Colors make your brand. The significance of the psychology of color in your brand and matching marketing is still one of the most widely described topics. Colors also represent how we recognize danger (red) and rely on safety and approval (green). We associate blue with authority and authority (blue on the street), and red with hunger, lust and love (red heart).Color also matters when it comes to shaping your brand. Consciously, but especially unconsciously, your customers link the colors of your brand to certain emotions. And that can work both positively and negatively. You can read all about color in this blog.
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Color is personal
Colors play a major role in how we feel about something. These color associations are shaped by culture, fashion, experience, personal preference and color perception, among other things. Human memory is susceptible to visual stimuli, and color is one of them. Although there is no scientific evidence for the effect of colors, properties and effects are widely attributed to them. The meaning and effect of color is very personal. But there are also similarities in color perception.
RED
active | energetic | leadership | ambitious | decisive | passion
ORANGE
warm | optimistic | spontaneous | social | creative
YELLOW
innovative | mentally strong | agile | cheerful
GREEN
balance | growth | healthy | abundance | safe | stable
PINK
caring | sensitive | nurturing | unconditional
BLUE
communication | businesslike | giving space | trustworthy
VIOLET
inspiration | self-reflection | depth | unconventional | fantasy
WHITE
pure | bright | fresh | honest | neutral
BROWN
basic | safe | trusted | reliable
BLACK
self-contained | distant | contrasty | chic
Color as an economic asset
There are brands that choose a random color for corporate identity. On the other hand, there are also brands that place very high value on a color, even patenting it. Perfume and jewelry brand Tiffany & Co is one such brand. The company uses a particular type of blue in the packaging of their products. 'Blue 1837' is the baptismal name of the color, referring to the year the company was founded, but the color is popularly known as 'Tiffany Blue'.
Another well-known case is Vantablack; the blackest black. The English company Surrey NanoSystems developed the color as an experiment, which resulted in a striking feature: the material absorbs 99.96% of all light. Artist Anish Kapoor bought the full rights to the unusual material, sparking a riot in the art world. Fellow artist Stuart Semple issued a statement that Kapoor should never, ever use his own developed color pink again. Anyone who now wants to buy a color from Stuart Semple must contract to never resell the color to artist Anish Kapoor.
Color as an influence on human thought
The colors of many brands are ingrained in our thinking. A little test, what color belongs to the following brands: McDonalds, Albert Heijn and Spotify. If you answered "yellow, blue and green" consecutively, you're absolutely right. By being consistent in use of color, both internally and externally, your company creates recognition with your customers.
Let's take McDonalds as an example. The "Golden Arches" or golden M shape of McDonalds almost immediately evokes an association with the red-and-yellow container in which the fries have been served for years. Almost unconsciously, the brain triggers the smell of the hot and salty fries, which in turn triggers a trip to the widely known fast food chain. In this, color is not the main thing, but an important part in a marketer's toolkit. It correlates strongly with other design elements such as typography, photography and iconography.
Recognizing color and linking meaning to it is encoded in human thought because it plays a major role in everyday life. It indicates danger (the color of rotting flesh) or safety (the flags colors of one's tribe). Today, the recognition of color is mainly based on culturally determined factors. For example, the color blue has a masculine association in the United States, while in China it is seen as a feminine color.
Color as a convention for different industries
It is interesting to see what patterns occur in different industries when looking at the use of color. For example, you see that if enough companies in a certain industry use a certain color, it automatically becomes the standard in that industry.
Go figure: in the pharmaceutical industry -including hospitals- are often designed in a blue color. A color therefore associated with values such as "care," "honesty" and "sincerity," as well as "trust" and "strength. This is why we often see blue in companies that are seen as established or leading.
Take Unilever, Ford and American Express, for example, which all try to convey the same values associated with the color blue.
Color associations can also provide subliminal messages; the meaning is formed by the subconscious mind. When we buy vegetables, we like (subconsciously, that is) the use of green labels, which is linked to fresh, natural produce. Research shows that broccoli in brown or purple packaging is less likely to be sold. The same goes for meat, which in green packaging is unconsciously linked to vast fields and farms.
Color as a tastemaker to a corporate identity
So if we take into account that color can influence a consumer both consciously and subconsciously, it can be very useful to take this knowledge into account when developing a logo and matching corporate identity. Before it is clear which colors should carry a corporate identity, an identity must first be formed.
Does your brand have an emphatically upbeat vibe? Then yellow might be a good fit, the color of IKEA, Snapchat, Technogym and, of course, McDonalds.
By creating a persona (physical elaboration of brand values) and completing several models on brand identity, you can stick some concrete terms to your brand. For example, words such as "outspoken, premium, feminine, cheerful or mischievous" can be linked to your brand.
Want to learn more about what elements matter in a brand identity? Then check out this blog.
Therefore, if the brand idea and identity are clearly defined, a creative agency can develop a corporate identity to match. Take for example the value "outspoken," an aspect often associated with the color red. Take Marlboro or Coca Cola as an example. Does your brand have an emphatically cheerful image? Then yellow might be a good fit, the color of IKEA, Snapchat, Technogym and, of course, McDonalds.
Looking for a more retained, more luxurious look? Then the color black fits well. Look to brands like Nike, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Mercedes.
Take a look among Fitbrand's projects and see if you can discover how color and brand values play an important role. We would also like to give you tips for useful tools to get even more out of your use of color. If you need some color in your brand, you can always contact us. We'd love to hear from you!
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