Designing With Pink and the Color's Meaning

Blush, coral, flesh, fuchsia, hot pink, magenta, raspberry, rose and salmon are all synonymous with or represent various shades of the color pink.

Nature and Culture of Pink

While red stirs up passion and action, pink symbolizes tenderness and peace.

In some cultures, including the US, pink is the color of little girls. It represents sugar and spice and everything nice. Pink for men goes in and out of style. Most people still think of pink as a feminine, delicate color.

Awareness ribbons that use pink include those for:

• Breast cancer
• Birth parents
• Nursing mothers
• Pregnancy and infant loss, SIDS

Using Pink in Print and Web Design

Both red and pink denote love, but while red is hot passion, pink is romantic and charming. Use pink to convey playfulness (hot pink flamingos) and tenderness (pastel pinks). Multiple shades of pink and light purple or other pastels used together to maintain the soft, delicate and playful nature of pink. Add strength with darker shades of pink, purple and burgundy.

Use pink to communicate charm, tenderness, peace, and approachability. All shades of pink become sophisticated when combined with black, gray or medium to dark shades of blue. Medium to dark green with pink is also a sharp-looking combo.

Pink in Language 

Familiar phrases can help a designer see how a color might be perceived by others—both positively and negatively.

Positive pink:

• In the pink - healthy.
• Tickled pink - happy, content.

Negative or neutral pink:

• Pink collar - female office worker (sometimes used in a derogatory manner to imply low person on the office totem pole).
• Pink - cut, notch or make a zigzag.