Brand colours are important for your business as they can influence how people perceive it. People do make snap decisions about products based on the colour alone, as colour can help influence mood and image.
If it’s your own company and your brand is being created, think about the colour. Sometimes it’s not always best to use your favourite colour. You need to decide if it’s right for your business.
When I’m creating a logo and brand, part of my research will involve looking into what the business does and who the target market is. For instance, if a logo was required for a school or nursery, I wouldn’t use black or red, as this is too harsh for the audience it would be aimed at. I would use bright, fun colours. On the other hand, colours that suit large, corporate companies tend to be blues, greys, and greens to create a professional, sophisticated look.
I like to create a logo in a couple of different colours for our clients so they can compare. They may have a certain colour in mind, but when they see it in different colours, they sometimes change their mind.
The colour can change the look of a logo quite dramatically. Do you think major brands would work if their logos were a different colour? Would they be as memorable?
When it comes to choosing a colour scheme, I usually start with a base colour and then find a complementary colour by referring back to the colour wheel.
Below are some combinations that work well:
Complementary
Use two opposite colours
Monochromatic
Use three different values of the same colour
Analogous
Use three adjacent colours
Triadic
Use three evenly spaced colours
Take a look at the list below to see some meanings of colours and how they can influence people’s perceptions of your business:
Red: passion, excitement
Blue: trust, dependable
Green: peaceful, natural
Purple: wise, mysterious
Yellow: warmth, clarity
Pink: feminine, friendly
Grey: calm, neutral
Black: bold, sophisticated
White: simplicity, minimalism
Of course, colour is just one part of the logo, the font and message are just as important.
