Branding 101 – Colour Psychology

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Choosing the correct colours for your business will enhance client relationships by sending subtle and not so subtle messages. Picture a dentist using red colours in their logo or a pink coloured bank. Exactly. That’s because different colours convey and evoke various emotional and psychological responses. We know red is sexy and passionate, but red can also be bloody. A passionate dentist might also be thought of as bloody and gory one, if she choose red.

Applying the correct colours for your creative is essential in effectively communicating your message. Are your colour choices sending the wrong message or are they securing sales?

Red

Oh la la. Red is hot, passionate, sexy, but also bloody and gory. Red is the exciting primary colour in both the RGB and RYB spectrum. Eliciting a positive response in children, red is a sure-fire attention seeker. We’ve all heard stories about how red cars are ticketed more. Or is it because their owners are fast, dangerous and passionate about driving. Songs about Red “Red Red Wine” by UB40, “Red Rain” by Peter Gaberial, and “Little Red Corvette” by Prince.

Purple

The magical color purple is a spiritual and royal one. It’s a rich mysterious color associated with wealth, prosperity and sophistication. Purple stimulates brain activity. Pre-teens love the color. Too much purple will trigger a sense of the artificial. A view many have towards a monarchy. When used correctly purple will create a wealthy prosperous appearance.

Blue

Studies show North Americans react warmly to this cool colour. The colour of trust is favoured by politicians, many tech companies and banks. But too much blue can turn people. Certain hues of blue produce a calming chemical. Want your office staff to be productive and loyal. Paint your work space blue and insist they wear blue. Blue is also associated with steadfastness. “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley

Green

The colour of money and plants has the second most hues visible by the human eye. It’s a great colour to work with because green has a broad spectrum. Green is excellent for interior spaces for a grounding tranquil effect. The earthy nature aspect of green has plenty of environmental organizations adopt it in their logo. Green is a soothing colour often associated with hospitals, slime and the Incredible Hulk. We’re all about the good green at Pixel Dreams, but we don’t let it Hulk up in our office.

Yellow

A bright yellow fills people with optimism. It’s a positive stimulating creative colour that encourages communication. Yellow is excellent at building inner strength. However, yellow is also a draining colour. Studies have shown babies tend to lose their temper in yellow rooms. Use it correctly and you’ll be brimming with inner vitality and happiness. When working with yellow anticipate plenty the Beatles’s Yellow Submarine song break outs at our computer terminals. In the town where I was born…

Orange

A happy vibrant colour which is often worn by prisoners. Orange stands out. Nothing rhymes with it. The colour makes us hungry. Ever wonder why so many restaurants have flourishes of orange in them? That’s the reason. Orange makes us think of food, and in a hurry. Perfect for a fast-food nation.

Brown

The colour of down to earth friendship. Brown is used to convey messages of reliability and stability. Don’t let brown fall on you. Too much brown will muddy a logo. It’s a dirty colour with poop-y connotations. “Brown Eyed Girl” Van Morrison.

Gold

In every culture gold is gold. It’s wealth, status, power. What can we say about gold. People put in their teeth! The colour backs all currencies! If you have too much of this colour anticipate gold diggers. They have nothing to offer, but they’ll drain you of all your wealth. Gold is great. Just beware of fools gold.

Silver

Silver is the colour of wisdom, intelligence and science. Silver represents cleanliness in kitchens, but can be difficult to express in printed materials and websites. The colour has a mystique about it, yet remains versatile, shiny, sleek and modern. It’s fun to play with silver, but when we overdo it becomes dull.

Black

When used incorrectly the colour black will create a very depressing creative. However, for the client seeking to convey intelligence, stability and authority, black can be a very good choice. Black can also convey mystery, at times high-end fashion. Think: black Mercedes and black suits. It’s no wonder a lot of high-end (or wanna-be) photographers resort to dark black themed websites. But don’t forget, black can also be associated with grieving and the bad guys in old cowboy movies; so it’s best be careful when choosing this colour. Black is basic. ACDC have an album Back In Black, and Rolling Stones has a song Paint it Black.

White

It’s the color of purity, innocence and brilliance. White is often used as a background, but it can be used to enhance many colours. Too much white may give people headaches. Another negative is the word whitewash; to hide a political scandal, though most of us are more likely to think about white picket fence. Some argue white is the absence of colour, but not in the Pixel Dreams office. 100% red, green and blue equates to white.

Not too many white logos, but definitely a lot of multicolour logos.

In General

The attitudes, preferences and even cultural influences of your target market must be considered when creating logos, letterheads, websites and various marketing material. A wrong selection won’t necessarily ruin your business, but it might stymie profitability. Along with shape, style, font and theme, colour choice in your logo and brand creative must be well thought out. If you believe your colours are not representative of you or your company, you should change it like Apple did. But beware that too many changes and you’ll end up having no brand – which can be worse than a weak brand.

“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”
- Oscar Wilde