Where the rainbow gets luxurious. Paint with purple to appear simultaneously cutting-edge and wise. There’s just a hint of femininity in there too.
colour coding
75 %
10 %
50 %
50 %
According to a study of the top 100 global companies, these are the most popular colours used for their branding?
95% use only 1 or 2 colours 95%
Colours – there are so many of them out there, yet there is a surprising lack of variety in the branding world.
Think about all the logos out there – you’ll typically find blues, reds, greys and blacks linked to some of the biggest brand names. But when it comes to your small business, do you want your logo to stand out or play it safe?
This page provides a simple overview of colour psychology and how it can be applied to logo design and branding. It explains the basic cultural and subconscious associations for the most popular logo colours and gives examples of successful brands for each.
Choosing the best colour(s) for you branding could make a real difference to your image, reputation and balance sheet, so getting professional creative support is essential.
If you would like to contact me to discuss logo design (or anything else for that matter) please get in touch – I would love to hear from you.
NHS
Barclays
Samsung
Trustworthy
Responsible
Secure
Dependable
Blue
The classic king of colours, blue appears in over one third of all logos. As it symbolises trustworthiness and maturity, true blue will make sure you’re taken seriously.
Coca-Cola
Adobe
Virgin Atlantic
Life Magazine
Agressive
Energetic
Provocative
Attention-seeking
Red
The universal sign of excitement, passion and anger. Is your brand loud, playful, youthful or modern? Think red. More mature, classic or serious? Red may not be for you.
Nikon
McDonald’s
Renault
Snapchat
Positivity
Warmth
Motivation
Creativity
Yellow/Gold
Accessible, sunshiny friendliness. Yellow exudes cheer, and your brand will radiate an affordable, youthful energy. Nobody puts yellow in a corner!
Yahoo!
Cadbury
Asprey
Premier League
Sophistication
Nostalgia
Mystery
Spirituality
Purple
Land Rover
Starbucks
BP
Carlsberg
Wealth
Health
Prestige
Security
Green
The ultimate in versatility, green isn’t linked with many brand personality traits, but it has strong cultural associations. Are you in finance? Gardening? Consider going green.
UPS
Louis Vuitton
Nespresso
M&M’s
Earthlike
Natural
Simplistic
Durable
Brown
What can brown do for you? Make your brand appear rugged, masculine and serious. Brown is very underutilised, so you’ll stand out from the competition.
Nickelodeon
TNT
Easy Jet
Orange
Vitality
Fun
Playful
Exuberance
Orange
An invigorating, playful colour. Go orange to stand out from the crowd. Orange is used less often than red, but still packs an energetic punch.
Adidas
Chanel
Sony
Swarovski
Prestige
Timelessness
Value
Sophistication
Grey/Black
Want to look slick, modern and luxurious? Time to go black. Gray is the middle-ground of mature, classic and serious. Go darker to add mystery. Go lighter to be more accessible.