Title: Evaluating the impact of colour congruence on marketing effectiveness within Instagram campaigns

Authors: Chiao-Chieh Chen; Yu-Ping Chiu

Addresses: Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Fu Jen Catholic University, No. 510, Zhongzheng Rd., Xinzhuang Dist., New Taipei City 242062, Taiwan ' National Taiwan Normal University, 162, Section 1, Heping E. Rd., Taipei City 106, Taiwan

Abstract: Social media platforms are pivotal arenas for brands to engage with audiences and disseminate brand-centric content. The impact of visual elements, particularly colour composition in brand posts, on the effectiveness of Instagram marketing campaigns remains underexplored. This research examined the influence of colour congruence between the background and thematic elements of brand posts on Instagram. Utilising a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, where colour congruence and post type (brand layout vs. brand post) were the variables, this study investigated how these factors affect processing fluency and, consequently, marketing effectiveness. The findings reveal that consistent colour schemes enhance processing fluency, which in turn mediates the relationship between colour congruence and marketing outcomes. This research not only advances our understanding of congruence theory within the context of social media marketing but also offers practical insights for brands on optimising visual content strategy on their Instagram accounts.

Keywords: Instagram campaigns; photo; colour congruence; processing fluency; marketing effectiveness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2026.154079

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2026 Vol.27 No.4, pp.417 - 434

Accepted: 18 Jun 2024
Published online: 11 Jun 2026 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article