What is Color Theory?
Color theory is the analysis of colors based on a biological and psychological level. For instance, certain colors such as red, which is instinctually associated with hunger, can elicit a response that causes the consumer to be more alert. That is why it is used so often in the fast-food industry. How color is perceived can vary on a cultural and personal basis. Various cultures might associate certain colors differently than others based on their own experiences, ideas, and beliefs. Having a general knowledge of what each color represents or is associated with can help positively influence how the brand is perceived.
How Is It Useful?
Loyola University, Maryland conducted a study that shows that the brain recognizes color before other design elements, such as photos or text, meaning that color choice in branding holds a lot of value. Knowing your target audience and their needs can help you predict what kind of branding they expect. It can also help determine which color schemes would have a strong impact on your brand.
How To Make The Right Choices
When choosing colors to represent your brand, check to ensure that it fits the aesthetic expectations that your audience is looking for. For example, it’s common for many banks to use blue or green in their advertising because those colors represent stability and loyalty, which is something that most people look for in a bank. You want to be certain that you’re making a logical choice for the services or products that you are advertising.
A helpful tip to finding the best color choice for your branding is to categorize your brand into keywords that identify the ideas and values that your brand represents. Look for colors that you associate with those keywords. For instance, if you’re looking to create branding for your farmers market, that values organic and local ingredients, then you may want to lean towards natural colors such as greens and earth tones.
All in all, color theory can affect your branding in many different ways. Consumers make subconscious associations about branding based on color choices. Understanding what your brand represents and making choices based on those elements is a great start to finding the right colors for your branding.
Sources:
https://theparlor.be/the-psychology-of-color-in-marketing-and-branding/
https://www.creativebloq.com/features/the-designers-guide-to-using-colour-in-branding
https://stephanbrady.com/blog/color-theory/
0 Comments