Color & Branding

 Color Design and Psychology for Branding

Brands and color are inextricably linked because color offers an instantaneous method for conveying meaning and message without words.

Branding is a word commonly referred to by advertisers and marketing people, but what does it actually mean? Marketing experts define "brand" as the "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify a company's products or services." In other words, a brand communicates the "idea" of company or product. This is what forms the connection with consumers.

For example, in the illustration of the 3 brand images above:

The JAL (Japan Airlines) image has several Components: The bird symbolizes flight and the color red communicates power. Red also symbolizes good luck in Asia. The circle and the color red reference the flag of Japan. Therefore, the brand image communicates powerful air transportation from a Japanese company — and good luck with the journey.

The AT&T image is an award-winning design. The globe symbolizes a world circled by electronic communications. More specifically, the symbol is made up of very carefully delineated 'highlight' and 'shadow' elements. As a result, the symbol may be reproduced to give the impression of a three-dimensional sphere that is lighted from a distance source.

The UPS (United Parcel Service) image is an excellent example of how a single color communicates meaning. Brown symbolizes dependability and solidity. (It is not a snobby color; it is not high technology; brown is grounded in the earth.)

Color is one of the most important components in creating brand identity. The purpose of a brand identity system is to encode a brand in people's memory and retrieve it from their memory. In a visual system, the two most powerful components are the consistent recognizable shapes and colors. It is best if these shapes and colors are distinctive.

One of the key elements of building a strong brand is color selection. Every color has a different feel and various associations. By choosing a color or a combination of colors for your brand identity, you will take on those associations. Colors will evoke certain emotions and feelings towards your brand so it is vital to choose a color that will represent your identity effectively.

Research reveals people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone.

Color can have a significant effect on people's perception of a product or brand. For instance, burgundy and forest green are perceived to be upscale while an orange label or package indicates an inexpensive item.

Third, colors can actually have an effect on a person's state of mind and cognitive ability as demonstrated by numerous research studies. For instance, pink has been shown to increase a person's appetite and calm prison inmates.

The Power of Images

A single image delivers a lot of information in a very short time because we perceive an image all at once, whereas reading or hearing often takes significantly longer to process the same information.

A recent study found that images of brands trigger religious reactions. (Source) Dr. Gemma Calvert discovered that when people viewed images associated with the strong brands— the iPod, the Harley-Davidson, the Ferrari, and others— their brains registered the exact same patterns of activity as they did when they viewed the religious images.

The Power of Colors and Shapes

Brands communicate meanings with the language of color and shape. As the overused cliché says, "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Studies show that on average shoppers take just five seconds to locate and select a given product, generally at a distance of from three-to-six feet. Locating that product occurs when it is visible to the passing shopper. Here visibility is measured by contrast and the physiological driver that creates contrast is color. Color is one of the brain’s three visual pathways and, since we process every object within view simultaneously, color is the mechanism that places emphasis on certain areas. In addition to enhancing on-shelf visibility, the appropriate use of color can increase brand recognition by some 80%, while also serving as an important brand identifier.

While color works on one level, it is not the only factor leading to product selection. Memorable shapes also initiate a cognitive process of evaluation and brand preference. Shapes often determine the first impression of a product while metaphorically communicating key benefits and advantages. In combination, color and shape combinations can signal quality, while enhancing perception. For instance, symmetrical shapes pair well with passive colors… triangular and diamond shapes with active colors.

Color /shape combinations can also communicate brand personality, so like color, the use of shape in brand identity and design plays a role well beyond on-shelf visibility.

There are natural — or universal — associations evoked by shapes and colors that are common to all of us: For example, a horizontal line is stable and a diagonal line is dynamic. Red is hot and full of fire, blue is cool and watery — or intangible like the sky.

Did you know? Ads in color are read up to 42% more often than the same ads in black and white (as shown in study of phone directory ads).

The relationship between a brand and the color plays a huge role in the minds of consumers. Colors have a much greater role than a graphic design on a logo. It is a valuable messaging tool that marketers use to give consumers a visual memory or even elicit an emotion. Color is an important factor in determining the value and characteristics that a brand wants to portray.

Red is a powerful color symbolizing energy, passion and even danger. Red is an intense color. It is often used in logo design to grasp the viewer’s attention and has been known to raise one’s blood pressure or make people hungry. You will usually see red in foods and powerful products.

Orange connotes adventure and fun. It is less intense than red, but still packs in a lot of punch. It is more playful and like red, is an attention grabber. It has also been used to convey value and discounts. Many brands use this color to create playfulness or stimulate emotions and even appetites.

Yellow is has a varying representation. Like red, it can have conflicting messages. It can represent sunshine and happiness or caution and cowardice. Its more vibrant shades elicit feelings of well-being and are said to stimulate mental activity. However, yellow has been proven to create stress among people, which is why it is used in road signs to caution people.

Green has been a recent favorite for marketers. It is used literally and figuratively. Green promotes cleanliness, freshness, renewal and environmental friendliness. It is seen as a restful and soothing color, but can also represent jealousy and inexperience. Many brands have been using this color to portray themselves as eco-friendly and organic.

Blue is one of the most popular colors used within the technology industry. It is regularly associated with security, efficiency, productivity and clearness of mind. It also symbolizes cleanliness, openness and relaxation and works with cleaning products. Brands that tend to use blue are high-tech companies, cleaning products or fortune 500 companies.

Purple has symbolized nobility and wealth. For centuries, purple has been seen as a powerful color for luxury brands and products. Since purple is a combination of red and blue, it has both warm and cool properties. It implies mystery with sophistication. This color can be found in brands that promote education related products or luxury products.

Pink is a feminine color and denotes feelings of innocence and delicateness. It is often joyful and bubbly. Today, many people associate the color pink with breast cancer. It is often a color used in logos to add a feminine vibe to the brand.

Brown is a strong, earthy color that notes honesty and dependability. One of the most popular brands that have embraced the color and associations with it is UPS. Their slogan, “What can Brown do for you?” denotes that they represent that color and the association of dependability.

Black is known for being classic and strong. Many marketers use this color to conjure authority, boldness, elegance and tradition. This color is used in most marketers’ strategy as a font color or outlines of logos.

White is universally known for being pure and peaceful. Thanks to Apple, white has also been known for being an innovative color. Apple has adopted characteristic and applied it to their brand. Many brands will use the color white for their backgrounds to enhance another color.

Some brands decide to include multiple colors into their logo. They chose not to associate themselves with one color and would rather have more variety. This makes sense for brands that are platforms or marketplaces as they host vast amounts of different applications or goods.