Colours in Branding

Colours play a tremendous role in our lives now. Can you imagine what we would see if there were no colours? Our world would not even be in black and white.  This would definitely not be a comfortable place for us. We use colours every day, everywhere. They are an integral part of our lives and we associate each colour with something that we have experienced. The current colour palette is vast and ranges from bold to pastel to neon.

Considering how big of a role colours have, it is a given that it is equally important while taking branding into consideration. Have you ever wondered why certain brands use certain colours for their logos and print advertisements? Many colours have meanings that are universally acknowledged to mean a certain thing. This, of course, does not confine colours into that box; it could, through personal experiences and imagery, mean something entirely different for someone else. 

Let us see some of the universal meanings of colours-

 

RED	YELLOW	BLUE
Passion Health Energy Love	Happiness Joy Optimism Warmth	Calm Importance Trust

 

GREEN	PURPLE	BLACK	WHITE
Health Growth Harmony Environment	Wealth Luxury Mystic Royalty	Mystery Strength Elegance Power	Innocence Clarity Purity

According to a neuroscientist, the feelings of a consumer play a greater role than what they think of a brand. It relates to how a person may feel about a certain brand that can push them to make a purchase. But from the brand’s perspective, it is also for them to consider how to create that impact. McDonald’s arches have always been bright yellow or Facebook using the dark blue for their ‘F’. These colours have created an impact in our minds which is why sometimes, even without the logo, colours can reveal which brand it is. With continuously using the colour they create a stronger brand awareness which leads to this high level of recognition. It is also important that brands wisely choose colours that complement what their brand identity and the image are, and their message is consistent throughout.

There is no easy way to decide which colours to choose for a brand, every colour is affected by our perceptions and culture. For example, while green may mean money to someone from the United States of America but could stand for environmental significance anywhere else in the world. Therefore, it helps to look into the feeling a brand has while choosing the right colours and palette for it.

Since colour and the logo of a brand are the first things to be noticed and an opinion created upon, a brand must make sure it brings across their message; this could make or break someone’s decision to become your customer.

Why did certain brands choose the colour they did?  Let’s look into what these colours mean for a brand-

Most fast-food chains have red as their main colour or use it with another colour. It is said that seeing the red colour can increase the appetite or hunger of a person making them want to eat. It also makes a person feel warm and loved intending to make people sit around for longer and enjoy a meal. The combination of red and yellow stands out more to customers and is used more to catch the attention of its audience.

Fanta or Nickelodeon both have the orange colour for their logo. This shows that the brand is light and fun and also communicate cheerfulness, youthfulness, and energy. This is seen very starkly for both these brands. Orange can also be used to stimulate brain activity, while also catch attention.

Snapchat uses yellow for their logo and it can also be seen in the golden arches of McDonald’s. This colour as popularly known is bright and attracts the attention of people, especially if it is a store. It shows happiness and optimism and vibrancy which stands out more than any other colour. Snapchat chose this colour for those reasons while also noticing that it was not a popular colour on the respective app stores. McDonald’s uses the colour to catch the attention of the people.

This colour represents nature, health, and growth and is also associated with money. This colour is popular among organic brands. Starbucks changed its logo in 1987 to an earlier version of what it is today. They changed to green to represent a freshness, growth, and a money aspect which is the prosperity of the brand.

The most liked colour in the world by both men and women. It gives a feeling of calm and security. It can also show that a brand is qualified and professional. American Express uses this colour for their logo as well as other brands like Dell, Facebook, Twitter, and Ford among many. With Facebook and Twitter, there is a difference in the colour, and they represent different meanings. While the light blue of Twitter comes across as a light and fun, the darker blue of Facebook shows security and reliability.

Cadbury has the iconic purple that they have been using for decades. This colour shows luxury and wealth with some bit of magic and fantasy and imagination elements. The Pantone 2865c is the purple used by Cadbury which started back in 1914 to please Queen Victoria. There is an interesting story about this colour and Cadbury.

Widely known to represent femininity, this colour also shows fun and sweetness. It is often used by ice cream brands like Baskin Robbins to show that the food products are sweet. It is also used to bring in a female audience and can be seen in the Barbie logo. This colour can also be used to send a message of being fun and lively.

This colour shows sophistication, glamour, and elegance with luxury products. It can also come across as serious and exclusive.  Many well established, high brands use this colour such as Chanel, Prada, and Gucci among others.

 

Although we know colours play a significant role we tend to not pay as much attention to it always. Try noticing and guessing brands only by their colours and you will realize that it is easier because we are constantly looking at these colours and registering them subconsciously. Even when we cannot remember the names, we can always recall the colours. A whole lot of science is involved in trying to figure out which colour to use and what shade or tint or any other aspect. The current palette has been shifting from a bold colour to a more pastel aesthetic that is widely used. This is a beautiful culmination of art and science!

 

If anyone is interested in getting into the nitty-gritty of what is really involved in choosing colours and the psychology and science behind it all I would suggest reading the paper mentioned below by Nick Kolenda. He has done in-depth research with what little resources are available on the topic but yet makes it a great read.

https://www.nickkolenda.com/color-psychology/