Most of us spend our lives surrounded by colour. In fact, the colours in our surroundings have a great effect on us – and we respond to them. To the uninitiated, that might sound like mumbo jumbo, but we promise you it’s not.
When it comes to branding, colour really does matter! Each different shade of blue in your logo or website design will send a slightly different message to your audience about who you are and what you stand for – not to mention, why they should trust you.
Even if you’ve never really considered the role that colour plays in branding, you can probably tell us off the top of your head – the main colours used by some of the big name brands. We’re quite sure that you would tell us that Coca Cola and the colour red are pretty much inseparable, or that the M in the McDonalds logo is yellow. You probably know, without giving it much thought, that the Ford Logo is navy blue while Holden is red.
But there’s so much more to it! I bet that right now you can close your eyes and tell us which colour represents Facebook and which is used by Twitter.
Even when you’re scrolling through your smartphone, looking for a particular app, you’ll probably find yourself searching for colour before considering any other component of the app logo – even when the logo itself is something really recognisable – like a letter.
So the moral of the story? When it comes to branding, colour matters!
You’re receiving messages – even if you don’t know it!
Different colours have pretty distinct meanings to us, without us even realising it. If you’ve ever travelled overseas, you’ll have noticed it. Maybe you had a craving for chicken chips and when you got to the store you automatically reached for a green chip packet, only to discover that you had picked up salt and vinegar – (don’t they know that salt and vinegar is supposed to be purple?!?).
Next time you’re shopping for groceries, take a look at the way the colours change as you walk from aisle to aisle. In the cleaning aisle you’ll notice a lot of blue and orange because blue represents cleanliness and orange represents power and energy. While in the health food aisle you’ll be inundated with olive green and brown – colours that represent the environment and earth.
Tips to help you choose the right colour scheme for your brand
Know your audience
Our reactions to colour are not universal – the way a 60 year old grandmother feels about hot pink or metallic silver, will be different to the way a teenage gamer will feel about the same colours. Know your audience first, and your colour choice will become evident.
Know yourself
How do you want to portray yourself? Are you dynamic? Solid and dependable? Are you a luxury brand or more budget? The words you use to describe your business will play a big role in deciding on what message you want to send to your customers and therefore which colours your should incorporate into your design.
Know your industry
If all the businesses in your industry use a variation of one particular colour palette then that’s a pretty good indication that those colours say something specific and powerful about your area of expertise. This doesn’t mean you have to choose them too, but you should make an informed decision before you pick colours that are completely opposite to everyone else in your field.
Consider the personality of your colours
If you’re going for a friendly and energetic vibe on your website then you should pick vibrant but warm colours for your site. If you’re hoping to instill confidence and portray a sense of professionalism use cool colours that are bold and clean.
Use the ideal ratio
When it comes to colour, the ideal ratio is 60:30:10 – meaning you should select three colours and use each of them in a different amount. Use the first one in 60% of your design space, the second in 30% and the final one in only 10%. This ratio helps you to keep a balanced design and create a professional looking colour scheme.
For more tips and advice on how to use colour for your brand, contact the design team at 121 Creative today.
