they see. They remember how it made them feel. This ad gets that right.

Lessons for Designers

1. Use Contrast Strategically

Don’t just go for bright or dark. Use contrast to lead the eye and balance emotion.

2. Understand Cultural Perception

Colors mean different things in different regions. Research your audience. Match emotion to message.

3. Let Color Speak Before Text

The brain processes visuals faster than words. If your color story is strong, your message will land faster.

4. Keep Text Minimal

Let color carry the weight. Support it with short, strong copy. Never overcrowd.

Related Reads:

The Psychology of Color in Advertising

Final Thoughts

The Standard Chartered Liverpool advertisement shows how smart color use can create depth, connect emotions, and boost brand recall. This isn’t just good design. It’s meaningful communication.

For European and Indian audiences alike, the ad resonates because it strikes a balance — fire and calm, heart and structure. In sports marketing, that balance can be hard to get right. This one nails it.

If you’re a designer looking to understand how color influences response, this ad is worth a close look. Not for its complexity — but for its clarity.