When it comes to branding, the power of colour is both emotional and practical. On an emotional level, it can affect how consumers feel when they look at a brand, while on a practical level it can help a brand stand out in the crowd.
A number of studies on the relationship between colour and branding reveal that up to 90% of snap judgments made about products can be based on colour alone, that colours influence how consumers view the ‘personality’ of the brand in question, and that the relationship between brands and colour hinges on the perceived appropriateness of the colour being the right ‘fit’ for the particular brand.
When you learn the psychology behind colour, your branding colours can speak and attract your most valuable clients. People are visual beings and colour evokes emotion, reinforcing your brand characteristics.
For your business branding, you can use colour to gain your audience’s attention, put them in a specific frame of mind, and positively impact their emotions.
RED
Red – For Danger, Passion, Excitement & Energy
Red is the colour of fire, danger, and blood on one hand; and love, sexuality and passion on the other. It is a bold, energetic and lively colour that can symbolize strength, confidence and power.
Red is probably still one of the best marketing colours you can use to attract more attention. It’s associated with passion and excitement as well as with creating a sense of urgency.
Meaning:
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Power
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Passion
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Energy
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Fearlessness
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Strength
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Excitement
ORANGE
Orange – Fresh, Youthful, Creative & Adventurous
Blending the warmth of red and the optimism of yellow, orange communicates activity and energy.
Meaning:
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Courage
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Confidence
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Warmth
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Innovation
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Friendliness
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Energy
YELLOW
Yellow – Optimistic, Cheerful, Playful & Happy
Yellow communicates cheerfulness, friendliness, joy and energy, it can also be associated with mental clarity and intellect. Yellow is the colour we notice fastest, especially in our peripheral vision, which explains why it is used for tennis balls, police tape, security vests, road signs, and school buses. It is also a colour often used by many companies to signify optimism, enlightenment, and happiness.
Meaning:
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Optimism
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Warmth
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Happiness
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Creativity
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Intellect
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Extraversion
GREEN
Green – Natural, Vitality, Prestige & Wealth
Green has two very common meanings that are quite paradoxical; one being nature and the environment, and the other being finance and wealth. When it comes to nature, green represents plant life and growth and is consequently used to convey being ‘green’ in the environmental, sustainable, organic, natural sense of the word. It is also associated with wealth and stability.
Meaning:
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Health
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Hope
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Freshness
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Nature
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Growth
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Prosperity
BLUE
Blue – Communicative, Trustworthy, Calming & Depressed
Blue is a favourite colour for companies that wish to convey reliability, trustworthiness and communication and for expressing the authority and officialdom of organizations. It is also appreciated for it’s calming and harmonious qualities being associated with the sea and sky.
Meaning:
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Trust
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Loyalty
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Dependability
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Logic
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Serenity
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Security
PURPLE
Purple – Royalty, Majesty, Spiritual & Mysterious
Purple is traditionally associated with royalty, majesty or nobility as well as having a spiritual or mysterious quality. Darker shades often represent luxury or opulence while lighter lavender shades are quite feminine, sentimental and even nostalgic.
Meaning:
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Wisdom
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Luxury
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Wealth
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Spirituality
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Imaginative
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Sophistication
PINK
Pink – Feminine, Sentimental, Romantic & Exciting
Pink has long been associated with females and is often viewed as being ‘girly.’ Pale pink represents sweetness while dusty pink can be more sentimental and light pink more romantic.
BROWN
Brown – Organic, Wholesome, Simple & Honest
Brown represents a feeling of wholesomeness, orderliness, and being grounded. It is simple, strong, durable and honest.
Meaning:
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Seriousness
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Warmth
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Earthiness
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Reliability
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Support
- Authenticity
BLACK
Black – Sophisticated, Formal, Luxurious & Sorrowful
Black represents power, luxury, sophistication and exclusivity on one hand; and death, evil and mystery on the other. From formality to mourning to power, black is bold, classic and not to be fooled with.
Meaning:
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Sophistication
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Security
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Power
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Elegance
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Authority
- Substance
WHITE
White – Purity, Simplicity, Innocence & Minimalism
Meaning:
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Cleanness
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Clarity
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Purity
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Simplicity
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Sophistication
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Freshness
The meaning of Colours in Different Cultures
It’s important to understand that the meaning of colour differs from one culture to another. While one colour may have a positive connotation in one culture, that same colour may have a negative connotation in another. It’s something you need to be aware of, and to be very careful of, if you have a global brand.
RED
Asia
Good luck/ bride/ long life (China), purity, fertility, power (India), earth (aboriginal), life (Japan), sacrifice (Hebrew)
Europe
Communism (Russia), danger, love, Christmas
Africa
Mourning (South Africa), chiefs (Nigeria)
Americas
Success triumph (Cherokee)
ORANGE
Asia
Sacred (Hindu), happiness
Europe
Religion (Ireland), Halloween
Americas
Halloween
YELLOW
Asia
Nourishing, royalty (China), courage (Japan), wisdom (Buddhism), sacred (yellow), mourning (Burma)
Europe
Cowardice, hope, hazards (with black), Royals (Netherlands)
Africa
Mourning (Egypt), prosperity (Middle East), highest ranked people (Africa)
GREEN
Asia
Adultery (China), hope (India), new life, fertility (China/Far East), eternal life (Japan)
Europe
Irish, spring, Christmas, good luck, jealousy
Africa
Corruption, drug culture (North Africa), hope (Egypt), strength/fertility (Middle East), prestige (Saudi Arabia)
Americas
Death (South Am), money (USA)
BLUE
Asia
Mourning (Iran, Korea), immortality (China), Krishna, sport (India)
Europe
Depression, right wing (UK), tradition, authority, calm, Christ, Virgin Mary
Africa
Protection (Meast), mourning/ spirituality (Iran)
Americas
Trouble (Cherokee), mourning (Mexico), liberalism (USA)
PURPLE
Asia
Mourning, misfortune (Thaailand, Korea, China), wealth (Japan), sorrow (India)
Europe
Royalty, mourning
Africa
Mourning (Middle East)
Americas
Mourning (Brazil)
WHITE
Asia
Death (China, Japan), funerals, unhappiness (India)
Europe
Weddings, angels, doctors, peace
BLACK
Asia
Wealth, health (Far East), evil/ ward off evil (India), bad luck (Thailand)
Europe
Death (Japan), funerals
Africa
Funerals, death, evil (Middle East), wisdom (Africa)
BROWN
Asia
The land (Aboriginals), mourning (India)
Europe
Dependable, wholesome
Americas
Disapproval (Nicaragua)
Choosing the right colour for your branding is incredibly important for creating an effective brand and you need to make sure that you keep that in mind at all times – especially if you plan on expanding your business globally.
