Speak the Language of Colour: A Basic Colour Emotion Guide for Branding Success
Colour is significantly underrated. Studies show that colour improves brand recognition by 80% and is effective in communicating a distinctive, subconscious message. Though we can evoke emotions in response to music, poetry and other art forms, our perception of colour is just as powerful. That is why choosing colours wisely in branding is important in shaping a brand’s personality and appealing to its target audience.
In this article, we discover the basic colour emotion guide and how to apply it in choosing fitting colours for your brand.
Basic Colour Emotion Guide: An Overview
A basic colour emotion guide can offer marketers and designers insight into the psychological effects of different colours on human emotions and behaviour. It is commonly used in branding and marketing to encourage particular perceptions and emotions in customers about a brand to influence purchasing decisions.
Colours can be categorised into primary and secondary colours and each colour has a unique set of emotions associated with it. The emotions associated with primary colours involve:
- Red: Passion, love, energy, and excitement
- Blue: Calmness, trust, security, and professionalism
- Yellow: Happiness, optimism, and warmth
- Green: Nature, freshness, growth, creativity, and relaxation
- Purple: Luxury, sophistication, and creativity
- Orange: Fun, playfulness, and vibrancy
- Black: Elegance, power, and authority
- White: Purity, clarity, and simplicity
Secondary colours, such as pink, brown and grey, also evoke distinct emotions. Pink relates to femininity and romance, brown is warm, earthy, and stable and grey exudes neutrality and sophistication.
Connecting With Your Customers Through Colours
Now that you know how meaningful colour can be in your business’s branding, you can select the colours that resonate with your brand’s message. It’s worth considering your target audience’s demographics, values and preferences when making your choice.
A young and energetic audience may appeal to red, yellow, and orange which all evoke feelings of excitement and vibrancy. A mature and professional audience would relate better to blue, black, and grey which establishes feelings of trust, professionalism, and authority.
You can also wield colours wisely to distinguish your brand from your competitors. If, for example, they use grey and blue tones in their brand design, choose a vibrant colour, such as red or orange, to stand out from the crowd by appealing to a different set of emotions and, ultimately, being more memorable to your audience.
Keep in mind that colours should be used sparingly. If too many colours are used in your branding, it can become overwhelming or confusing for your customers, which can overshadow your brand’s message and appeal. Also, remember that a colour’s vibrancy, as in how light or dark it is, can convey different emotions. Generally, bright colours are livelier and more dynamic while darker colours are more relaxing.
Brands that Communicate Effectively in Colour
Some brands are nearly synonymous with their brand colours. We can hardly think about the brand or product without envisioning the colour along with it.
Coca Cola
Coca Cola uses red almost exclusively in its branding. This sparks feelings of passion, energy and excitement. The link between the colour and the brand is well-established and instantly recognisable worldwide.
Apple
The brand’s philosophy of minimalism and innovation is clearly communicated in its colours of choice –white and silver. These colours add a sense of simplicity, elegance, and sophistication to the brand.
McDonald’s
Yellow and red highlight feelings of happiness, optimism, and vibrancy. These colours are used in the brand’s logo, packaging, and advertising to make it memorable and recognisable.
Visa
Like some banks and other financial establishments, Visa’s use of blue in its branding promotes a message of professionalism, trust and security. These emotions instil a feeling of dependability in the brand’s customers.
Lego
Similar to McDonald’s, Lego’s signature red and yellow logo communicates to a younger audience as it promotes feelings of joy, lightness and fun appealing to the playful nature of its target customers.
Speak the Language of Colour
Colours are instrumental in developing an appealing and memorable brand, as customers appeal to them in particular ways which inform their purchasing decisions. This basic colour emotion guide can assist you in aligning your brand’s visuals to its philosophy to inspire your target audience to take action.
At iLEAD et al, we are keen to see your brand succeed. Whether you are building a new brand or re-envisioning your current brand, get in touch with us to learn more about the interesting psychology behind colour and how to make it work for you.
