According to Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” If your business is important to you, then how your brand is expressed should be too. Your brand will need to communicate what your business does and the expectations clients should have when doing business with you. It needs to visually convey your mission and values. To do this successfully, you’ll need to make sure that you properly communicate your brand and make an impression!

Your brand colours are important as they give a subtle message. It’s the first thing (along with your logo and fonts) clients see on your website, social media, business cards, packaging, marketing collateral, etc. But how do you pick the right colours for your brand–and why does it matter?

According to Google, “Your website needs to look attractive and consistent across all pages to build immediate trust with new visitors. Focus on two areas: content style and ad style. For content style, choose a theme, layout, and colour scheme, then stick to it. Consistency is key to developing a brand that your readers will grow comfortable and familiar with.”

The importance of colour

Consistency is important and picking your brand colours shouldn’t be an afterthought. In fact, it should be a priority when creating your brand. Colours and colour schemes evoke emotion and will help people to form connections to your brand and business. Some basics of colour theory should be considered. In broader terms, colour theory is the methods of colour usage (mixing colours, replicating colour, contrasting colours, etc), colour perception, and message colours express. Colour theory can help guide your decision making. However, there is no standard for picking your colours. Certain colours mean certain things for different people and across genders and cultures. There’s no definitive right and wrong way of choosing. Ultimately, the decision lies with you. Here are some helpful suggestions for how to pick the right colours for your brand.

Define your brand

To define your brand you’ll need to answer the following questions honestly. Firstly, what is your business’s mission, message and target customer? Secondly, what emotion do you want to invoke in your consumers? Passion? Energy? Happiness? Encouraging an emotional connection via your brand is a good thing. It creates trust and forms an association in your clients’ minds. Once you’ve decided on your brand’s message and the emotions you want to inspire in your customers, it’s time to pick which colours best express those emotions.

Research colour

You’ll need to undertake a bit of research into the psychology of colour and what colours mean. Also consider that certain colours have different meanings and can vary across gender, countries and cultures. In addition, you’ll want to explore how colours are used in your particular industry or sector.

Here are a few colour-meaning examples to get you started:

Red can signify passion, boldness, excitement. Red is often used in the food and beverage industry. Think of Coca Cola’s classic and timeless red colour or McDonald’s use of red. 

White communicates simplicity, purity, and cleanliness. Consider the Apple brand. Their branding and packaging are simple and understated, but effective. We queue for hours for their latest technology!

Green can signify growth, health, nature, stability, peacefulness and eco-friendliness. Green can also be associated with money and wealth. It’s often used in the finance sector. However, it’s also used in the health food industry as it connotes a feeling of wholeness and wellness.

Blue can stand for trust, reliability, knowledge and security. Look to companies such as Facebook and Dell and their usage of the colour blue. These brands convey feelings of familiarity and dependability.

Yellow indicates happiness, exuberance, youthfulness and joy. It’s often used in products for children. Black can signify leadership, sophistication, modernity, glamour and luxury. Yet, it should be used sparingly as it can be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes, too much of a colour can be a bad thing.

Colours can also evoke an even stronger response when paired with other colours. Black and gold combine to create a luxurious effect that is often seen in high-end products. A combination of colours or a colour palette (sometimes referred to as a “colour story”) will help express your brand more effectively.

Pick your colour palette.

We recommend choosing 3 colours and base colour for your brand. You’ll need a colour wheel for reference to make the task easier. Here are some options for how to pick your colour palette:

Pick a monochromatic palette (one hue in different tones and shades) like Barclays and PayPal. Both companies only use different shades of blue in their logos.

Opt for an analogous palette. These are neighbouring colours on the colour wheel. They pair well together and make for a quick palette.

A complementary palette is made of colours that are opposites in terms of placements on the colour wheel. This is a bold choice, but if your brand is bold, then it’s the right choice!

Once you’ve picked your palette you can go ahead with creating your logo. The fonts you choose for your brand are also important. And remember, consistency is key! You want to create a strong and cohesive brand. The right colours will make your brand recognisable and help you stand out amongst the competition.

Get feedback

Honest feedback, preferably from an experienced marketing professional or graphic designer, will be helpful in confirming your choice. We also recommend asking your target audience or customer. They’ll be able to tell you if your colours pair well and are creating the emotional response you’re seeking.

At Zool, we have years of experience in helping businesses create their brand from scratch. We’ll be able to guide you through the process of picking the right colours for your brand so that it’s properly expressed. Drop us a line! Email us at [email protected].

How to Pick the Right Colours for Your Brand

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According to Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” If your business is important to you, then how your brand is expressed should be too. Your brand will need to communicate what your business does and the expectations clients should have when doing business with you. It needs to visually convey your mission and values. To do this successfully, you’ll need to make sure that you properly communicate your brand and make an impression!

Your brand colours are important as they give a subtle message. It’s the first thing (along with your logo and fonts) clients see on your website, social media, business cards, packaging, marketing collateral, etc. But how do you pick the right colours for your brand–and why does it matter?

According to Google, “Your website needs to look attractive and consistent across all pages to build immediate trust with new visitors. Focus on two areas: content style and ad style. For content style, choose a theme, layout, and colour scheme, then stick to it. Consistency is key to developing a brand that your readers will grow comfortable and familiar with.”

The importance of colour

Consistency is important and picking your brand colours shouldn’t be an afterthought. In fact, it should be a priority when creating your brand. Colours and colour schemes evoke emotion and will help people to form connections to your brand and business. Some basics of colour theory should be considered. In broader terms, colour theory is the methods of colour usage (mixing colours, replicating colour, contrasting colours, etc), colour perception, and message colours express. Colour theory can help guide your decision making. However, there is no standard for picking your colours. Certain colours mean certain things for different people and across genders and cultures. There’s no definitive right and wrong way of choosing. Ultimately, the decision lies with you. Here are some helpful suggestions for how to pick the right colours for your brand.

Define your brand

To define your brand you’ll need to answer the following questions honestly. Firstly, what is your business’s mission, message and target customer? Secondly, what emotion do you want to invoke in your consumers? Passion? Energy? Happiness? Encouraging an emotional connection via your brand is a good thing. It creates trust and forms an association in your clients’ minds. Once you’ve decided on your brand’s message and the emotions you want to inspire in your customers, it’s time to pick which colours best express those emotions.

Research colour

You’ll need to undertake a bit of research into the psychology of colour and what colours mean. Also consider that certain colours have different meanings and can vary across gender, countries and cultures. In addition, you’ll want to explore how colours are used in your particular industry or sector.

Here are a few colour-meaning examples to get you started:

Red can signify passion, boldness, excitement. Red is often used in the food and beverage industry. Think of Coca Cola’s classic and timeless red colour or McDonald’s use of red. 

White communicates simplicity, purity, and cleanliness. Consider the Apple brand. Their branding and packaging are simple and understated, but effective. We queue for hours for their latest technology!

Green can signify growth, health, nature, stability, peacefulness and eco-friendliness. Green can also be associated with money and wealth. It’s often used in the finance sector. However, it’s also used in the health food industry as it connotes a feeling of wholeness and wellness.

Blue can stand for trust, reliability, knowledge and security. Look to companies such as Facebook and Dell and their usage of the colour blue. These brands convey feelings of familiarity and dependability.

Yellow indicates happiness, exuberance, youthfulness and joy. It’s often used in products for children. Black can signify leadership, sophistication, modernity, glamour and luxury. Yet, it should be used sparingly as it can be a bit overwhelming. Sometimes, too much of a colour can be a bad thing.

Colours can also evoke an even stronger response when paired with other colours. Black and gold combine to create a luxurious effect that is often seen in high-end products. A combination of colours or a colour palette (sometimes referred to as a “colour story”) will help express your brand more effectively.

Pick your colour palette.

We recommend choosing 3 colours and base colour for your brand. You’ll need a colour wheel for reference to make the task easier. Here are some options for how to pick your colour palette:

Pick a monochromatic palette (one hue in different tones and shades) like Barclays and PayPal. Both companies only use different shades of blue in their logos.

Opt for an analogous palette. These are neighbouring colours on the colour wheel. They pair well together and make for a quick palette.

A complementary palette is made of colours that are opposites in terms of placements on the colour wheel. This is a bold choice, but if your brand is bold, then it’s the right choice!

Once you’ve picked your palette you can go ahead with creating your logo. The fonts you choose for your brand are also important. And remember, consistency is key! You want to create a strong and cohesive brand. The right colours will make your brand recognisable and help you stand out amongst the competition.

Get feedback

Honest feedback, preferably from an experienced marketing professional or graphic designer, will be helpful in confirming your choice. We also recommend asking your target audience or customer. They’ll be able to tell you if your colours pair well and are creating the emotional response you’re seeking.

At Zool, we have years of experience in helping businesses create their brand from scratch. We’ll be able to guide you through the process of picking the right colours for your brand so that it’s properly expressed. Drop us a line! Email us at [email protected].