How do I choose the right colors for my brand?
I have heard that colors are an important element of a brand and that each color has a different meaning and can evoke different emotions. How do I best choose the right colors for my brand?
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Oct 31, 2016
Different colours connect with different emotions and meanings (eg. Blue= Trust, Green=Healthy, Orange=Friendly). You have to define your brand first - what emotions, thoughts and feelings do you want to inspire in your audience, when they see your brand?
We will use Coca-Cola as an example: Their logo is always present and consistent, the colours remain the same throughout all campaigns and the overall message is always positive and inspires happy feelings. A similar brand, Fanta, inspires fun and youthfulness. Think about what feelings you want your brand to inspire?
Once you have defined this, Google a colour emotions chart and pick your colours :)
Mar 22, 2016
To add to this discussion, I recommend searching Google Images for "psychology of colors infographic" - there are several GREAT infographics that will teach you about how different colors relate to marketing, and how to pair them.
Jan 20, 2016
Your brand colours are indeed really important. I think there are two steps you need to take. First, you need to determine the essence of your brand. Answer some questions...such as What's my mission? What are my business values and philosophy? What's the essence of what I do? What image do I want to project? Etc. You get the drift. Once you've figured out answers to the questions you ask yourself, then it's time to hit the web for information about what different colours mean. A great site is color-wheel-pro.com. This site tells you what all the different colours of the colour wheel represent. Do you want to have a single brand colour, or does it make sense to have two brand colours in your brand identity. When I rebranded my independent communication business a few months ago to Oomph! Allied Communications, this is the process I applied and it helped me establish a powerful brand visual identity. For my colours, I ended up settling on purple and orange. I'm a creative type, and purple represents creativity. Orange, represents energy. So my brand visual identity uses orange and purple in the logo. With the tag line, "communicating with creative energy" (also purple and orange), I've got a powerful brand identity across my website, business cards, letterhead and marketing communications. If you choose a couple of colours for your brand visual identity, you can go to color.adobe.com and see how they'lll look together visually. I hope all of this helps!
Nov 24, 2015
Hi Lexi,
it all comes out of the Equity of your Brand. I posted a few hours ago a short presentation that could hel you to clarify your ideas. It's in my profile.
Kind Regards,
Emilio
Nov 5, 2015
Hi Lexi,
If you look at your market, what color your competitors tend to use generally speaking?
If too diverse, what color do the leaders wear?
If too diverse, what values tend to stick?
Go to Pinterest and look for "color coding infographics". each color is associated with a number of characteristics.
Otherwiser, how about you test your logo in different colors directly on your customers?
Nov 4, 2015
This is very true. It is all about your mission statement, what do you want the consumer to feel when they think of your brand? Powerful? Comforting? Trusted?
Take blue for example: The psychology of blue can be interpreted as Trusted, Conservative, Dependable, Honest, Calm, Secure, Cool ... Examples of brand logos- LinkedIn, Sykpe, Nokia, American Express, GE, Samsung, IBM, Gap, Chase, At&t, FOX, Facebook, Lowes... You Get it...
If you wanted to get down to it, research the companies that you admire and see what there logo colors are.
Nov 4, 2015
When designing a company logo one of the main things is to define the identity, i.e. to represent clearly who the company is and how it would like to be perceived.
Big brands pick their colours carefully. Every colour, including black and white, has implications for logo design.
Use the psychology of colors to choose the main color for your business:
Red – Energy, attracts attention, creates urgency; the first color we see; often used in clearance sales.
Orange – Aggressive; creates a call to action; subscribe, buy, or sell.
Yellow – Optimistic and youthful; often used to grab attention of window shoppers.
Green – Associated with wealth; easiest color for the eyes to process; used to relax.
Blue – Creates sensation of trust and security; often seen with banks and businesses.
Purple – Soothing and calming; often seen in beauty or anti-aging products.
Pink – Romantic and feminine; used to market products to women and young girls.
Black – Powerful and sleek like me; used to market luxury products.
Courtesy of Kissmetrics.
- See more at: http://14clicks.com/pick-perfect-colors-business/#sthash.tcl0LazM.dpuf
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Nov 4, 2015
Lexi, Awesome question! Colors are very important to brand recognition and weirdly, colors are vibrations that 'effect' perception, mood and action.
I recently researched and wrote a well received article on how colors impact brand recognition and selling etc.
I would have copied and pasted it here but Google Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird (search engine algorithm police) frowns on this sort of thing so if You are on LinkedIn please click the link and read it:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/2-absolutely-critical-tips-how-use-color-improve-your-aberdeen?trk=prof-post
If You need further help please feel free to ask.
Happy Reading and Wishing You well with your choices.
Sincerely
Nov 4, 2015
Good article for background info: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/233843
Some off-the-top of my head ideas, not by any means a thorough step-by-step guide...
Step 1: If you don't have a brand personality defined yet, choose how what type of personality your brand is. Fun, energetic, stylish, smart, sophisticated, alluring, strange/unusual, charming, daring, etc.
Step 2: Understand what certain colors mean to certain people. Blue typically makes people feel calm, or sad. It's also linked to water, cleanliness and is the most commonly used color for corporations. Some believe it symbolizes trust and peace. Google "color diagram" to see the common meanings tied to colors and align your brands personality with the right color.
Step 3: Check to make sure one of your competitors isn't already using the same color for their brand. Especially important to check direct competitors. If you can't find any direct competitors, keep looking. They are out there. If you find one using the color you choose, select another color that makes sense, unless that competitor has no traction in your market.
Step 4: If you're global, be careful to not choose a color that means something very different to other cultures. Google the country and color meanings to find what that color means to that culture.
Nov 4, 2015
I agree with Rick Moran's comments below. Develop a brand platform first - decide who you are and how you want to be perceived, assess the market to be sure you will be differentiated from the competition, and research your audiences to make sure you will be relevant. The answer will be blue...just kidding.
Nov 4, 2015
Super important for a variety of reasons including competitively. You want your product or service to stand out. Differentiation is a key factor in the Nine P's of Marketing. Color is one way to differentiate. Packaging is another under Product
Think how consumers and potential customers find produicts on a store shelf.
The use of color or colors make that distinctive color(s) to identify products and services can be seen everywhere, from consumer products to airline services to OTC drugs, detergents, pharmaceuticals to equipment and more product categories.
Color as a brand identity is a trademark and legal issue. Trademark law may and can protect colors, of a product or manufacturer.
Look for a good package designer and art director.
Simple way is to line up competitive products and see what is happening in the marketplace. Look at design and color plus packaging and manufacturing, under the 9P's of marketing. Here to help.
Nov 4, 2015
Depends on a number of things, but I'll keep it to three:
Your competitors
Have you assessed the colours used by them? Look for trends, patterns and opportunities to stand out.
Your customers
What does colour mean to them in your sector? What are the colours that they expect to see?
Your brand
What's your brand all about? Is it modern, classic or different to the rest? Do you want a premium look or something that looks more affordable to your clients?
Nov 4, 2015
They are one element. Looking at what you do possibly some of the brighter fun colours. Make sure the colour of the letters can be read against whatever background colour you choose. People must be able to read your name for them to stand a chance of remembering it. Best of luck in your business ventures.
Nov 4, 2015
You'll find 100 color combination suggestions at
https://designschool.canva.com/blog/100-color-combinations/.
There is also an interesting color palette at http://paletton.com/#uid=7270u0kllll5kFUdlsutlebL272 and another color wheel at http://www.sessions.edu/color-calculator.
Finally, the Adobe tool can be found at https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel/.
Nov 4, 2015
It completely depends on how you want to present your company and how your design is. Theres no "exact' color for a brand. Colors invoke emotions and responses yes but choosing the right color is up to your designer. If you some consultation in this area, Id be happy to help you. Feel free to connect, and we can discuss your brand and how you want to present yourself.
Nov 3, 2015
Lexi,
You'd find this quiz, fun as well as good help to decide upon the right colors. http://grasshopper.com/resources/tools/branding-color-quiz/
Great Info! Very useful. I should have read yours before posting!