Color in Branding

Whether you realize it or not, color is a fundamental aspect of our everyday lives. How we interact with and perceive our world is largely based on the colors that surround us. Color subliminally influences our emotions and our state of mind. If the weather is cloudy and gray for a few consecutive days, we can start to feel gloomy. Numerous studies have shown a correlation between weather and our moods, and many of its effects depend on the presence or absence of sunlight.

We perceive colors in light waves. Additive color mixing (light mixing) creates colors by combining red, green, and blue light sources of varying intensities. The more light you add, the brighter the color mix becomes. If you mix all three colors of light, you get pure white light. TVs, screens, and projectors use red, green, and blue (RGB) as their primary colors and mix them to create other colors.

The intensity of a color is known as saturation. A color in its purest, brightest form is 100% saturated; the closer that color approaches gray, the more desaturated it becomes. Using bright or muted colors (either alone or together) can be a strategic way to create areas of high or low contrast in a design.

CREATING A COLOR PALETTE

Color is a cornerstone of brand identity. Consistent use of your brand’s color palette both reinforces brand cohesiveness and it also communicates a specific feeling and emotion to your audience. Hours and hours are spent by brand professionals determining the best color palette for a brand; choosing the wrong colors can have tragic consequences for your brand.

Analogous colors are positioned next to one another on the color wheel, think red, orange, and yellow. When creating an analogous color scheme, one color will dominate, one will support, and another will accent. In business, analogous color schemes are not only pleasing to the eye but can also effectively instruct consumers where and how to take action. Shades (adding black) and tints (adding white) are created from the primary palette to provide greater color variety while maintaining consistent brand expression.

Less is more, especially in design, and especially when creating your primary color palette. As a general rule of thumb, stick to three colors to keep your brand simple, clean, and not too overwhelming. In addition to the number of colors to use, be mindful of color psychology. Different colors evoke different emotions and responses; ensure your color palette doesn’t conflict with your brand’s intent. The colors below aren’t the only ones to choose from; however, they’re among the most popular.

RED

The color red attracts the viewer’s attention, exciting and motivating them to take action. Physiologically, this color is known to have a profound effect on the human body, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. (ImagiBrand) 

• Positive meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: powerful, energetic, passionate, strong, courageous, attention-getting, motivating, stimulating, driven and determined, exciting, warm, spontaneous, assertive, and confident.

• Negative meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: aggressive and angry, domineering, overbearing and tiring, quick-tempered, ruthless, fearful and intolerant, rebellious and obstinate, resentful, violent and brutal.

ORANGE

The color orange suggests fun, optimism, and adventure. Gentler than the attention-grabbing nature of red, this color inspires and creates enthusiasm. Because the color orange stimulates conversation and conveys affordability, it’s beneficial for restaurants, hotels, and youth-oriented markets. (Imagibrand)

• Positive meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: adventurous, vibrant, flamboyant, warm, sociable, optimistic, enthusiastic, cheerful, self-confident, independent, extroverted, exhibits creative flair, warm-hearted, agreeable, and informal.

• Negative meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: superficial and insincere, dependent, overbearing, self-indulgent, exhibitionist, pessimistic, cheap, unsociable, and overly proud. 

YELLOW

Yellow is one of the most bipolar colors in the color wheel. On the one hand, it’s very warm, playful, and happy. It can be psychologically uplifting and optimistic, brightening the spirit of those exposed to its glow. On the other side, the color yellow has the tendency to cause agitation, nervousness, and anxiety, especially in people with already low thresholds for stress. It can motivate people to become overly critical, deceitful, and even mentally unstable, especially the darker shades of color that are associated with depression and low self-worth. (Imagibrand)

• Positive meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: cheerful, happy, playful, fun, optimistic, uplifting, confident, creative, illuminating, mental clarity, aiding decision-making, originality, challenging, academic and analytical, wise and logical.

• Negative meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: critical and judgmental, overly analytical, impatient and impulsive, egotistical, pessimistic, cowardly, deceitful, non-emotional, and lacking compassion.

GREEN

Psychologically, the color green promotes clarity of the mind and the balancing of our emotions. Green is highly associated with nature and health, encouraging a sense of compassion, kindness, and nurturing. The lighter side of the color indicates freshness and growth, while the darker shades of the color green relate to prestige and wealth. (Imagibrand)

• Positive meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: growth and vitality, renewal and restoration, self-reliance, calm, nature-loving and family-oriented, practical, sympathetic, compassionate and nurturing, adaptable and flexible.

• Negative meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: possessive and materialistic, indifferent and over-cautious, envious, selfish, greedy and miserly, devious with money, inconsiderate, a hypochondriac, and a do-gooder.

BLUE

As the most universally preferred color for expressing trust, reliability, and dependability, blue is widely used in the corporate world to nurture customer loyalty. This cool, calming color is used as a fear and tension reducer because it physiologically slows the pulse rate. Much like an open blue sky, this harmonious color creates the impression of space and is conducive to one-to-one communication. (Imagibrand)

• Positive meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: loyal, trusting and honest, tactful, caring and concerned, reliable and responsible, conservative and persevering, idealistic and orderly, authoritative, devoted and contemplative.

• Negative meanings in business include, but aren’t limited to: rigid, self-righteous, superstitious, and emotionally unstable, too conservative, predictable and weak, unforgiving and frigid, manipulative, unfaithful, and distrustful.

Building a harmonious, well-thought-out color palette is one of the first steps to take when creating your brand guidelines. If you’re having trouble finding inspiration, take a photograph of something that interests you with your smartphone or camera (flowers, sunsets, landscapes, whatever interests you). Then, sample the colors within the photograph and see what speaks to you.