The world of color deeply impacts our lives every day. From the moment most of us wake up, color is at the forefront of our sight. However, these hues and shades are not just seen with our eyes but are also perceived by our minds in several ways. We can have emotional connections with colors. Colors can remind us of certain places, memories, people, experiences, and feelings. When color is tied to companies and businesses, those connections send a message to the client, whether it is intended or not. How a brand chooses and uses color is a very important part of their brand voice.
Color Psychology & Meaning
Each color is associated with different messages and emotions. It’s important to research what colors mean in order to apply them to a brand. Here is a condensed list of color meanings:
Blue– calmness, integrity, peace, tranquility, trust
Green– harmony, balance, growth, renewal, stability
Purple– mysticism, creativity, passion, nobility, fulfillment
Red– power, danger, love, motivation, confidence
Yellow– joy, happiness, enthusiasm, hope, logic, fun
Orange– adventurous, energy, inviting, social, vitality
Brown– comfort, wholesome, natural, safety, resilience
Gray– steady, formal, neutral, mature
Pink– innocence, kind, youth, love, vulnerability
White– purity, open, refreshing, clean, perfection
Black– power, protection, strong, dignified, elegance
The Color and Branding Message Relationship
Colors give meaning to every aspect of a brand, from logos and advertisements to graphics and websites. Here are some general guidelines for choosing color for a brand:
Don’t just pick a favorite color.
Remember, the colors a company picks for its brand send the clients a message. Favorite colors can be part of it if they are conveying the intended message of the brand. If a favorite color is orange and the company wants to be perceived as adventurous, for example, they are good to use that color in their brand. If that is not the case, another color should be considered.
Choose combinations that complement the message and not confuse it.
Color choices should strongly reflect the company’s mission, vision, and value statements. If a brand wants to be seen by its clients as strong and trustworthy, its color palette should reflect that. They would not choose pink and yellow, for instance, because those two colors do not send the right information about their brand, which creates brand confusion.
Consider how some combinations have prior connections.
For example, red and green might be sending the exact message that a business wants but the combination is typically associated with the holiday season. In order to combat this connection, choosing slightly different shades or hues of red and green can keep the message in line with the mission. See the example below.
Think about the industry and audience.
Red and yellow have a strong connection with the food industry. If a company is in the finance field, that combination will be completely off-brand and confusing to the intended audience. A business doesn’t always have to pick the typical color palette of their field, but again, considering the message being sent will continue to point them to the colors that are the right fit.
Work with a brand expert.
A reputable brand designer has an educational background in color meaning and use in branding. They are here to help a company choose the right colors based on the mission, vision, values, and how they want to be perceived. Working with a professional designer will ensure that the elements of color in the existing brand or new brand are sending the right information to the customer.
Color is vital to the brand message sent to the target audience. Consider the meanings of color and how they combine and complement the company’s message. Working with a brand expert can be beneficial in keeping your brand clear and precise. Our comprehensive branding and design services can guide you through color meaning and help you match your brand with the right color palette. To learn more, see our Branding And Graphic Design Services page.
