The Science of Color Psychology: Choosing the Right Colors for Your Brand

Colors subconsciously influence our emotions, perceptions, and decision-making. 

Research behind the psychology of colors proves that every hue we encounter can create emotional reactions, as well as trigger subconscious associations. Colors are constantly shaping our experiences in ways we’re not fully aware of.

Lucky for you, your business can strategically use colors to trigger emotional associations. The psychology of color reinforces your brand’s identity and potentially can lead to increased conversions over time. Really. You’re going to want to harness this psychological power of colors for your brand when you’re done reading this.

• A study by the University of Loyola found that color increases brand recognition by up to 80%.

• Another study by the University of Winnipeg found that up to 90% of snap judgments made about products can be based on color alone.

• HubSpot found that using the right colors can increase conversion rates by up to 24%.

• According to a report by the Pantone Color Institute, consistent use of color can increase brand recognition by up to 80%.

Brands like McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, and Wendy’s make a supersized amount of money by using red in their branding. Why? It’s psychologically proven to be attached to appetite. Look at the color red long enough and you’ll suddenly feel ravenous. OK, it might not work quite like that, but you get the gist. 

You can make more money by strategically choosing colors for your brand and using them consistently. Now, you just need to understand how color psychology works and what colors you need to choose to stir up the right emotions in your customers.

Understanding Color Psychology

If color psychology sounds like voodoo, it kind of is, but it works. 

Color psychology refers to the influence colors have on human behavior, emotions, and decision-making processes. As the fast food industry has illustrated, it’s very powerful and commonly leveraged by reputable brands. By examining the way colors affect moods, perceptions, and actions, anyone with this information can make strategic choices when creating their brand. 

And it’s all a result of the way your brain processes light. Fascinating, isn’t it? 

Keep in mind, factors such as past experiences, context, and cultural associations play a role in how customers feel about color, too, while psychology and biology work synergistically, giving rise to emotional responses and the associations we make with color. 

What Different Colors Mean in Your Brand Visuals

There is no strategy in designing a logo and color palette based on your favorite colors. Taking this approach does a major disservice to your business. Many companies that take this approach eventually rebrand because the cohesion of the brand isn’t working. 

So, before you go slapping color swatches together, understand how the colors you choose will affect your customers. 

Red evokes passion, excitement, and energy. It's a strong color that can draw attention and create a sense of urgency. As mentioned, many fast food companies use red to stimulate appetite and make you think, “I have to eat now!” It’s also associated with aggression and danger. Context matters! Just like you wouldn’t wear a swimsuit to a wedding, you may not want to use red for your day spa or therapy center’s brand. 

Blue is perceived as a calming, trustworthy, and stable color. Banks, technology companies, and healthcare providers use it to convey dependability and professionalism. IBM, Intel, and Chase Bank are just a few of the millions of brands who lean on blue to make their customers feel safe. 

Yellow is a cheerful, bright color that represents optimism and happiness. It can be used to create feelings of warmth and positivity. Yellow is used in logos by brands such as Nikon, Best Buy, and DHL to convey friendliness and approachability. Yellow isn’t always sunshine, though. Overusing it can be overwhelming and create feelings of anxiety or frustration.

Green represents growth, freshness, and nature. It is commonly used to convey prosperity and sustainability by eco-friendly brands, organic products, and financial services. It can also emit a sense of balance and harmony. Starbucks and Whole Foods Market are two green brands that come to mind. 

Orange is a vibrant, energetic color that combines the warmth of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. It is frequently used to express enthusiasm and creativity. Brands such as Home Depot and Nickelodeon use orange to speak to creativity and excitement.

Purple is the color of luxury, creativity, and spirituality. Luxury brands, beauty products, and educational institutions frequently use it to convey a sense of sophistication and wisdom. Think Cadbury, Hallmark, and NYU.

Pink is a color associated with compassion, nurturing, and love. It’s most often used in branding for women’s and girls’ products to convey a sense of softness and approachability. Barbie and Victoria's Secret are a few cliche examples, but T-Mobile is a unique example that has leveraged pink to stand out against its competitors. Smart!

Brown represents stability, dependability, and nature. Brands that include brown in their primary color palette want to convey a sense of earthiness and dependability. UPS is a great example of this. On the other hand, M&M’s and Hershey’s probably use brown because, well, they sell chocolate. 

Black is the color of power, sophistication, and elegance. Luxury brands, technology companies, and fashion labels love black to appear exclusive and premium. Apple, Chanel, and Mercedes-Benz are a few of the many brands who have made black a primary “color” in their palette. 

White is a non-color that symbolizes purity, simplicity, and cleanliness. Brands that value minimalism and sophistication look to white. Almost all brands use white to some degree, but some are more intentional about using it more often. Some of the biggest brands in the world–including Nike and Apple–stick to a neutral black and white approach to strike the balance between simplicity, sophistication, and power.

Gray creates a sense of balance, calm, and professionalism. Toyota, Samsung, and Wikipedia are a few examples of brands that use it to convey dependability and stability without being too bold or overpowering. 

Imagine you are picking an outfit to wear on stage at a big event. What do you go for? A blue power suit? An orange windbreaker? A red sequined dress? the attire you’d wear to an important event. You’ll choose an outfit that accurately represents you, and is comfortable, with the intent of making a lasting impression on others. Really consider the emotional and cultural associations when choosing your brand colors based on the impact you’d like to have on your audience. Here’s some factors to keep in mind:

How to Combine and Apply Brand Colors

It’s not enough to pick a few nice colors that represent your brand well without considering these important rules. 

Be Consistent

the same waya consistent wardrobe style, ensure your chosen colors echo your brand’s overarching message and identity.

Find Harmony

Be mindful to choose a color palette that is visually appealing just as you would coordinate an outfit. 

Create Contrast

Use contrasts to highlight critical design elements, similar to how a vibrant tie or necklace can draw attention. 

Make it Adaptable

Use colors that easily transition across various platforms and mediums, much like an interchangeable outfit for different occasions would.

Analyzing Iconic Brands

There’s a lot to learn about color psychology by simply strolling through your local mall and looking at the shop signs. Ask yourself what character traits you associate with different brands, then look at the colors they use, and try to draw connections between the two. 

Flip what you learned around and apply it to your own brand. How do you want your customers to feel when they interact with your brand? Based on color psychology, what colors match those feelings?

Selecting Your Brand Colors

Color psychology is different for every industry. 

Before choosing your colors, research your industry and competitors so you can identify common color schemes and intentionally choose colors that help you stand out. If most of your competitors include blue in their color schemes, go against the grain. Pink might not be the right option for a bank, but there are so many shades of reds, greens, and blues that can be combined with other unique color choices to create a signature look.

When creating your brand, make sure you aren’t just selecting one color, but a small family of colors with a clear hierarchy of how they’re used. 

Choose a primary color that best represents your brand's values based on your brand's personality and target audience. This color will be dominant in your logo, on your website, and in your marketing materials. Then there are the Google-esque brands of the world who can’t be kept in a color hierarchy box and have four dominant brand colors. Instead of choosing one primary color, they chose all of the primary colors.

Select secondary colors that complement your primary color to create a well-rounded color palette. Use these colors for accents, backgrounds, and other design elements. A fitness studio might use vibrant secondary colors like orange or yellow to convey energy and motivation. Usually, at least one of the secondary colors is complementary to the primary color.

Combined, your primary and secondary colors will create a visually appealing and emotionally resonant brand strategy that speaks directly to your customers' hearts and minds.

There’s nothing haphazard about the way brands choose the colors they use to promote themselves. Small businesses can benefit just as much by creating the right brand environment with color. 

Remember, it’s not as easy as selecting any random colors. There are different hues and shades to consider, and studies around pairing colors.

If you don’t feel confident making color selections for your own brand, reach out to a designer. Backpack Marketing’s team of designers create brands backed by strategy and psychology. We’re not a logo-only shop, because we know that doesn’t serve businesses long term. 

Schedule a free 15-minute call to talk about the brand project on your plate.