Color me aroused while keeping the cool

Abstract Drawing on visual complexity theory and the arousal properties of color, this paper challenges the prevailing assumption that only warm (longer wavelength) or highly saturated colors can induce arousal in consumers. Instead, we propose a novel pathway: multicolor logos with cool hues can elicit arousal through triggering curiosity. Across a total of eight experiments (seven preregistered with a total of 1,724 participants recruited), of which six experiments are reported in the main text, including a behavioral lab study employing biometric measures (eye tracking, galvanic skin response, pupil dilation), and three studies utilizing real product choices, we consistently find that multicolor cool logos are more arousing than single cool color designs. This heightened, curiosity-driven arousal subsequently impacts marketing outcomes, including willingness to pay and choice. These findings offer marketers alternative strategies for inducing arousal in brand communications and provide actionable guidelines for effectively designing logos.