All you need to know about choosing the right colours for your brand in 5 steps

Choosing the right colours for your brand is a crucial decision, as colours can evoke emotions, convey messages, and play a significant role in shaping your brand’s identity. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you choose the right colours for your brand:

1. Understand your brand personality

Define your brand’s personality, values, and target audience. Consider the emotions and qualities you want your brand to convey. Is it modern, traditional, playful, serious, luxurious, or eco-friendly? Understanding your brand’s essence will help guide your colour choices.

2. Research colour psychology

Colour psychology helps you see how different colours are perceived by people, and the emotions they evoke. Choose colours that represent the brand values and personality you are trying to convey to your audience. For example, businesses that want to convey trust and reliability often use a blue and grey colour palette. Whereas a fun youthful business would be better choosing bright energetic colours, such as yellow and pink.

Common colour meanings:

Red: Energetic, passionate, bold
Orange: Youthful, optimistic, enthusiastic
Yellow: Happy, hopeful, spontaneous
Green: Natural, fresh, eco-friendly
Blue: Trustworthy, calm, professional
Purple: Spiritual, creative, luxurious
Pink: Loving, feminine, playful
Black: Sophisticated, elegant, powerful
White: Pure, clean, simple
Grey: Neutral, calm, practical
Brown: Reliable, stable, honest

Metallic colours can add a touch of luxury, sophistication, and uniqueness to your brand. Incorporating metallic colours into your branding can help your business stand out and create a memorable impression.

Gold: Wealth, luxury, success
Silver: Modernity, sophistication, innovation
Copper/Bronze: Rustic charm, tradition, craftsmanship
Rose Gold: Femininity, modernity, elegance
Chrome: Technology, innovation, high-tech aesthetics

Your audience and cultural differences
Think about your target audience’s preferences and cultural background. Different cultures may interpret colours differently. Ensure your chosen colours resonate with your audience.

3. Get inspiration from the best brand colours in your industry

Certain colours are more suited to specific businesses due to the emotions they convey. Understanding your industry is an essential step in choosing your brand colours. Although you don’t want to blend in with competitors in your business niche, you don’t want to choose colours that clash with your industry norms.

Technology and Innovation
Blue: Conveys trust, professionalism, and reliability. It’s often used by tech giants like IBM and Intel.
Silver/Chrome: Represents modernity, innovation, and high-tech solutions.

Healthcare and Wellness
Green: Symbolises health, nature, and tranquillity. Many healthcare brands use green to promote a sense of well-being and healing.
Blue: Suggests calmness, cleanliness, and professionalism in healthcare environments.

Finance and Banking
Blue: Conveys stability, security, and trustworthiness, qualities important in the financial sector.
Green: Can symbolise growth, financial prosperity, and wealth management.

Food and Beverage
Red: Evokes appetite, excitement, and passion. Commonly used by fast-food chains like McDonald’s and KFC.
Brown: Associated with earthiness and naturalness. Often used in coffee and chocolate branding.

Fashion and Luxury
Black: Signifies sophistication, elegance, and exclusivity. Commonly used by high-end fashion brands like Chanel and Armani.
Gold: Represents luxury, opulence, and prestige. Adds a sense of richness to luxury branding.

Automotive
Silver/Chrome: Suggests modernity, innovation, and high-tech features. Commonly seen in car branding.
Red: Can convey energy, speed, and excitement, making it suitable for sports car brands.

Environmental and Sustainability
Green: Represents nature, growth, and eco-friendliness. Ideal for brands focused on sustainability and environmental consciousness.
Earth Tones: Brown, green, and other earthy colours can signify a connection to the natural world and sustainable practices.

Education and Learning
Blue: Portrays trust, stability, and professionalism, which can be appealing to educational institutions.
Yellow: Evokes optimism, creativity, and a sense of curiosity, making it suitable for education brands aimed at children.

Hospitality and Travel
Blue: Creates a sense of calm, reliability, and professionalism, important in the hospitality industry.
Orange/Yellow: Suggests warmth, energy, and excitement, which can be inviting to travellers.

Real Estate
Blue: Conveys trust, reliability, and professionalism, crucial for building confidence in real estate transactions.
Earth Tones: Brown and beige can symbolise stability, grounding, and a connection to the land.

4. Create mood boards

Gather visual inspiration from various sources, including websites, magazines, and design platforms like Pinterest. Create mood boards that reflect the look and feel you want for your brand. This will help you visualise how different colours work together.

5. Accessibility and consistency

Ensure your chosen colours are accessible to all, including those with visual impairments. Use tools that check colour contrast ratios to ensure readability. Additionally, maintain colour consistency across different platforms and materials to build a recognisable brand identity.

Final Thoughts
Remember that colour is just one aspect of your brand identity. It should complement other elements like your logo, typography, and overall design. By carefully considering these factors, you can choose colours that effectively represent your brand and resonate with your target audience.

If you need help choosing the right branding for your business or designing the perfect logo, get in touch we’d love to help.