Choosing colors for your brand is an important step in brand development. A strong visual impression builds a distinct and memorable brand identity. Color also shapes how consumers perceive and connect with your brand. The right choices evoke emotions, influence decisions, and strengthen brand recognition. In this blog post, we’ll explore the psychology of color and its impact on consumer behavior, offer strategies to help you choose colors that align with your brand’s values, and enhance your presence across all platforms.
THE POWER OF PERCEPTION
Colors are perceptions. Consider a juicy red apple: as you look at it, your eyes process the light waves reflecting off its surface. Your brain interprets this light as the color you see. However, someone with red-green color blindness would perceive the same apple as brownish, illustrating how nuanced color perception can be. For this reason, it is wise to consider the subtle distinctions that may affect how individuals interact with your brand.
Though colors are perceptions, they gain significance through various factors. When choosing colors for your brand, understand the cultural, social, and psychological meanings tied to your choices. The Pantone Color of the Year is a great example of how society creates narratives around color. Descriptions of the awarded hue often include human-like attributes, suggesting that it embodies specific emotions we experience. While these associations can be arbitrary, assigning traits like “resonating,” “galvanizing,” or “emboldening” can influence how colors make us feel.
COLOR AND OUR EMOTIONS
Color ignites emotions and shapes how we think. Understanding how color influences a customer’s experience is important to branding and marketing. For example, while I proudly declare pink as my favorite color, my shopping habits reveal a preference for green and blue, and I never buy anything red. Where do these attitudes and behaviors come from? Because colors lack inherent qualities, our preferences stem from the emotions colors can stir up. For example, the colors I gravitate to make me feel happy, tranquil, and confident. When selecting colors for your brand, choose those that align with the emotions most relevant to your target audience. Below is a list of colors and the feelings they commonly evoke:
COLORS HELP YOUR MESSAGE STICK
In addition to reflecting and shaping our inner emotions, colors convey messages to others. Use this knowledge to articulate your core values and influence the perception of your brand. This will create more meaningful interactions with your audience. A brand’s “stickiness” is determined by the degree to which its messaging resonates and is remembered by those who encounter it. Choosing the right colors can contribute to the many factors that can bolster brand recognition. By selecting colors that align with the feelings and core values you wish to project, you can amplify the perceived value of your products and services.
4 TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT BRAND COLORS:
- Review your business’s value statement (or create one if needed). Highlight the values that resonate most with your target audience, and select colors that best reflect your brand’s personality.
- Look for inspiration. Choose one primary color and look for color schemes that include that color. You can search the internet or find real-world palettes in art galleries, magazines, window displays, etc.
- Examine other brands currently in the lane you desire to be in. Decide whether you want to capitalize on their brand recognition or create contrast with your branding colors.
- Use a brand color generator. Canva and Adobe Express both have features on their platforms that can help you find the perfect color combination.
THE FLIP SIDE:
Color preferences vary, and people often assign arbitrary characteristics to colors. Additionally, different demographics interpret colors differently due to evolving societal norms and cultural influences. You won’t doom your brand by choosing colors based on instinct or by picking them randomly from a color wheel.
THE TAKEAWAY:
Research your target audience thoroughly and understand their values. Choose brand colors that resonate with them and help you connect with the customers you want to reach.
I’d love to see how your business has grown since applying the information you have found here. Feel free to share your journey on social media and tag @designfulmedia to inspire others. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and community—together, we can help more small businesses and entrepreneurs achieve their goals!
