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The Power of Colour in Branding

The Power of Colour in Branding

It is widely understood that colour plays an integral role in branding, but do we really know to what extent? Even if we do, do we know how to use it properly? In the study Impact of Color in Marketing researchers discovered that out of the people who make snap judgements about a brand, 90% base their judgment on colour alone. This is likely because the brain is able to register colour before any other information. Brands rely on colour recognition and that is why choosing the right colours for your brand is incredibly important.

Getting the right colour ‘fit’ for a brand isn’t as straight forward as you might imagine. Sure, different colours are known to portray different feelings, but isn’t that subjective? Is your interpretation of a certain colour the same as someone else’s? The simple answer is no. However, we can utilize some general rules to help us find a colour that is appropriate for the brand’s feeling. Here are some generalized colour feelings:

Red

Word associations: power, danger, strength, power, passion

hiilite-red-logos-colour-meaning-web-design-marketing-branding

Yellow

Word associations: joy, energy, cheerfulness, loyalty, cowardice

hiilite-yellow-logos-colour-meaning-web-design-marketing-branding

Green

Word associations: growth, harmony, fertility, safety, money

hiilite-green-logos-colour-meaning-web-design-marketing-brandingPurple

Word associations: power, nobility, ambition, luxury, magic

hiilite-purple-logos-colour-meaning-web-design-marketing-brandingOrange

Word associations: enthusiasm, fascination, creativity, success

hiilite-orange-logos-colour-meaning-web-design-marketing-brandingThere have been many studies done to compare different target groups and their perceptions of colours. Men and women tend to choose different favourite colours as do people from different cultures. A proper understanding of your target market will help to determine what colours you should choose to attract your customers and appeal to them visually.

It is also good to keep in mind colour coordination when using more than one colour. Visually there are two main strategies. The first is to keep all the colours within similar hues. This keeps the overall feeling the same while providing some dimension. The other strategy is to use complementary colours. This technique allows you to accent certain elements of your logo or website to stand out from the rest.

Interestingly enough, even the colour names make a difference. Pitching a design using ‘chocolate’ over ‘brown’ gives a very different impression. Having descriptive, creative names for colour choices makes it more memorable and can be a very important part of the colour selection.

The most important thing to understand when it comes to colour, is that consistency is key. Choosing the right colour and design for your business that is backed by research and careful thought, allows your brand to be recognized, understood and trusted. Hiilite can help you to design and execute the right feeling for your business that can be carried through your logo, website and print materials.

Get in touch with us today and one of our branding experts can help you find the right colour fit for your business.

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Hiilite
Hiilite Web Design + Marketing + SEO
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