When we think about our company’s branding and marketing strategy we often think about our logo and what it looks like and wording that goes with it. How much time have you spent thinking about the colours you have chosen and what they say about your company and your brand identity? You may be surprised that the colours you have chosen for your company logo have more of a bearing on your customer’s opinion of you than might at first think. Keep reading to find out how colour affects marketing and branding design.
Colours have a significant effect on people’s emotions, by understanding the psychology around colours you may be able to increase the effectiveness of your brand and potentially grow your business simply by choosing the right colours to generate the right signals to your customers.
Here’s Creative Shed’s guide to the psychology of colour, consider the colours you have chosen for your logo and branding as you read our blog.
RED
This colour is a primary colour and is associated with solid character traits and evoking strong emotions, including passion and intensity and of course symbolizing love. From a marketing perspective this works well for restaurants as can stimulate appetite and a passion for food and also urgency for sales and impulse purchases.
Brands that use this well are: McDonalds, LEGO and Heinz
YELLOW
Another primary colour, Yellow stimulates feelings of optimism, cheerfulness and stimulates our brains encouraging thought and conversation. Marketer’s use Yellow for representing optimism and youth and also to gain the attention of window shoppers.
Brands that use this well are: DHL, Hertz and Shell
BLUE
The third primary colour, blue is very different to yellow and red and research has shown the colour is calming and can lower the blood pressure. Because of this it is best used for creating trust, security and confidence in organisations and when attracting a male audience who prefer blue to other colours. Marketing-wise it is a very corporate colour and seen as representing brands that are trustworthy and security conscious.
Brands that use this well are: Dell, Ford and Oral-B
ORANGE
The colour orange gives the feelings of energy, balance and warmth but will also stimulate caution and aggression – A stable and balanced colour. It is used in branding well where it embraces the aggression by creating a clear “call to action” for its audience by giving instruction to buy, or call. It is also seen as friendly and trustworthy because of the balance it provides.
Brands that use this well are: Amazon, Nickelodeon and Fanta
GREEN
Green is often linked with luck, health, nature and jealousy, also symbolizing wealth and growth. Companies associated with green initiatives also use the colour to represent their brand. For business it is used to relax customers and give confidence in a brand being a leader.
Brands that use this well are: Whole Foods, Holiday Inn and BP
PURPLE
A popular brand colour, purple is associated with feelings of royalty, mystery and spirituality. Marketing techniques will use purple for imaginative and creative products and also to sooth or calm the audience it is often used for beauty and pharmaceutical products.
Brands that use this well are: Hallmark, Cadbury and Aussie – and Creative Shed Agency!
How does your brand stack up when you consider the colours you have chosen? If you would like to discuss your branding and possibly a re-brand to incorporate the colours that best represent the psychology of your business then Creative Shed is happy to help. Contact us today to arrange a meeting.
