Colour is a very effective form of non-verbal communication. When establishing your brand, understanding the subconscious impact of colours is essential to obtaining a positive response from your audience.
Identifying your primary and secondary color palettes is a key element in building your brand. These carefully chosen colours will be partnered in graphics and images to positively reinforce your branded communications.
When selecting colours for your pallette, choose a:
- Light colour for backgrounds
- Darker colour for text
- Neutral hue
- Colour that “pops”
You may also want to include shades and tints, if you intend to use them often.
Below, you will discover the meaning of some of the most common colours; as well as, the subconscious message they can convey to your audience.
Red in Brand Colours
The hex code for the colour red is #FF0000.
Red stimulates. It captures attention, energizes, and inspires action. For example, the colour red is often used in restaurants to stimulate the appetite, and increase cravings for food.
Caution; use the colour red sparingly. Too much can cause a person to become irritated, agitated, and angry.
TIP: Although it is often used to express love – as on Valentine’s Day, the colour red relates more to sexuality and lust than love. Love is expressed with the colour pink.
- Positive connotations: energy, passion, action, ambition and determination.
- Negative connotations: revenge, anger.
Popular Variations of Red
Maroon (hex code #800000) – controlled and thoughtful action.
Burgundy (hex code #900020) – sophisticated, serious, controlled power, determined, ambition, dignified action.
Crimson (hex code #990000) – a determination to succeed, sensuality.
Scarlet (hex code #FF2400) – enthusiasm, joie de vie (a love of life).
Orange in Brand Colours
The hex code for the colour orange is #FFA500.
The color orange is both physically and mentally stimulating. It combines the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow.
From a psychological perspective, orange is optimistic, uplifting, and rejuvenating. Because of this, the colour orange offers emotional strength and aids in the assimilation of new ideas.
Although more subtle than red, the colour orange also increases the appetite and promotes social interaction.
TIP: Sportsmen and adventure-seekers relate well to orange.
- Positive connotations: vitality, social, communication, enthusiastic, cheerful, optimism.
- Negative connotations: Pessimism, inexpensive, and superficial.
Popular Variations of Orange
Peach (hex code #FFE5B4) – encourages communication and conversation. The colour peach inspires good manners and puts people at ease. It has all the attributes of orange but is regarded to be a much softer, gentler and more cautious variation.
Golden Orange (hex code #EBA53D) – encourages vitality and self-control.
Amber (hex code #FFBF00) – inspires confidence and self esteem. Be cautious, some see it exudes arrogance.
Burnt Orange (hex code #CC5500) – emits a negative vibration that conveys tension, aggressive self-assertion, and pride.
Dark Orange (hex code #FF8C00) – indicates overconfidence and over-ambition. It is the color of the opportunist, selfishness.
Yellow in Brand Colours
The hex code for the colour yellow is #FFFF00.
The colour yellow relates well to the expression and integration of new ideas and thoughts.
Yellow is non-emotional. A person’s reaction to it comes from the head rather than the heart. The colour yellow appeals to the left side or logical side of the brain. Because this side stimulates mental agility, inquisitiveness, and perception, yellow assists in acquiring knowledge (i.e. focusing, studying, and the recall of information).
Regarded as a “fast moving” colour, too much of the colour yellow can produce anxiety and cause a person to feel agitated.
- Positive connotations: academic, intellectual, wisdom, logic, optimistic, cheerful, enthusiasm, creativity, fun.
- Negative connotations: impatience, criticism, and cowardice.
Popular Variations of Yellow
Light Yellow (hex code #FFFFE0) – This color helps to clear the mind, making it open and alert.
Lemon Yellow (hex code #FFF44F) – self-reliance, order.
Citrine Yellow (hex code #E4D00A) – superficial, fickle, deceitful, irresponsible.
Golden Yellow (hex code #FFDF00) – independence, curiosity. It is widely believed that those who choose golden yellow are sensitive to criticism.
Cream (hex code #FFFDD0) – encourages new ideas. May indicate a lack of confidence and a need for reassurance.
Dark Yellow (hex code #9B870C) – depression, melancholy, lack of love, low self-worth, cynical.
Green in Brand Colours
The hex code for the colour green is #00FF00.
Green is an emotionally positive color that inspires hope and generosity. It is the colour of rebirth, renewal, and growth.
Being a combination of yellow and blue, green encompasses the mental clarity and optimism of yellow with the emotional calm and insight of blue. From a psychological perspective, the color green creates harmony between a person’s heart and their emotions.
- Positive connotations: prosperity, abundance, harmony, endurance, persistence, growth, charitable, helpful, self-reliance.
- Negative connotations: possessiveness, judgmental, over-cautious.
Popular Variations of Green
Pale green (hex code #98FB98) – new growth, youthfulness. Be cautious, pale green can convey immaturity and inexperience.
Emerald green (hex code #287233) – inspiring, uplifting, abundance, wealth, well-being.
Jade green (hex code #00A86B) – trust, confidentiality, tact, diplomacy, generosity, wisdom, understanding.
Lime green (hex code #32CD32) – youthfulness, playfulness.
Dark green (hex code #006400) – greed, selfishness.
Aqua (hex code #00FFFF) – calming
Olive green (hex code #BAB86C) – self-discipline, poise. Be cautious, olive green can also convey deceit and treachery,
Yellow green (hex code #9ACD32) – cowardice, conflict, fear.
Grass green (hex code #7CFC00) – self-confidence, security, natural, healthy.
Blue in Brand Colours
The hex code for the colour blue is #0000FF.
Blue is the most universally liked colour of all. From a psychological perspective, blue a safe and non-threatening colour that is reliable, responsible. conservative, and predictable. Many people see this colour as being sincere, reserved and quiet, trustworthy, responsible, honest, and loyal.
Blue is the color of the Holy Spirit, as well as religious devotion and study.
TIP: The paler the blue the more freedom a person feels.
- Positive connotations: trustworthy, loyalty, integrity, and calm
- Negative connotations: aloof and frigid.
Popular Variations of Blue
Pale Blue (hex code #AFEEEE) – creativity, freedom
Sky Blue (hex code #87CEEB) – Regarded as one of the calmest colors, sky blue is a non-threatening colour. This colour inspires selflessness and fidelity.
Azure Blue (hex code #007FFF) – contentment, determination, ambition, purpose.
Dark Blue (hex code #00008B) – is a masculine colour, conveying conservatism and responsibility. It is a non-emotional colour that is used to represent knowledge, power, and integrity, particularly in the corporate world.
Brown in Brand Colours
The hex code for the colour brown is #964b00.
Brown implies common sense, and is widely regarded as an honest, genuine and sincere colour. Because it exudes responsibility, stability, structure, and support, the colour brown relates well to those who are hardworking, industrious, and reliable.
The colour brown is often associated with wholesome, natural, and organic product; as well as, anything related to the outdoors, agriculture, and farming.
Although brown is regarded as a frugal color – not associated with frivolity, excess or waste in any kind, it values quality above all else. Because of this, brown can be sophisticated or elegant, depending on the colours associated with it.
- Positive connotations: friendly, serious, wholesome, natural, security, protection, comfort, strength, quality.
- Negative connotations: dull, boring, frugal, predictable.
Popular Variations of Brown
Light Brown (hex code #B5651D) – friendly and approachable, sincere, honest, and genuine.
Dark Brown (hex code #654321) – strong. Be cautious, some people say dark brown is sad and depressive.
Tan (hex code #D2B48C) – ageless, timeless, straightforward, uncomplicated, and natural.
Ivory (hex code #FFFFF0) – calming, encouraging, reserved, sophistication.
Beige (hex code #F5F5DC) – practical, reliable, conservative, constant, unchanging, and loyal.
Pink in Brand Colours
The hex code for the colour pink is #FFC0CB.
Pink displays the passion and power of red, softened with the purity, openness, and innocence of white. The colour pink represents compassion, nurturing and unconditional love. Showing tenderness and kindness, pink is widely regarded as a calming colour, and is also equated with nurturing.
In psychology, pink is a sign of hope.
Combining pink with other darker colors such as dark blue, dark green, black, or gray, adds strength and sophistication to pink.
Caution; a constant and exclusive use of pink can give the appearance of being immature, silly, and girlish.
- Positive connotations: unconditional love and nurturing.
- Negative connotations: immature, silly.
Popular Variations of Pink
Blush (hex code #DE5D83) – this very pale pink has sensual and sexual connotations. Because the colour blush lacks passion and energy, it is regarded as non-threatening.
Rose Pink (hex code #FF66CC) – This variation of pink is regarded as the colour of universal love and unity. It is mature, feminine, and intuitive.
Salmon Pink (hex code #FF9999) – There is a touch of orange in salmon pink.
Orchid (hex code #DA70D6) – This is an unusual lavender-pink colour that conveys individualism and nonconformity.
Fuchsia (hex code #FF00FF) – A blend of deep pink and blue, fuchsia inspires confidence, assurance, and maturity.
Hot Pink (hex code #FF69B4) – The hot pink colour inspires a more passionate, playful and sensual love. It exudes warmth and happiness.
Purple in Brand Colours
Purple combines the calm stability of blue and the fierce energy of red. With this powerful combination of both warm and cool properties, the colour purple has a variety of effects on the mind and body; including uplifting the spirit, calming the mind and nerves, increasing nurturing tendencies and sensitivity, and encouraging imagination and creativity.
Although often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, power, and ambition, the colour purple also represents creativity, wisdom, dignity, grandeur, devotion, peace, pride, mystery, and independence; as well as, feminine energy and delicacy.
Purple is a feminine, graceful, elegant colour that has long been associated with refined, wealthy women. In the bible (Acts 16:14), “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira.” Lydia typifies a successful business woman in a prosperous city.
Because the color purple rarely occurs in nature, it is often seen as having sacred meaning. For example, lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are considered to be delicate and precious.
Quick facts about the colour purple:
- Purple is considered a cool color in landscape design. Its appearance has a calming effect in a garden.
- Purple plants visually recede in a garden, helping to make a small space feel larger.
- Purple’s complimentary color in the garden is yellow.
Black in Brand Colours
The hex code for black is #FFFFFF.
Although the color black is often seen as a color of elegance, sophistication, and confidence, because of the power it exudes black can be regarded as intimidating, unfriendly, and unapproachable.
- Positive connotations: strong, formal, sophisticated, elegant, seductive
- Negative connotations: hidden, secretive, intimidating, unfriendly, unapproachable.
Influential Images
Images are an influential communicator. Within the graphics you use for marketing, your brand colours play an important role in communicating a subconscious message to the audience.
Because of their powerful influence over a consumer’s perception, be certain to select colours for your brand that are consistent with your company’s core values. Doing so ensures that your imagery delivers a positive, impactful message that aligns with your business goals.
Let’s discuss your choice of brand colours in a FREE 30 MINUTE STRATEGY SESSION. Complete the form below to contact me.