Picking the Right Brand Colors
The Science of Colors
UPS has their brown, Coca-Cola has their red, and T-Mobile has their magenta. When we see these colors, our brains make the connection with the companies, especially if we have had memorable experiences with any of them. These colors become a part of the brand itself, just as much so as the logo, or the mission statement.
More so than just aiding in recognition and recollection, however, colors have underlying psychological meanings as well. Most of the time, these meanings are automatically conditioned, and present themselves in subconscious emotions and reactions. We usually are not fully aware that we feel certain ways towards colors, or that our bodies can have reactions to usage of colors in a variety of ways as well. Since colors can have such an effect on brand perception, it’s important to understand what colors mean, so you can pick the right ones for your business.
In branding, red usually equates to passion, boldness, and energy. Orange is friendly, cheerful, and optimistic. Yellow is optimistic, confident, and joyful. Green is nurturing, fresh, and can represent vitality and growth. Blue is seen as trustworthy, calm, and loyal. Purple is creative, imaginative, and dignified. Black, gray, or other neutrals are often viewed as classic, sophisticated, and stable.
Color combinations can present a whole new way of looking at colors, however. Often, if you want to portray several messages or meanings, picking colors that reflect such will get your point across. For instance, if your company is both calm and confident, perhaps a yellow and blue combination would work. Or, if your business is simultaneously creative and sophisticated, purple and gray would represent this. Keep in mind while picking color combinations, however, to choose ones that all align with your company culture, and that do not contradict messages.
Why Picking the Right Brand Colors is Crucial
Similarly to picking a logo, choosing company colors can lead to success, or away from it. Before beginning to decide which colors you want to represent your company, it’s essential to understand what your brand culture and mission are. What message is your branding trying to convey? Once you have an idea of what you want to get across, then you can start looking at colors that line up with that ideal.
It’s important to note that once your brand colors have been chosen, they become a part of your company. It is difficult to rebrand with completely new colors later on, especially as your business becomes more well known. This being said, it isn’t impossible, and there are companies that have successfully rebranded with new colors, however, it is best to pick brand colors that you think will work for a while, to avoid that possible problem of fixing them later on.
Are Your Brand Colors Getting Your Message Across?
Do your brand colors line up with the message you are trying to portray? Are they creating a unified front for your business, or do they create confusion within your company culture? If you aren’t sure of the answer to these questions, or if you know the answers are not what you want them to be, contact us at MNGR! We will consult with you and get a feel for your mission and message, and can help choose brand colors that best reflect this.
Have you decided that simply changing your brand colors is not enough, and want to completely rebrand? We can help with that, too! We offer several options to help you put your best face forward. Let us know what we can do for you!
Want to see other branding projects we’ve completed? Check out our portfolio!