What comes to mind when I mention the colors yellow and red? Do you think about the famous McDonald’s logo? Or, maybe you imagine the Shell gasoline, Burger King, or Lay’s Potato chip logos.
Whatever logo you choose, it’s because yellow and red are a powerful color combo. They’re bold, complimentary, and memorable- which is what you want YOUR colors to be.
It’s called the Psychology of Color, and it’s a study of different colors and how they affect us. It’s a newer study, but we humans have always been interested in the colors of this world.
So how does that apply to marketing?
In marketing, we use colors to send different, subtle messages to our intended audience. If we use red, we convey passion, love, and excitement. Yellow gives joy, hope, and danger, while blue offers calm and serenity.
The options are essentially limitless as long as you’re mindful about the message you want to send. However, as powerful as the right color combinations are, the wrong colors can put off that audience if they think it’s inappropriate for the brand, so choose wisely!
The Colors and their Meanings
Red: Passion, Excitement, Love, Energy, Power, Lust. Red also raises blood pressure, increases respiration and metabolism, and is one of the most attention-catching colors on the wheel.
Green: Growth, Harmony, Nature, Freshness, Fertility, Tranquility. Green also slows metabolism, calms the mind, and boosts happiness.
Yellow: Joy, Happiness, Energy, Sunshine, Intellect, Honor, Loyalty. Yellow also stimulates mental activity, promotes cheerfulness, and produces warmth.
Blue: Peace, Flexibility, Enthusiasm, Spiritualism, Communication, Sympathy, Imagination. Blue also generates ideas, boosts integrity, and feels personal.
Brown: Seriousness, Stability, Wisdom, Dependability, Respect, Maturity, Predictability. Brown also evokes nature and makes people feel secure, but it can be perceived as dull.
Orange: Energy, Happiness, Fascination, Creativity, Determination, Success, Attraction, Encouragement. Orange also evokes the tropics and can feel rejuvenating.
Pink: Tenderness, Romantic Love, Youth, Innocence, Hope, Optimism, Sweetness, Childhood. Pink also feels nurturing and is a non-threatening color, but can feel silly.
Purple: Power, Nobility, Luxury, Ambition, Wealth, Dignity, Mystery, Magic. Purple also feels relaxing and stable.
Black: Power, Elegance, Formality, Strength, Mystery, Authority, Versatility. Black also has some negative connotations, such as grief, death, and fear of the unknown.
White: Innocence, Purity, Goodness, Perfection, Faith, Cleanliness. White also symbolizes new beginnings and a fresh start.
A Rainbow of Possibilities!
As you can see, the colors we choose for our brand are as important as our name. Each one represents something, and figuring out which color will have the most impact can be a hassle.
To figure it out, ask yourself these questions:
- What message do I want my brand to send?
- Will it resonate with my intended audience?
- Do my colors clash in a jarring or unwelcoming way?
- Do I like these colors? (It’s your brand, after all! You need to like the colors as much as your audience does.)
Once you have those answers, you’ll have the perfect colors for your brand!
If you’d like to learn more about the psychology of color, check out Color Psychology and Very Well Mind.
Do you have a favorite color to use in your branding? Let us know in the comments!
Erynn Crittenden 