NATIONAL COLORS IN ADVERTISING LAYOUTS AS AN ELEMENT OF VISUAL RESISTANCE AND NATIONAL SELF-IDENTIFICATION

Abstract

The article conducts a thorough study of the transformation of the visual semantics of the national colors of Ukraine – blue and yellow – through the prism of color psychology and their impact on mass consciousness during the period of full-scale invasion (since 2022). The author goes beyond the boundaries of a purely arthistorical description, focusing on color as a powerful cognitive tool that can facilitate or complicate the perception of critically important information under stress. The methodology of comparative analysis with Lithuanian and Swedish design allowed to reveal the universality of using blue-yellow scale as a “language of visual diplomacy”. The article emphasizes that in modern design colors have replaced words, becoming an emotional code of solidarity. The author concludes that the national palette of Ukraine has evolved into a global sign of humanistic values, where the psychological stability of blue and the energetic potential of yellow form a narrative of the invincibility of an entire nation. The study examines in detail the mechanism of “color contrast” as a means of maximum attention attraction. The combination of rich blue and bright yellow creates a visual effect that is read on a subconscious level as a signal of active life and resistance. Using the example of the “Be Brave Like Ukraine” and “Ukraine NOW” campaigns, it is possible to trace how changing the intensity of color (from spectral to pastel shades in the “Pale yellow-blue dot” project) allows varying the emotional pressure on the viewer: from an aggressive appeal to deep empathetic reflection. Special attention is paid to the psychological impact of the national flag palette. The blue color is analyzed as a representative of the Universe, stability and balance. In the context of military events, it performs the function of a psychological anchor, associated with reliability, security and mental relaxation. In contrast, the yellow color is considered as a dynamic stimulant, symbolizing solar energy, movement. Its ability to be stored in memory for a long time and evoke positive emotions becomes key to forming an image of hope and national optimism.