Think about your company’s logo. How did you decide on the color scheme? Is it based on your favorite colors? Did you choose them by random? If you answered yes to these last two questions it’s time to rethink your logo.
Why?
Color can drastically affect a buyer’s decision and perception of a company. That’s why it’s crucial to choose colors wisely if you’re thinking about a company design or rebranding. Behind each well thought out logo there’s an indepth look at color, psychology, and psychographics. At Portside Marketing, we can guide you to the colors and designs that will grow your business. Let’s first take a look at just how important color is when it comes to your design.
The Importance of Color in Logos and Branding
Color is important because it is proven to be behind the majority of customers’ decision. Research shows that nearly 93 percent of people rely on visuals when they’re deciding whether or not to buy a product. That same study indicated that nearly 85 percent believe color accounts for more than half of the various factors when choosing a product. You can see how choosing the wrong color can severely put you in the red.
If a potential customer is either searching your business online or spotting your store outside, your logo is one of the first things they will see. Do they like the logo? How does it make them feel? Their reaction will help determine whether they want to get more information about your business or move on to the next one.
So, what colors should you consider? It all depends on what you’re trying to achieve.
Color Characteristics & Psychographics
Each color can be traced back to a certain feeling and reaction. Think about some popular logos out there and how they relate to these color characteristics:
Warm Colors
Red. Think about sale and clearance signs. What color are they? They’re red because red is known to increase your heart rate and get you excited. If you see a red sign directing you to a sale or clearance rack, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll buy something. Red is used in many retail logos such as Target, H&M, and Kmart. Red is also used in restaurants because it sparks appetite. McDonald’s, Frito Lay, and Heinz all have red in their logos.
Yellow. Yellow is a warm color. It is the color of the sun after all. It typically brings on feelings of happiness. Yellow also gets the mind thinking and encourages communication. Some popular logos that use the color yellow are National Geographic and Sprint. You can see how the niche of these companies fits into the yellow color characteristics.
Orange. Orange is often an aggressive color that also reflects excitement. This excitement promotes a call to action for the consumer to do something…like buy your product or support your business! Amazon, Discover, and Hooters all use the color orange in their branding.
Cool Colors
Blue. Research shows the world’s top 100 companies use some type of blue in their branding and logo. Why? Blue is associated with water and peace and all of the calming effects that come along with both. It creates a sense of security and trust. Some popular blue-based logos include Facebook, Skype, and American Express.
Green. Green is the color of money so it should come as no surprise that it is associated with wealth and good fortune. It is also the color that comes to mind when you think about nature. Trees are green after all. Bp, Land Rover, and Whole Foods all use green in their marketing.
Purple. Many royal robes are purple so many people associate purple with royalty. In marketing, purple is often used with beauty or anti-aging products as well. What woman doesn’t want to feel like a queen? Popular purple based logos include Crown Royal.
When you think about how these colors are associated with certain feelings and attributes you get a clearer picture about how they relate to marketing and why they’re so important.
Besides branding and logos, color choice is also carefully considered in company uniforms. For example, many companies also use blue as the color of their uniforms because of the feelings of security it brings. If someone gets a vibe of security and safety, that promotes a positive image and will attract customers to your business.
When you know the certain feelings colors are associated with, it makes a lot of sense as to why many company uniforms are not made in orange since it can bring about feelings of aggression.
Factors to Consider
Choosing a color for your brand or logo goes beyond trying to ignite a feeling. While this is certainly important, you also need to consider other factors like your demographic when selecting colors. Who is your target audience? Who do you want to attract? These are important piece of the puzzle that the experts at Portside Marketing can help you sort out. Ignoring this part can have a negative effect on your company since some demographics may not react favorably to certain color schemes.
With color, many times less is more. Typically one or two colors are all companies use in their logos. While you want to draw attention with color, you don’t want to distract the customer with a logo that’s too busy. Keeping it simple is key when using color.
You also want to take the competition into consideration. You don’t want to blend in with the crowd. The goal is to create a logo that people will remember as yours. Think about Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks. You know they both serve coffee but their logos couldn’t be any different. The colors and design are unique to each brand. Each of those logos works for its products and intended customer base.
When it comes to color, marketing and branding, there is much more that goes into it then simply choosing your favorite color and hoping that it works.