Color palette branding is important for all businesses to increase brand recognition. When people see the color red, they associate it with Target or Coca-Cola, similarly to how orange is associated with The Home Depot. Consumers choose to purchase from these brands because they recognize the associated colors.
However, color goes well beyond simply recognizing a brand. Color can be mentally associated with context outside of the brand, relating to moods and feelings. These moods and feelings can invoke positive or negative emotions from consumers. All of this leads to the importance of brand personality. For example, the color black is positively associated with elegance and sophistication. While this may be true, black is also associated with mourning and evil. Depending on the type of company, black could be a good or poor representation of the brand personality trying to be portrayed.
Even though colors always have negative and positive connotations, that only means that it is important to choose the right colors. Having a brand color palette means that consumers will obtain an emotional and mental connection with the brand. Orangetheory Fitness is a great example of a wellness brand using color to connect with consumers. As suggested in the brand name, Orangetheory Fitness uses the psychology behind the color orange to inspire consumers. Orange represents courage, energy, motivation and positivity. For a fitness company, these are the types of feelings necessary to associate with brand image. Now, people interested in fitness and working out are stimulated with energy and excitement when entering an Orangetheory Fitness location. Orangetheory Fitness picked a brand color that matched their business needs, and has helped shoot their brand to success.
Colors are also important when understanding different cultures and history. For instance, in some cultures, purple represents wealth and royalty. This meaning goes back hundreds of years because purple dye was historically rare and costly. Purple was a color reserved for elite members of society, and displayed high social status. In the United States, this may seem like a concept of the past, but the symbolic power of the color is still relevant in other parts of the world. Many global brands, such as perfume companies, use purple fragrance bottles and color schemes to represent luxury, making their products seem appealing and powerful. It is for this reason that brands need to understand associations with their brand colors in all places of the world that they envision making their brand available.
Additionally, there is a physiological effect of visible light regarding how colors react differently with the brain depending on the size of their wavelengths. For instance, red has been said to increase blood pressure, yet blue has been said to lower blood pressure and pulse. This is due to the stimulating effect of the different colors. While red inspires action, blue has a tendency to calm a person. This is why companies such as McDonald’s use red because red also happens to increase appetite. Therefore, when people see a red McDonald’s sign, it makes them want to eat more.
The bottom line is that brand colors should be chosen based on brand values and in support of brand positioning. Target audiences and brand archetypes are important to have in mind when choosing colors because certain audiences will resonate with different colors. Picking the right colors provides people with a way to identify a brand, but also a way to connect the brand with positive points of interest.
