The Meaning of Colors in Logo Branding: Color Psychology Marketing
Gazing out over the calm blue waters of your favorite lake…
Beholding the beauty of a brilliant sunset, bursting with color…
Looking deep into your loved one’s eyes…
Color is a foundational part of life. So much can be communicated with a simple color scheme. Emotions. Memories. Smells, sights, & sounds.
Imagine the last time you found yourself shocked by a really attractive website. What stood out to you? Was it their organization? Their formatting? Their theme? Their content?
Chances are, no matter the content, that color played a key part in your user experience.
So how do we create a similarly epic logo for your company? The answer may be more simple than you might think.
Making a Splash
So what do colors mean in marketing?
Color marketing is an essential part of reaching your customer base. With intentional marketing content, you can make your page come to life for your user.
Not to get too technical, but the science would agree – one study found that as much as 90% of snap judgments were made based on color alone. That’s a flex!
So you want to make an impact, and a color is a tool you can use. Next is knowing: What do you want to communicate?
Color marketing specifically identifies how perception and client behaviors align. In other words, it’s a great way to make your user get your vibe. Your brand is as unique as you: color marketing can help you add pizzazz to your already epic content.
Color Creativity
When designing your content, keep in mind that the sky’s the limit when it comes to color. Cultivate a color palette that gets your user all up in their feels, creating an even heartier call to action. From logos to website themes to content creation, color is your friend.
Here are some ways to use color to say exactly what you want your user to feel.
1) Blue, Hue, Hue
Trust. Dependability. Strength.
A calming color, blue communicates strength, professionalism, and all-around tranquility. Popular brands like these use blue to influence their user experience:
- Ford
- AT&T
- Oreo
- IBM
- Skype
- PayPal
The feeling of tranquility and calm is essential when doing important tasks like making bank transactions, working from home, and catching up with in-laws on social media. These brands strategically influence their users’ experience with an emotive calm by designing their logos with the color schemes in mind.
2) Yellow Submarine Vibes
Optimism. Clarity. Warmth.
Yellow is used as an overwhelmingly happy-inducing color. It communicates both optimism and a sense of content.
Despite its strong happy vibes, there is much versatility in how color is used in marketing. For example, consider the variety of the following logos and how their brand uses yellow to persuade their customers:
- McDonald’s
- Hertz Car Rental
- UPS
- Sprint
- SunChips
- National Geographic
- Subway
There are many ways to use yellow, depending on what you want to say to your audience. From putting smiles on faces to inciting nostalgia, to communicating positive anticipation, yellow is a party pro for happiness & contentment.
3) Orange You Glad
Friendly. Cheerful. Confident.
Just like in fashion, orange marketing makes a loud statement. It communicates, “I’m here and I’m not afraid to be seen!”
Orange is a popular color for kid branding. Consider these visual go-getter logos:
- Fanta
- Starz
- Nickelodeon
- Amazon
- Payless
- Harley Davidson Motors
- Shutterfly
- Tennessee University
Whether you’re looking to give your users some fun or want to be loud in the crowd, orange is a versatile color that can do both.
4) Pink
Sentimentality. Romance. TLC.
Pink can communicate a young and tender vibe to your audience. In some ways, pink conveys innocence and symbolizes youthfulness and play. These logos use pink in multiple ways:
- Mary Kay
- PINK
- Trolli
- Pepto Bismol
- Baskin Robbins
- Dunkin’ Donuts
- Lyft
- Barbie
- Victoria Secret
Darker pinks can suggest a more romantic vibe. Depending on the message you want to convey, pink may be a positive color choice for tenderhearted brands.
5) White Noise
Balance. Neutral. Calm.
The classic white theme has an ambiance of cultured professionalism about it. It communicates elegance without trying too hard, much like these popular logos:
- Apple
- Cartoon Network
- Mercedes
- Wikipedia
- Honda
- The New York Times
- Nike
- Puma
- The Yin and Yang symbol
Against the edginess and professionalism of black, white stands out as clean and pure. How these colors are used will likely determine their message.
6) Going Green
Peaceful. Growth. Health.
Particularly in the 2020s, the green movement makes headway as a pro-environment cheerleader. Moreover, it communicates cleanliness, health, and the beauty of nature. Use green to communicate this vibe to your clients, just like these enterprising brands:
- John Deere
- Whole Foods
- Tropicana
- Monster Energy
- Starbucks
- Girl Scouts
While energy drinks, girl scout cookies, and frozen frappes, are probably not the healthiest, these products are strategically branded with health in mind. Instead of showcasing sugar and caffeine, these brands encourage energy, excitement, and sustainability.
7) Purple Durple
Creative. Imaginative. Wise.
Historically, purple has been used to signify royalty, as only the finest in first class would rep their deep hues. Today, purple can be used to speak creativity and uniqueness to your brand. These companies also use purple branding in their logo:
- Hallmark
- Taco Bell
- Welch’s
- T-Mobile
- Aussie
- Yahoo!
- Big Brothers, Big Sisters
If you’re looking for a color scheme that helps you stand out as a knowledgeable source, purple may be your best choice.
8) Red-Head Vibes
Exciting. Youthful. Bold.
Get your users pumped about your brand with a solid red brand. In addition to gathering momentum with your users, you communicate a strong sense of excitement about your brand.
Red is often used as a hunger-inducing color, which is likely why many red-colored logos are related to the food industry. These companies use red to showcase their products in a “come check us out” sort of way:
- Coca-Cola
- Kellog’s
- Lego
- FritoLay
- Target
- Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
- Heinz
- Dairy Queen
- Wells Fargo
- Nabisco
- Nintendo
- Budweiser
- Lays
The importance of red can’t be overlooked, particularly if your brand is a food-related company. Consider building excitement around your logo – and possibly giving your users the rumbly tumbles.
Putting Color Into Action
Whether you’re developing a creative logo for your company or reimagining your website, color plays a major role. Draw in your client base using these unique color schemes to communicate emotions and memories to your audience.
While you may question which color scheme to use, the important thing to remember is that color alone is an essential aspect of any brand. By considering what color you’ll use to showcase the face of your company, you’ll also be answering important questions like:
- What do we stand for?
- How do we want to serve customers?
- What can our brand do for you?
- Is there a better way to communicate our mission values?
These simple questions can be communicated through the use of color. Engaging with your audience can be as easy as finding the right spot on the color wheel.
For more marketing tips, visit the JuiceBox to start getting creativity rolling!
