Colour psychology and its influence on branding and marketing

Colours influence the human mind in more ways than we know. They have the power to evoke emotions as well as create an association. Imagine the calmness you feel looking at the blue skies, or serenity with green trees, or alertness with the red traffic light. Colours impact us more than our imagination.

In the same manner, colours play an important role within brands to emphasise the tone of their communication. These hues can make or break the marketing dialogue that you wish to establish with your target audience.

(Source - Chris Brejon)

Incorporating colour psychology to determine the right colours for your business thereby helps in branding and marketing.

Colours can change buyers' perceptions and convince them to buy or reject a particular brand. Selecting the right tones that align with your business goals is thus crucial.

Colour psychology and marketing

You need to know various details about colours and their influence on the human mind. Remember which colours are associated with what type of emotions and accordingly select shades and tones that induce the association you wish to establish.

Here are a few colours and the emotions associated with them:

• Red: Excitement, passion, anger, danger, activity, anxiety, power

• Orange: Mischievousness, friendliness, creativity, warmth, enthusiasm

• Yellow: Happiness, positivity, warning, joy, creativity, enthusiasm

• Green: Youth, exuberance, energy, nature, evolution, serenity

• Blue: Calm, stability, depth, tranquillity, trust

• Purple: Royalty, luxury, romance, introspection, calmness

(Source - Jolene Shome)

(Source - Very Well Mind)

Emotion for your brand

Before choosing the colours, you first need to focus on the emotion you wish to associate with your brand. One colour in many shades can lead to various moods within the perceiver. While a shade of purple can be royal and regal, a different shade might make it scary or gloomy. Experts from top advertising agencies use this knowledge to come up with the best designs and concepts for brands.

Consider the following:

• Is it playful or sincere?

• Is your service for fun or essential?

• How does your brand communicate?

Colours that differentiate your brand

With so many brands in the market selling similar products and services, it is not easy to stand out in the clutter. However, the right shade and colours can help you. Study the colours used by your competitors and consider how you can choose shades that will not only set you apart, but also help communicate your brand narrative effectively.

Brand colour palette

Don't restrict yourself to one or two colours of your logo. Create an entire colour palette based on those shades and use the entire range of hues to communicate your message effectively. Keep the culture and tone of the brand in mind and select shades to represent your business.

Study your audience and competitors before diving into colour psychology. Understand what you want to communicate and select colours that interpret your ideas. Raise questions to get clarity, connect with an expert and build the identity for your brand.