Color Personalities and How To Find the One for Your Company
By Black Bear Design on 11/17/2017
Companies choose the colors of their logo design for any number of reasons: to convey power or serenity, engender safety or trust, or create hunger or warmth – or just because they like them. That decision may be based on a variety of reasons from the owner’s favorite color or the color of their first car, but how important are they?
Consumers can make observations about and create attachments to a brand based on the colors of the logo. The study Exciting Red and Competent Blue looked at the role color plays in marketing and found that they do influence consumer buying decisions based on the perception of the brand. Don’t believe us? The name of the study gives it away, but try to imagine the McDonald’s logo in green or the Delta logo in purple. They just don’t feel right because you’ve gotten attached to the colors and the story they tell.
Here’s a little insight into color personalities and the brands that use them:
Red: Coca-Cola, Disney, Netflix, Heinz, Toyota, Red Bull, Kellogg’s
Attracts attention more than any other color and is associated with energy, strength, power, passion, and love.
Orange: Home Depot, Amazon, Harley Davidson, Penguin Books, Fanta
Represents enthusiasm, cheerfulness, creativity, determination, success, and inspiration.
Green: Starbucks, Spotify, John Deere, Holiday Inn, BP, Land Rover
Often connected with growth, harmony, freshness, and money. Green also suggests stability and strength.
Blue: Facebook, Dell, Ford, Visa, Lowe’s, Philips, Delta, Gap
As the color of the oceans, blue is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, tranquility, and calmness.
Yellow: Snapchat, Sprint, Bic, Shell Oil, DHL, Hertz
Associated with joy, happiness, intelligence, and energy and is an attention-getter.
Purple: Yahoo, Cadbury, Hallmark, FedEx, Curves, Craigslist, Taco Bell
Symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, wealth, and indulgence. Purple is often associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.
Black: Adidas, Sony, Chanel, Gillette, Hilton, Honda, World Wildlife Fund
Associated with sophistication, power, elegance, prestige, formality, authority and formality.
While there is evidence that color can impact buying decisions, selecting one hue over another without considering the reasons why it’s part of your brand may leave you wanting a new design in a few years. So when you’re brainstorming up logo colors and design, think about the context, mood, and image you want: Sophisticated and elegant? Trustworthy and safe? Pure and simple? There’s nobody who reps pure and simple better than Apple with their white, bitten apple image, and looking to brands you admire is another excellent way to find inspiration.
Still feeling stuck when it comes to how to communicate your brand? Black Bear Design is here to help you create an impactful logo. Please contact us to see how we can help.
