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What does your colour pallet say about you?...

by David Hellyer

What does your colour pallet say about you?...

Colour taps into primitive responses that have developed over millions of years of evolved instinct, as well as to associations we make via learned beliefs. Companies use these responses to punctuate their brand messages.

What different colours mean Big brands give great consideration to their colours, as every colour has meaning and associated implications for logo design. Generally, bright and bold colours grab attention but can appear brash. More muted tones can convey an image of sophistication but can potentially be overlooked. Individual colours do convey their own meanings within society:

Red implies energy, passion, aggression or danger - warmth and heat. Red has also been known to stimulate appetite, which explains why it is utilised in restaurant and food product logos. Red can help to make a brand feel more dynamic.

Red Logos

Orange is often seen as the colour of modern thinking and innovation. It also portrays connotations of fun, youth, affordability and approachability.

Orange Logos

Yellow requires some caution as it is used in various warning signs. Moreover, it is warm, sunny and friendly and is another colour that is also believed to stimulate appetite.

Yellow Logos

Green is widely used when a company looks to emphasise their natural and ethical credentials. This is especially true with organic products and vegetarian foods. Other meanings attributed to it include freshness and growth and thus lends itself to financial products too.

Green Logos

Blue is one of the most widely used colours in corporate branding. It signifies professionalism, sincerity, serious mindedness, integrity and calm. Blue is also associated with authority and is therefore popular with financial institutions and government parties / departments.

Blue Logos

Purple is a regal colour and denotes royalty and luxury. It has long been associated with the church and implies dignity and wisdom. Purple has, throughout history, been the colour of wealth and riches.

Purple Logos

Black implies sophistication and power, but can also denote death. More mundanely, most logos will need a black & white version for use in media channels in which colour is not available.

Black Logos

Brown has masculine overtones and is often utilised for products linked with rural life and the outdoors.

Brown Logos

Pink can be fun and flirty, but its feminine associations means it is often avoided for products not specifically targeted at women.

Pink Logos

Using multiple colours? Multiple colours are difficult to pull off in a brand, yet there are some very successful multi-coloured logos out there – think of Windows, Ebay and Google. These companies are normally consumer facing and provide a wide choice of services & products. The multiple colours used within the Olympic rings were created to signify a message of diversity and inclusivity.

Are you global? If you trade globally then you need to choose your brand colour with care, as there are key cultural differences in the way colours are interpreted overseas. In China for instance red is considered to be a lucky colour, whilst white is the colour of death and mourning in India.

These colour associations are not set in stone, but they are worth bearing in mind as you make your colour choice. Please also remember that the overall impression of your logo will depend not only on the colour choice but on how the colour interacts with the logo design – fonts, shapes and text usage.