Colour psychology is the research of how colours affect humans and how each colour expresses different emotions. It can be intimidating but understanding how colours affect your branding can be a game-changer to your business. So let’s talk together and see what colours fit your brand the best.
Red
Red attracts your attention, increases heart rate and is often associated with urgency (stop sign or warning labels). It can stimulate appetites and is often used for food brands. Bright reds create strong emotions and dark reds can show willpower. It can convey emotions of excitement, determination and energy. It can also convey emotions of rage and aggression.
Companies that use red are Coca Cola, Tim Hortons and Netflix.
Orange
Orange is the mix of red’s energy and yellow’s happiness. Often used for call to actions and associated with affordability. Bright oranges can portray energy and soft oranges are more cozy like candlelight. It can convey emotions of creativity, optimism and caution. However, it can also be seen as immature or sluggish.
Companies that use orange are Nickelodeon, Penguin Random House and Soundcloud.
Yellow
Yellow is uplifting and innovative, often used to grab attention. But it can be overpowering in large amounts. Bright yellow is energetic while softer yellows are mellow. It can convey emotions of happiness, warmth and playfulness. It also shows emotions of fear, cowardice and anxiety.
Companies that use yellow are Post-It, Yellow Pages and Lipton.
Green
Green is associated with nature and balance while promoting relaxation. It often symbolizes wealth, healing and sustainability. Light greens are positive and dark greens are relaxing. It can convey emotions of safety, growth and harmony. It can also represent jealousy, blandness and sickness.
Companies that use green are TD Bank, Spotify and Animal Planet.
Blue
Blue is associated with wisdom, professionalism and honesty. It’s often used in corporate and medical environments. Lighter blues are more calming while darker blues can be seen as more serious. It can convey emotions of stability, trust and serenity. On the other hand, blue can also symbolize sadness, coldness or unfriendliness.
Companies that use blue are St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Skype and Nasa.
Purple
Purple is associated with royalty, spirituality and imagination. It’s historically associated with nobility and luxury. Vibrant purples are energetic while darker purples are magical and mystifying. It can convey emotions of uniqueness, mysterious and elegance. It can also represent moodiness or corruption.
Companies that use purple are Hallmark, Cadbury and Twitch.
Pink
Pink is associated with romance, nurturing and femininity. It can be used to showcase calmness and makes people feel romantic. A light pink can show softness while a hot pink can express boldness. It can convey emotions of sympathy, love and kindness. It also creates emotions of weakness and vulnerability.
Companies that use pink are Barbie, Cosmopolitan and Dribble.
Black
Black is often associated with mystery, authority and sophistication. It can evoke strong emotions and have a dramatic effect. It can create a strong contrast when paired with other colours and make them stand out. It can convey emotions of darkness, power and mourning. It can also convey oppression and evil.
Companies that use black are WWF, Burberry and Louis Vuitton.
White
White is often associated with holiness, purity and simplicity. It can create a sense of clarity and is associated with cleanliness. It creates a blank canvas and often creates positive emotions when mixed with other colours. It can also create off-whites that are more easy on the eyes. It conveys emotions of innocence, hopefulness and peace. However, it also conveys emptiness, sertiles and isolation.
Companies that use white are Apple, Wikipedia and Swarovski.
Colours can be confusing to understand but once you get the hang of it, it can change the way to you see your brand completely. By investing time into colour psychology, it can help you pick the perfect palette for your brand and products. With the right direction, it can influence your customers and leave a positive feeling about your brand.
Interested to learn more about how colour psychology affects your business? Book a complimentary discovery call with Sunrise Creative.