Are you in the market for a prime brand color for your company?
The smart use of color is essential in any brand’s strategy. especially in 2018. Color can help a business thrive, as well as better market to consumers.
There is no shortage of inspiration in terms of stand-out uses of color in today’s branding and logos.
Some of the most successful marketing campaigns are also impacted by their use of different hues.
The color of a logo and brand can influence how individuals feel about a brand.
But, it is important to remember this is supplemented by their personal experiences as well as any associations you may be able to create with color.
There may not be completely universal rules in terms of color psychology based on research, but there are some general guidelines to follow.
Read on to learn more about creative uses of color in marketing and business.
Color Basics
Traditionally in marketing and psychology. certain hues are connected with particular emotions, with the goal of provoking these emotions in the consumer.
While there isn’t much evidence to support that idea, it is still in wide use today in the business world.
The options for using color in branding are seemingly endless. One example outside of a logo could be in the interior or exterior paint of the building, which this site specializes in.
Here are a few examples of positive emotions connected with certain hues.
- Red = power, strength, energy, love
- Yellow = optimism, happiness, hope, idealism
- Green = youth, peace, renewal, generosity
- Blue = harmony, trust, confidence, loyalty
- Purple = royalty, spirituality, wisdom, mystery
- Orange = balance, warmth, enthusiasm, vitality
In combining colors, it is also important to know which are primary versus secondary. Primary colors are usually considered red, yellow, and blue. All other colors can be formed by these three.
The color wheel is also to be kept in mind. Pay attention to which colors are complementary and which are not. Otherwise, you may end up with a visually unappealing branding.
Creative Brands Using Color Principles
There are hundreds of brands that utilize basic color principles in their branding. Check out eight below to gain some insight on proper use.
Red
Red is a powerful color that can come off as overly aggressive to some, but nonetheless, it can still be the perfect choice for your company.
It is considered a very dynamic color that requires additional context to be used. Therefore, combining it with another may be the best option for a design that stands out.
1. Coca-Cola
Coca-cola is one of the most well-known creative brands in the world, and it is at least partly due to color branding.
It’s smart to use the color red with empty white space around it balanced out this powerful color.
2. Netflix
Netflix has taken a similar approach to Coca-Cola in originally choosing red and white as their main branding colors.
The iconic “Netflix screen” with the company name on a blank white screen has helped the company grow beyond measure.
Even so, the company has since chosen black as a complement to red, which may suggest a different message it may want to send out to its users.
Blue
The color blue is one that brings feelings of tranquility to many of us, as we are reminded of the bright blue sky or calm waters.
But, because of the duality of colors, blue also symbolizes trust, social connection, and loyalty. This may be the reason it is the color of choice for many of the social media websites today.
3. Facebook
The company of Facebook is unique not only in its history but also in its brand design.
Choosing blue as a color may suggest Facebook’s goal to connect people, as well as stimulate a level of trust between them and their users. It also is said to have been chosen because of Mark Zuckerburg’s color blindness.
Regardless, the Facebook logo and branding of deep blue with white text has become timeless and memorable and marked it as one of the most creative brands.
4. Twitter
Twitter is another social media company that has chosen a slightly different variation of blue for its brand.
This shade could be connected with its mascot, a small blue bird while encouraging loyalty in its users.
Yellow
An iconic color in terms of marketing, yellow is perfect for many companies looking to promote a positive, influential vibe for creative brands.
5. Caterpillar
In terms of construction equipment, the company Caterpillar is famous for the large golden machines.
Yellow is considered the strongest color psychologically and making it perfect for this attention-grabbing construction company.
6. McDonald’s
The famous golden arches are well-known all over the globe for this fast-food giant.
It is thought that yellow is an appetite stimulant, which is ideal for food chains such as McDonald’s. Moreover, it helps consumers notice the brand much more easily.
Green
Green revolves around harmony and balance for creative brands. It also promotes a more environmental-friendly feel because it is one of the most common colors in nature.
7. Starbucks
The reason that Starbucks chose dark green as it’s color is not rooted in color psychology. Rather, it is the school color of the three founder’s college, the University of San Francisco.
Nonetheless, Starbucks has become a coffee giant, and the natural, harmonious green has complimented their branding precisely.
8. Whole Foods
The whole foods branding and logo was made of the color green. With its focus on healthful, natural foods, the outdoorsy hue was the best option.
Moreover, green helps exude a level of class and sophistication, which may help it in its marketing approaches.
Start the Journey
Begin the color branding journey by starting with your roots and your mission, and align your color choices with those.
It may not be a perfect science, but color does provoke emotion in consumers, and it is important to take this into account within a business plan.
For more ways to maximize your income, check out one of our latest posts on five tips for designing your travel website.