Is there a common origin to those blue background TV commercials?

Is there a common origin to those blue background TV commercials? - Interior of creative illuminated capsule hotel

I've seen a number of these in my many years of watching TV since at least the 1990s. These are commercials for some random mail order product, and right before the ad ends, the screen cuts to something laid out as follows:

  • A solid blue or gradient blue background.
  • The price on the upper right, usually in white.
  • The phone number (more recently, website) centered, usually in yellow.
  • Various fine print at the very bottom centered, in white, sometimes terms and conditions, usually an address.
  • Credit card logos directly above or below the price
  • The top left has a representative picture of the product, or repeating video from the rest of the ad
  • A voice over with someone reading the pertinent info

Here are some examples: A 1990s music album Another one A more recent example

They seem to have been around for a long time.

Is this a trademarked format, or does it have any background other than "something a bunch of advertisers decided to use"?

There does not seem to be any commonality between the companies and types of products that use it.



Best Answer

Ad people know how to push our buttons.

Psychological analysis on the impact of color shows that people (i.e. consumers) associate blue with concepts such as credibility, being business-like, professionalism, and trust.

IBM was proud to be called "Big Blue." Facebook isn't blue by chance.

Blue is also associated with honesty.

All of these are good associations to create when you are trying to separate people from their money.




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Why are commercials blue?

This is why it is one of the most popular colours in corporate brands and designs. Banks, financial institutions and medical companies can always rely on blue in their advertising campaigns to send out the message that the consumer can trust them implicitly.

What is the most annoying commercial on TV?

Top 10 Annoying TV Commercials
  • #1: Apply Directly to the Forehead. HeadOn.
  • #2: Wagnerian Opera Singer. J.G. Wentworth. ...
  • #3: 1-877-KARS-4-KIDS. Kars4Kids. ...
  • #4: It's BACON! Beggin' Strips. ...
  • #5: The Superfan. Crestor. ...
  • #6: Gio Compario. Gocompare.com. ...
  • #7: Mr. Six. ...
  • #8: Yop: The Smoother Way to Start the Day. Yoplait. ...


  • Why do commercials repeat back to back?

    Sometimes two or more ads are actually part of the same ad spot, and thus will always run consecutively. Often occurs if there is a continuity in the two spots. Commercial A airs as the last commercial of the break.

    What network runs the most commercials?

    Fox Television Network and the Fox News Channel run the most commercials time per hour among the respective broadcast and cable network categories.



    Honda – The Origin of Determination




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