When you’re in the process of building your brand, choosing the right color (or colors) to represent what your brand has to say is extremely important. The color you choose may end up on a logo, website, storefront and even uniforms depending on the business. Understanding color theory can be an incredibly helpful tool in determining which colors to choose to properly represent your brand. Color evokes an emotional response in people and can go a long way in gaining and keeping customers.
The first step in figuring out what colors will suit your brand is determining your brand’s personality. Think about your brand’s values and goals. Here are a few key attributes to consider to determine your brand’s personality:
- Playful vs Serious
- Modern vs Classic
- Loud vs Subdued
- Luxurious vs Affordable
- Youthful vs Mature
Once you’ve figured out your brand’s personality you can choose the colors that best suit the values you want to represent. Hospitals and banks often have blue prevalent in their branding to represent professionalism, reliability and trust. High end fashion designers commonly choose black to exhibit a luxurious and sophisticated image. Here are a few words to describe what these colors portray to a customer:
- Red: passion, love, anger
- Orange: energy, kindness, vitality
- Yellow: happiness, positivity, vibrancy
- Green: stability, abundance, nature
- Light blue: serenity, assurance
- Dark blue: professional, secure, trustworthy
- Purple: luxury, creativity
- Pink: femininity, can be youthful or mature
- Brown: dependable, rugged, nature
- White: purity, health, integrity, cleanliness
- Gray: classic, muted, serious
- Black: edgy, lavish, commanding, refined
Once you’ve decided upon which colors best suit your brand the next thing to think about is choosing a color scheme. Generally when choosing a color scheme you want to aim to have a base, accent and background color. The base color should say the most about what your brand embodies and feature its most important values. When choosing a color scheme for your brand there are a general four to choose from:
Monochromatic
A monochromatic color scheme will have multiple colors in varying shades all from the same color family. This could be the right choice for your brand if you have one core value you want to especially highlight. A roadblock you may run into with a monochromatic color scheme is making your design pop and not blur together
Complementary
A complementary color scheme is two colors on the opposite end of the color wheel, such as blue and orange. Complementary color schemes are attention grabbing and energetic. Complementary color schemes are a popular choice among brands so if you choose one make sure your design is fresh and new.
Triadic
A triadic color scheme will form a triangle on the color wheel. An example of a triadic color scheme are the primary colors red, blue and yellow. A triadic color scheme offer a nice balance in contrast while providing a more lively experience than the complementary color scheme may be able to. One thing to be aware of when using a triadic color scheme is making sure all the colors accurately represent your brand’s image.
Analogous
Analogous color schemes are a collection of colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, like yellow, orange and red. Analogous color schemes create a balanced and peaceful effect. Analogous color schemes are a common choice among brands so make sure you find a way to stand out.
A firm understanding of color theory can be an incredibly useful tool in designing a powerful, recognizable brand. If you’re searching for the perfect brand design firm to work with, you’ve come to the right place. Contact us today to learn how we can help your emerging brand succeed!
