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Color is such an essential part of every aspect of our lives. It has the power to energize, calm, soothe or excite. Choosing the right colors for your brand can be fundamental in attracting your target audience & standing out from the crowd. It's what makes many brands recognizable. When you think about McDonald's, what colors do you see? H&R Block, Google, Apple? McDonald's didn't choose yellow & red because they loved those colors, they chose those colors because of the psychology behind color. Red gets your heart rate going & heightens your appetite. Yellow is fun, young & associated with joy & happiness. What colors will you choose for your brand?
Here are a few tips to help you choose the right colors for your brand:
1. Don't just choose a color because you like it
Yes, purple may be your favorite color, but who's your target audience? What does your business do? How do you want your audience to feel? These are some things that should come into play when deciding what colors to choose. Here's a fun fact: Most consumers make a judgment about a brand within 90 seconds of first seeing it, & 62-90% of people base that judgment on color alone.
2. Choose colors that resonate with you & your brand
Although you don't want to just pick a color because you like it, you also want to be attracted to your own brand, so don't pick colors that don't resonate with you. You have to find the right balance between what feels right to you & what aligns with your target audience.
3. Keep in mind cultural differences & memorability
Again, this goes back to knowing your audience. In some cultures, a color may mean one thing, but it can mean something completely different in another culture. One example of this is the color green. In western cultures, green can represent prosperity, environment, or longevity. In other cultures, green can mean infidelity or even death.
4. Understand the psychology of color & how it relates to your brand
Color psychology is the study of how certain colors impact human behavior. One example of this is the color Blue. It's one of the most popular colors, and there's a good reason for that. Blue can give us a feeling of calm, trust, security & tranquility. It's familiar, it's the color of the sky & the ocean. It, like pretty much every other color, can also have some negative connotations. It can come across as cold or unfriendly, & it's not very appetizing (unless it's a cold icy drink or snow cone 😜). You'll see blue used a lot in healthcare, insurance & finance.
5. Use color strategically to stand out
Is everyone in your industry using a certain color palette? Why not be different & choose colors that will set you apart & make you a trailblazer? As a brand designer, I can help you define your target audience & navigate the world of color, choosing the right colors that make you feel represented & distinctive from others in your industry.
I hope you found this helpful in choosing the colors for your brand! Need more help understanding color & how it relates to your business? Grab my free color psychology guide.