The Psychology of Color: Following Guides or Going With Your Gut?

Color. We all have a favorite one, and probably, a least favorite one too. From boxes of Crayola crayons to apparel and interior design, color plays a big part in our lives. So what do your colors say about your business?

Well, it depends on who you ask. Colors do tend to evoke emotions in people, but they may vary based on individual backgrounds, situations, and so on. For example, you may think that orange would be a wonderful color for your event’s branding. The color evokes feelings of friendliness, confidence and creativity in you, which represent your brand well. However, your colleague hates the color orange, so looking at the proposed branding puts her in a bad mood. She may not even know why she hates the color so much, but it doesn’t evoke any friendly feelings for her, or in turn, your event.

“Colors convey messages, evoke emotions, and add brilliance to everyday things.”  -The Logo Company

So what should you do? If you’re starting to create a brand (or rebranding), start with colors that you like. Look at colors they’re often paired with and notice what feelings they evoke in you. While CCC wants to build trust, dependability and strong relationships, that’s not what initially led to the color blue. As writers, it shouldn’t be any surprise that our blue, green and white color scheme all started with felt tip pens and a dream box.

Once you find colors you like, find a talented designer to work up some logo options. A logo, and in turn your brand, can go in such different directions even with the same color combinations. It’s helpful to hear different opinions at this point from business partners, (potential or current) customers, fellow industry professionals and so on.

Take your time! Your brand’s colors will flow through so much of what you do — your logo, website, marketing collateral, apparel, etc. You don’t want to rush to a bad decision and then have to rebrand shortly thereafter.

So feel free to consult emotion color guides or psychology of color research while selecting your brand’s colors, but remember to consult with yourself (and your peers) too. If your brand’s colors leave you feeling blue, you won’t make your customers look like gold.

Color Sound Off 

How did you choose your brand’s colors?

Were you trying to evoke specific emotions?

What’s your favorite color? What emotion does that color evoke in you?

We all wear green today. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Cheers,
Jaime

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